Conservation Scientist

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.

O*NET reports this occupation under titles such as: Conservationist; Environmental Analyst; Environmental Quality Scientist; Erosion Control Specialist; Land Reclamation Specialist; Land Resource Specialist; Research Soil Scientist; Resource Conservation Specialist; Resource Conservationist; Soil Conservationist

Tasks

• Apply principles of specialized fields of science, such as agronomy, soil science, forestry, or agriculture, to achieve conservation objectives.
• Plan soil management or conservation practices, such as crop rotation, reforestation, permanent vegetation, contour plowing, or terracing, to maintain soil or conserve water.
• Monitor projects during or after construction to ensure projects conform to design specifications.
• Advise land users, such as farmers or ranchers, on plans, problems, or alternative conservation solutions.
• Implement soil or water management techniques, such as nutrient management, erosion control, buffers, or filter strips, in accordance with conservation plans.
• Compute design specifications for implementation of conservation practices, using survey or field information, technical guides or engineering manuals.
• Gather information from geographic information systems (GIS) databases or applications to formulate land use recommendations.
• Participate on work teams to plan, develop, or implement programs or policies for improving environmental habitats, wetlands, or groundwater or soil resources.
• Compute cost estimates of different conservation practices, based on needs of land users, maintenance requirements, or life expectancy of practices.
• Develop or maintain working relationships with local government staff or board members.
• Revisit land users to view implemented land use practices or plans.
• Visit areas affected by erosion problems to identify causes or determine solutions.
• Provide information, knowledge, expertise, or training to government agencies at all levels to solve water or soil management problems or to assure coordination of resource protection activities.
• Enter local soil, water, or other environmental data into adaptive or Web-based decision tools to identify appropriate analyses or techniques.
• Analyze results of investigations to determine measures needed to maintain or restore proper soil management.

Knowledge

• English Language
• Biology
• Mathematics
• Geography
• Customer and Personal Service
• Chemistry
• Law and Government
• Computers and Electronics
• Engineering and Technology
• Education and Training
• Design
• Physics
• Administration and Management

Skills

• Reading Comprehension
• Active Listening
• Speaking
• Writing
• Science
• Critical Thinking
• Active Learning
• Monitoring
• Mathematics

Abilities

• Oral Comprehension
• Written Comprehension
• Oral Expression
• Problem Sensitivity
• Deductive Reasoning
• Information Ordering
• Written Expression
• Inductive Reasoning
• Speech Clarity
• Category Flexibility
• Flexibility of Closure
• Near Vision
• Speech Recognition
• Fluency of Ideas
• Originality
• Mathematical Reasoning
• Number Facility
• Perceptual Speed
• Far Vision