People Team AI Ask about a date

How exposed to AI is a Forest and Conservation Technician?

Of the 21 tasks O*NET lists for forest and conservation technicians, 3 could be done in half the time with a chat window today. 9 cannot be sped up at all. Here is which.

Exposure means published research judged an AI could halve the time a task takes, at the same quality. It does not mean the task stops needing a person. How to read this

Also called
Biological Science AideForest TechnicianForestry AideForestry Technician (Forestry Tech)Resource TechnicianTimber Appraiser
Reachable today Needs software built first Cannot be sped up
21
tasks rated for this occupation
15%
hold a degree, from a survey of 28
30k
people do this job in the US
43 of 60
least protected in science

Every task, and what AI can do with it

These are O*NET's task statements for this occupation, exactly as written, sorted into the three bands by the ratings behind this report. Nothing has been reworded.

Reachable with a chat window today

3
  • Issue fire permits, timber permits, and other forest use licenses
  • Provide forestry education and general information, advice, and recommendations to woodlot owners, community organizations, and the general public
  • Provide technical support to forestry research programs in areas such as tree improvement, seed orchard operations, insect and disease surveys, or experimental forestry and forest engineering research

Only with software built on top

9
  • Provide information about, and enforce, regulations, such as those concerning environmental protection, resource utilization, fire safety, and accident prevention
  • Map forest tract data using digital mapping systems
  • Keep records of the amount and condition of logs taken to mills
  • Manage forest protection activities, including fire control, fire crew training, and coordination of fire detection and public education programs
  • Select and mark trees for thinning or logging, drawing detailed plans that include access roads
  • Develop and maintain computer databases
  • Measure distances, clean sightlines, and record data to help survey crews
  • Survey, measure, and map access roads and forest areas such as burns, cut-over areas, experimental plots, and timber sales sections
  • Install gauges, stream flow recorders, and soil moisture measuring instruments, and collect and record data from them to assist with watershed analysis

Cannot be sped up

9
  • Thin and space trees and control weeds and undergrowth, using manual tools and chemicals, or supervise workers performing these tasks
  • Train and lead forest and conservation workers in seasonal activities, such as planting tree seedlings, putting out forest fires, and maintaining recreational facilities
  • Patrol park or forest areas to protect resources and prevent damage
  • Monitor activities of logging companies and contractors
  • Perform reforestation or forest renewal, including nursery and silviculture operations, site preparation, seeding and tree planting programs, cone collection, and tree improvement
  • Plan and supervise construction of access routes and forest roads
  • Supervise forest nursery operations, timber harvesting, land use activities such as livestock grazing, and disease or insect control programs
  • Inspect trees and collect samples of plants, seeds, foliage, bark, and roots to locate insect and disease damage
  • Conduct laboratory or field experiments with plants, animals, insects, diseases, and soils
What this does not say

This is not a prediction about your job

Nobody surveyed an employer. Tasks are counted equally, so a percentage here is a share of the list rather than a share of your week. And the ratings were made in 2023, which makes every figure a floor rather than a ceiling.

It must never be used to select anyone for redundancy. The full limits are here.

Where to go next

This is the standard task list for the title. The useful next question is which of the tasks you actually do should go near AI, and which should not.

Sort your own tasks Read the full report

Exposure ratings from Eloundou, Manning, Mishkin and Rock, GPTs are GPTs: Labor market impact potential of LLMs, Science 384, 1306–1308, 2024, used under the MIT licence. This page includes information from the O*NET Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. People Team AI has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. Employment figures from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.