Career Overview
Research or study range land management practices to provide sustained production of forage, livestock, and wildlife.
Also Known As
- Natural Resource Specialist
- Range Technician
- Rangeland Management Specialist
- Resource Manager
Alternate Job Titles
- Conservationist
- Forestry and Wildlife Manager
- Land Management Supervisor
- Natural Resource Management Specialist
- Natural Resource Manager
- Natural Resource Officer
- Natural Resource Specialist
- Natural Resources Officer
- Natural Resources Specialist
- Preservationist
- Range Conservationist
- Range Management Specialist
- Range Officer
- Range Scientist
- Range Technician
What You'll Do
In this role, your typical responsibilities include:
- Regulate grazing, such as by issuing permits and checking for compliance with standards, and help ranchers plan and organize grazing systems to manage, improve, protect, and maximize the use of rangelands.
- Manage forage resources through fire, herbicide use, or revegetation to maintain a sustainable yield from the land.
- Coordinate with federal land managers and other agencies and organizations to manage and protect rangelands.
- Measure and assess vegetation resources for biological assessment companies, environmental impact statements, and rangeland monitoring programs.
- Maintain soil stability and vegetation for non-grazing uses, such as wildlife habitats and outdoor recreation.
- Study grazing patterns to determine number and kind of livestock that can be most profitably grazed and to determine the best grazing seasons.
- Offer advice to rangeland users on water management, forage production methods, and control of brush.
Emerging Responsibilities
As this field evolves, you may also:
- Apply herbicide to eliminate harmful plants.
Knowledge You'll Use
You'll need solid knowledge in these areas:
- Biology
- English Language
- Geography
- Law and Government
Essential Skills
Success in this career requires strong skills in:
- Active Listening
- Reading Comprehension
- Speaking
- Critical Thinking
- Monitoring
- Complex Problem Solving
- Judgment and Decision Making
Key Abilities
This career requires key abilities in:
- Oral Expression
- Written Comprehension
- Oral Comprehension
- Written Expression
- Problem Sensitivity
- Inductive Reasoning
- Deductive Reasoning
- Near Vision
- Speech Clarity
- Information Ordering
Work Style
People who excel in this career typically demonstrate:
- Dependability
- Integrity
- Attention to Detail
- Intellectual Curiosity
- Leadership Orientation
What Matters in This Career
This career tends to satisfy these work values:
- Working Conditions
- Independence
- Achievement
- Recognition
- Relationships
Education & Preparation
Typical Education: Bachelor's Degree
Related Work Experience Needed: Over 2 years, up to and including 4 years
On-the-Job Training: Over 1 year, up to and including 2 years
Education Details: Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
Experience Required: A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.
Technology You'll Use
Popular Technologies & Software
- Adobe Photoshop
- ESRI ArcGIS software
- Linux
- Microsoft Access
- Microsoft Active Server Pages ASP
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office software
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Windows
Tools & Equipment
- Compact digital cameras
- Desktop computers
- Double-ring infiltrometers
- Global positioning system GPS devices
- Gram scales
- Hand sieves
- Impact penetrometers
- Laptop computers
- Laser plumb bobs
- Measuring tapes
- Personal computers
- Plant canopy analyzers
- Portable dataloggers
- Quadrat frames
- Robel poles
Work Environment
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Telephone Conversations
- Contact With Others
- Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team
Salary & Job Market
Wages reported for the broader Conservation Scientists occupational group (BLS 2024), which includes Range Managers.
| Salary Percentile | Annual Wage |
|---|---|
| Entry-Level (10th percentile) | $45,260 |
| Median | $67,950 |
| Top Earners (90th percentile) | $107,720 |
Workers Employed Nationally: 25,590
Related Careers
If you're interested in this career, you might also consider:
Conservation Scientists
Education: Bachelor's Degree
Median Salary: $67,950
Environmental Restoration Planners
Education: Bachelor's Degree
Median Salary: $80,060
Foresters
Education: Bachelor's Degree
Median Salary: $70,660
Soil and Plant Scientists
Education: Master's Degree
Median Salary: $71,410
Industrial Ecologists
Education: Master's Degree
Median Salary: $80,060
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Occupational data sourced from the O*NET OnLine database, developed by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration. Wage data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), 2024.