Forester

A forester’s job has as many duties as the trees have branches.

For TVA forester Matt Townsend, that keeps every day interesting.

Townsend works on TVA’s powerline right-of-way areas. One of his favorite parts of the job is working with property owners.

“They always have the best stories,” Townsend said of the landowners. “Hearing about their land and answering their questions is some of the best parts of my job.”

A Day in the Life

Townsend has a lot of responsibilities, but safety is always at the top of his list.

From ensuring all contractors have adequate personal protection equipment to leading a safety moment at his team meeting each week, he keeps everyone’s safety – his, his crew, landowners, the community – at the forefront.

Some of Townsend’s other duties include:

• Cutting and removing trees that may be on powerlines.
• Making sure right-of-way areas are maintained and kept clean.
• Meeting with property owners.

He spends a lot of time outdoors and in the air! TVA uses planes, helicopters and drones to inspect rights-of-way and transmission lines.

Becoming a Forester

Forestry is an exciting career!

Many jobs require some college training in forestry or natural resources. Some jobs may require a bachelor’s degree. Students study fire presentation, forestry measurement, forest management, wildlife and related work. Some roles may require experience as a forest or conservation worker or experience in tree trimming.

A Forester may earn a starting salary of $82,105 and may earn up to $123,155.