Oregon forest landowners plant approximately 40 million trees every year, ensuring sustainable forests for future generations.

By planting trees today, we supply the products needed to build homes and community spaces for future generations.

Joe Newton shows what it’s like to be a field forester. He spends most of his time outdoors, helping forest landowners grow trees that may someday be harvested for timber. It’s a field known as silviculture, and as Joe says, “It’s both an art and a science.”

A forest products mill runs on large machines and complicated electronics. A skilled electrician is always in high demand. Mike Murphy of the Hampton Lumber Mill in Tillamook, Ore., shows us around the mill, and explains what it takes to get a position like his. If you like using your hands as much as your mind on the job, becoming an electrician might be a perfect fit.

Elise Kelley shows us what it takes to be a fish biologist. It’s a highly competitive position that uses hands-on science to keep our fish populations healthy, while trying to keep recreational forest users happy.

Travel into the woods with Mary Castle of Molalla, Ore., as she shows what it’s like to be a forest engineer. She designs the roads and bridges necessary for timber harvest, and works with logging and road contractors to ensure the work is done properly. 

Simon Babcock shows us what goes into teaching the future forest-sector workforce. It includes lots of hands-on learning. Simon offers instruction in the classroom, but also takes students out into the field to help them learn the basic skills of a forester.

Water is quite possibly the most important forest value we have. Bonny Hammons shows us what being a hydrologist for the U.S. Forest Service’s McKenzie River Ranger District is all about. Hydrologists monitor water quality and work with forest managers and operators to help plan forest projects, reduce the impact of logging on a watershed and help restore fish habitat.

Kirk Luoto takes us out with a hardworking logging crew and explains what it’s like to be a logger and what’s expected of those in the field, from using a chainsaw to planning the best way to harvest a site with the least environmental impact. 

Much of the forest sector depends on a fleet of reliable rigs. Chris Roth oversees the maintenance and repair on many of those vehicles for Freres Lumber Company in Lyons, Ore. He manages a crew of mechanics to ensure that the fleet stays up and running.

Lead sawyer Fred Barklow shows what it’s like to work in one of today’s high-tech forest products mills in Riddle, Ore., to turn logs into useful products such as paper or 2-by-4s. He explains what it takes to succeed and move up the ladder. 

Spend some time with Brian Norris to see what goes into being a procurement forester. Brian splits his time between the forest, the mill and the office as he negotiates the purchase of logs and chips that keep mills running efficiently. It’s a great position for someone who has interests in both forestry and business.