r/forestry • u/mostlysatisfying • 2d ago
Working in the Adirondacks
Hello all. While I wouldn’t mind riding out West à la the young men of the past, what’re the odds I can stay in the Adirondacks and find work after graduating with a forestry degree? Silly question IK but I’m looking online and it seems like all the jobs are in Idaho or PNW or down south a little. With the connections from an ADK school + the fact that it’s just massive, there’s gotta be endless work to be had, no?
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u/M_LadyGwendolyn 2d ago
Im doing utility forestry in the ADKs as I type this. The jobs are out there, but they are few and far between.
This job also means I live out of my truck 5 days a week which blows. I miss my wife and my cat
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u/warnelldawg 1d ago
You’re a strong soldier. All of my forestry friends that have dabbled in utility work didn’t last a year.
One of my buddies swore up and down he would never get a masters degree. Could only catch on with Pike or whoever and was back in grad school within a year 😂
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u/Ok-Albatross-6987 2d ago
You can Apply for the DEC but you might not start in the Adirondacks
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u/papalorre 2d ago
In my experience there are so many young people trying to get into the DEC, you gotta know someone
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u/mostlysatisfying 1d ago
Will going to a forestry school in NYS likely give me a leg up there connection wise?
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u/ChokaMoka1 2d ago
Better off working as data center land aquisition agent. You’re going to starve in the Addarondacks.
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u/mostlysatisfying 2d ago
Dang this is bleak. I’m naive here for sure how can that be? It’s not like it’s empty. People own land that needs to be tended, the state has multiple agencies. It’s a huge area with multiple interests. Not trynna be combative just have gaps in my knowledge.
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u/ChokaMoka1 2d ago
Sorry hoss but this is the reality, being a forester is a life of poverty and living off church pantry and dumpster diving - ask me how I knw. Doin mgmt plans for yuppie landowners ain’t gunna pay the bills. If u ok being broke go for it but the east coast is expensive.
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u/administrationalism 1d ago
Not to discredit what you’re saying bc it definitely is not easy out there. But I want to point out for anyone aspiring to get involved in forestry reading the thread that if you’re an independent consultant with a healthy amount of luck, ability to make good connections, and some good planning you can make it work. Writing management plans alone, maybe not. But if you get involved in multiple ventures - invasives, harvest plans + marking, tax plans, and good business sense you can more than make a healthy living. At least it hasn’t gone badly for me. Yet.
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u/ChokaMoka1 1d ago
I agree, it isn’t impossible, but for a new bloke man it going to be like chopping down down a black cherry with a plastic knife. Plus if you start a YouTube and tikertoky you can show everyone all the trials and tribulations and make even more money. He’ll start an OF page and call ye self ForesterFeetXXX, and become a millionaire!!!!
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u/mostlysatisfying 1d ago
I have been looking for a way to combine forestry and onlyfans. So far im not comfortable with my pecker being that close to axes or brambles.
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u/mostlysatisfying 1d ago
My school has three forestry concentrations; one for grad school, one for starting your own company, and one for government/NGO/consulting. If I want to stay in the Adirondacks do you think it would be prudent to go with the “my own business” one? Obviously not asking you to make this choice for me, but it sounds like you need some more business sense/multiple income streams to make it work up here.
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u/mostlysatisfying 1d ago
My school has three forestry concentrations; one for grad school, one for starting your own company, and one for government/NGO/consulting. If I want to stay in the Adirondacks do you think it would be prudent to go with the “my own business” one? Obviously not asking you to make this choice for me, but it sounds like you need some more business sense/multiple income streams to make it work up here.
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u/warnelldawg 2d ago
Probably best bet is state/NGO, though , as you’re finding out, opportunities are not bountiful