Forest conservation is an important field that requires experts trained in conservation techniques to research and practice conservation along with foresters and other scientists. These experts are known as conservation technicians.
In this article, we’ll cover the following questions about conservation technicians:
What Are Conservation Technicians and What Do They Do?
Conservation technicians are specialists trained in on-site conservation techniques. Where a conservation scientist may do more on the research end of conservation, technicians are trained in on-the-ground techniques like mapping and sampling.
On a daily basis, a conservation technician may have some of the following responsibilities:
- Collecting soil and water samples
- Checking plants and animals for diseases
- Surveying trees in a forest
- Planting trees
- Surveying invasive species in a forest
- Creating maps of species in a forest
- Assessing fire risk
- Monitoring loggers
- Marking trees that need to be cut down
Most conservation scientists are trained in water and soil sampling and assist with ecological or agricultural studies or fire assessment, but there are also conservation technicians who work in museums to conserve or restore art or other cultural artifacts.
Why Are Conservation Technicians Important?
Conservation technicians provide the technical knowledge needed in conservation science. Typically, the data gathered by conservation technicians is used in the following ways:
- Informing governments of fire risk, invasive species, water quality, and other ecological issues
- Informing farmers of soil quality
- Ensuring logging activities are safe and legal
- Gathering data for important studies about conservation
As invasive species, climate change, and deforestation become worsening threats to our ecosystems, the work that conservation technicians do is increasingly important to determine what the effects of these phenomena are as well as how to control them.
In Conclusion…
- Conservation technicians specialize in survey techniques to inform governments, farmers, and scientists of soil and air quality, forest health, and fire risk.
- They provide technical ecological knowledge that is increasingly necessary to governments and scientists in light of climate change.