Forestry Forestry is the art, science, and practice of managing forests and related natural resources. Silviculture, a related science, involves the growing and tending of trees and forests. Modern forestry generally concerns itself with: facilitating the use of forests for timber, wildlife habitats, natural water quality regulation, landscape and community protection, creating aesthetically appealing landscapes and biodiversity and watershed management. Forestry has developed into a field with a broad array of specialties typically requiring a bachelor’s degree or higher. Industry, government agencies, conservation groups, urban park boards, citizens” associations or private landowners may all employ foresters. Industrial foresters are predominantly involved in planning timber harvests and forest regeneration, while urban foresters focus on the management of forest and natural landscapes within city environments. Other foresters work in tree nurseries growing seedlings for regeneration projects, and still others are involved with tree genetics or developing new building systems as forest engineers. Traditionally, professional foresters develop and implement “forest management plans” that rely on tree inventories showing an area’s topographical features as well as its distribution of trees (by species) and other plant cover. In addition, these plans also consider the proximity of roads, culverts and human habitations as well as hydrological conditions and soil reports as factors that affect the area to be shaped by the forester. Finally, forest management plans include the projected use of the land and a timetable for that use. Foresters also frequently develop post-harvest site plans. These may call for reforestation, weed control, fertilization or the spacing of young trees (thinning of trees that are crowding one another).Other duties of foresters may include preventing and combating insect infestation, disease, forest and grassland fires. Foresters also may be involved in wildlife conservation planning and watershed protection.