The California Forestry Jobs Initiative is seeking primarily women, youth, veterans and minority workers who want to pursue a career in the forestry sector, with a focus on wildfire prevention and sustainability.
During the videoconference: “California Forestry Employment Initiative. How to train diverse leaders and achieve environmental sustainability”, organized by Ethnic Media Servicesseveral experts discussed how this initiative ensures more equitable access to forestry jobs, contributing to both community strength and environmental stewardship throughout California.
The initiative is funded by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE).
Matt Dias, president and CEO of the Society of American Foresters, said they represent about four million acres of forest lands as well as all primary forest products manufacturing facilities.
“The California Forestry Jobs Initiative is explicitly focused on trying to fill gaps within California’s forest products sector.”
He said they are focusing on filling a large number of positions to try to diversify this industry in California.
“As we move deeper into a wildfire crisis, the forest products sector is definitely one of the partners in meeting those challenges; and we can’t do it without a strong workforce to support our individual and collective efforts”.
He noted that the initiative focuses on investing in training and creating a skilled workforce, and fostering community resilience and environmental stewardship throughout California.
“The forest products sector suffers from a labor shortage. We have a really critical need when it comes to California, specifically on this environmental front to prevent fires and protect communities, as well as rural economies, air, water, and wildlife habitat.
“Within the forest products sector, there is the manufacturing industry, natural resources and distribution.”
He revealed that the forests in California are very diverse with redwoods and a mix of conifers and oaks.
“Part of the goal of this initiative is to capture that level of diversity that resides within our California force and reflect it within our forest products sector.”.
He highlighted that the initiative seeks to fill approximately 1,000 positions within the forestry sector.
“We are working with community organizations to help us facilitate housing because in many cases the people who are hired need to move to a new rural community or close to nature.”
Scholarship to diversify
Matthew Reischman, Deputy Director of Resource Management for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE), said they have funded the Initiative with a grant as part of the forest health program, because they want to increase diversity in this sector.
“It’s a workforce development scholarship.”
He pointed out that traditionally many of the jobs in the forestry sector have been transmitted from mothers and fathers to daughters and sons, and from generation to generation in rural communities.
“Because of that, we haven’t had a lot of diversity and opportunity for more people to come and have the ability to work in the forestry sector.”
He explained that he is really excited about this initiative, focused on training and developing some tools like a data center, so that people can search for information about jobs that are available.
“Some of the job opportunities are operational, requiring working with equipment, operating chainsaws, and more technical jobs such as a licensed or registered professional forester.
“We want to engage young people and create some diversity to close the gap, which will put us in a much better position.”
He mentioned that they want to build resilience to wildfires across the state, and they have a lot of acres that need to be reforested.
“If we have the opportunity to diversify and bring a different perspective, we are going to have a more informed decision-making process.”
The experience of a ranger
Brita Goldstein, Community Affairs and Communications Representative Green Diamond Resource Company, She said she is a registered professional forest ranger, who became interested in this career when she went to the University of California at Berkeley.
“I loved that the rangers know all the resources of the forest ecosystem, not just the trees.”
But he also said that it is necessary for them to understand hydrology, soil science, botany, wildlife ecology, to be able to make decisions about the care of an entire forest.
“I was also attracted to forestry because of its people. I participated in the forestry club as well as the university tree felling sports team which is essentially an athletic style sport where students practice historical tree felling skills such as rolling logs, climbing trees with a chop saw , things like that.”
He showed that forestry can be hard work and only those who really love it tend to persevere.
Typically, he said there are about 1,100 registered and active professional foresters in any given year, as people come and go. Therefore, he stated that it is important to build relationships, because most of them will last your entire career.
He said when he graduated there weren’t as many jobs as there are now.
“I encourage everyone to consider a career in this field. Forestry offers a wide variety of meaningful jobs that contribute to the health and sustainability of forests—whether you choose the public sector, private industry, a nonprofit, or working with tribes, everyone can make a difference. ”.
He said there is a job for everyone in California forestry.
“It is not necessary to be a forest guard to leave a mark. We need biologists, truck drivers, cartography specialists, accountants, human resources personnel. “Everyone acts to support the same goals.”
And he clarified that they work on a long-term time scale, sometimes a century.
“I will not see all the trees I planted in my life reach their full height. “A lot of our work doesn’t deliver tangible results, but it has an incredible sense of purpose and community.”
And while – he said – forestry is a male-dominated field, he can attest to the growing opportunities for diversity in the forestry sector.
“Women bring a unique perspective, skills and creativity that is increasingly valued in this field, and I have seen many of the women I went to school with and worked with over time grow into occupy truly specialized positions in the forestry field.”
She noted that women not only challenge stereotypes but also inspire future generations to follow their paths.
“The women rangers who have preceded me have blazed a trail, but we are certainly not done.”
Fascination with forests
J. Lopez, a public member on the California Board of Forestry and Fire Protection, said his parents wanted him to be a doctor, but he went to agricultural school, and within the first year he learned about forestry.
“I was fascinated by the knowledge you need to have to manage others, know about trees, soil, water, building relationships and how to transform a tree into something.”
He said that 40 years after graduating and starting his career, he is happy to see more women and diverse people in the forestry sector.
For more information about the initiative, visit: https://www.caforestryworkforce.com/
Other links to search for jobs: https://careercenter.eforester.org/jobs/, https://www.conservationjobboard.com/, https://www.clfa.org/employment-announcements, and https://www .fire.ca.gov/join-calfire