Forestry Series, 0460

Individual Occupational Requirements

Basic Requirements

1. Degree: forestry; or a related subject-matter field that included a total of at least 30 semester hours in any combination of biological, physical, or mathematical sciences or engineering, of which at least 24 semester hours of course work were in forestry. The curriculum must have been sufficiently diversified to include courses in each of the following areas:

   • Management of Renewable Resources -- study of the science and art of managing renewable resources to attain desired results. Examples of creditable courses in this area include silviculture, forest management operations, timber management, wildland fire science or fire management, utilization of forest resources, forest regulation, recreational land management, watershed management, and wildlife or range habitat management.

   • Forest Biology -- study of the classification, distribution, characteristics, and identification of forest vegetation, and the interrelationships of living organisms to the forest environment. Examples of creditable courses in this area include dendrology, forest ecology, silvics, forest genetics, wood structure and properties, forest soils, forest entomology, and forest pathology.

   • Forest Resource Measurements and Inventory -- sampling, inventory, measurement, and analysis techniques as applied to a variety of forest resources. Examples of creditable courses include forest biometrics, forest mensuration, forest valuation, statistical analysis of forest resource data, renewable natural resources inventories and analysis, and photogrammetry or remote sensing.

   OR

2. Combination of education and experience: courses equivalent to a major in forestry, or at least 30 semester hours in any combination of biological, physical, or mathematical sciences or engineering, of which at least 24 semester hours were in forestry. The requirements for diversification of the 24 semester hours in forestry are the same as shown in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education.

Applicants for Forester (Administration) or Research Forester (Administration) must have completed either the requirements described in A or B above; or the minimum educational requirements established for other forestry-related professional disciplines, e.g., Range Conservationist, GS-454; Soil Scientist, GS-470; Wildlife Biologist, GS-486; Geologist, GS-1350; Landscape Architect, GS-807; Hydrologist, GS-1315; or the full 4-year college requirements described for All Professional Engineering Positions, GS-800, provided that the basic professional training was supplemented by a sufficient amount of professional experience gained in a forestry work situation. The supplemental experience must have been gained in a work situation where the program or project required the joint application of full professional knowledge of forestry and the related professions in the solving of highly technical and complex problems; where the work was largely concerned with the planning, developmental, and administrative phases of multiple-use, forest land management programs; or with the carrying out of related research or special projects of a similar nature.

For Department of the Interior Positions with Pilot Duties

Applicants must:

• Possess a current FAA Commercial Airman Certificate with ratings appropriate for the duties performed;
• Possess an instrument rating;
• Have completed a minimum of 500 hours of flight time as Pilot-in-Command and 25 hours of flight time as Pilot-in-Command at night; and
• Possess a current Class II Medical Certificate.

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