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Conservation Officer

Career Overview

Manage, improve, and protect natural resources to maximize their use without damaging the environment. May conduct soil surveys and develop plans to eliminate soil erosion or to protect rangelands. May instruct farmers, agricultural production managers, or ranchers in best ways to use crop rotation, contour plowing, or terracing to conserve soil and water; in the number and kind of livestock and forage plants best suited to particular ranges; and in range and farm improvements, such as fencing and reservoirs for stock watering.


Career Outlook


Projections 2022-2030

New job opportunities are likely in the future. With a
6% Percent change.


2020 Employment

25,300

2030 Employment

26,800

What training is needed?

People starting in this career usually have:

  • Bachelor's degree
  • No work experience
  • No on-the-job training

Programs that can prepare you for this career are:
  • Agroecology and Sustainable Agriculture
  • Conservation Biology
  • Ecology
  • Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
  • Ecology, Evolution, Systematics and Population Biology, Other

What does a typical day look like?

  • Develop plans to manage natural or renewable resources.
  • Inspect condition of natural environments.
  • Monitor operational procedures in technical environments to ensure conformance to standards.
  • Advise others about land management or conservation.
  • Direct natural resources management or conservation programs.

This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. 2055370
Any opinions, findings and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.