GS-460 Forestry
The GS-460 Forestry (0460) series covers positions that require primarily professional knowledge and competence in forestry science. The work includes development, production, conservation, and utilization of the natural resources of forests and associated lands; the inventory, planning, evaluation, and management of each forest resource including timber, soil, land, water, wildlife and fish habitat, minerals, forage, and outdoor recreation including wilderness, in relationship with each other to meet both present and future public and local private needs and demands; the protection of resources against fire, insects, disease, floods, erosion, and other depredations; the valuation, management and protection of forest lands and properties; the interpretation and communication of principles, facts and legislation upon which the management of forest land rests; and the development of new, improved, or more economic scientific methods, practices, or techniques necessary to perform such work. The basic title for this occupation is Forester.
The University of Idaho offers a variety of online courses in a broad range of topics that in combination with work experience may help you meet the GS-460 OPM Qualification Standards.
The GS-0454 OPM Qualification Standards are defined as one of the following:
- Degree: forestry; or a related subject-matter field that included a total of at least 30 semester hours in any combination of biological, physical, or mathematical sciences or engineering, of which at least 24 semester hours of course work were in forestry. The curriculum must have been sufficiently diversified to include courses in each of the following areas:
- Management of Renewable Resources -- study of the science and art of managing renewable resources to attain desired results. Examples of creditable courses in this area include silviculture, forest management operations, timber management, wildland fire science or fire management, utilization of forest resources, forest regulation, recreational land management, watershed management, and wildlife or range habitat management.
- Forest Biology -- study of the classification, distribution, characteristics, and identification of forest vegetation, and the interrelationships of living organisms to the forest environment. Examples of creditable courses in this area include dendrology, forest ecology, silvics, forest genetics, wood structure and properties, forest soils, forest entomology, and forest pathology.
- Forest Resource Measurements and Inventory -- sampling, inventory, measurement, and analysis techniques as applied to a variety of forest resources. Examples of creditable courses include forest biometrics, forest mensuration, forest valuation, statistical analysis of forest resource data, renewable natural resources inventories and analysis, and photogrammetry or remote sensing.
- Combination of education and experience: courses equivalent to a major in forestry, or at least 30 semester hours in any combination of biological, physical, or mathematical sciences or engineering, of which at least 24 semester hours were in forestry. The requirements for diversification of the 24 semester hours in forestry are the same as shown above, plus appropriate experience or additional education.
Please make sure to check with the appropriate Human Resources officer to ensure that our courses will qualify for the GS-460 OPM Qualification Standards. All are semester-based courses. Note some prerequisites can be waived by the individual College Departments and instructor. Check the University of Idaho master course schedule to ensure availability.
Suggested courses to meet Management of Renewable Resources requirements
ENVS 450 – Environmental Hydrology (3 credits)
Carries no credit after BE 355 or CE 325. Comprehensive understanding of the hydrologic processes associated with the environmental processes. Includes components of the hydrologic cycle, analysis of precipitation and run off, evapotranspiration, routing, peak flow, infiltration, soil and water relationships, snowmelt, and frequency analysis. (Spring).
Prereq: MATH 170
FIRE 454 – Air Quality, Pollution, and Smoke (3 credits)
Assessment of the controls and drivers of emission processes and impacts on air quality from fires, industry, and other natural sources. Overview of the combustion and emission process, how these emissions impact the quality of air, and what models exist to monitor the emission. Other topics to include: recent EPA and other guidelines for smoke management planning, attainment issues, atmospheric transport and deposition processes. (Spring and Summer).
Prereq: Junior standing
FOR 484 – Forest Policy and Administration (2 credits)
Evaluation of land and forest problems and policies in the U.S.; analysis of current conditions and policies; historical development of governmental and private agencies concerned with the administration of forest conservation program. Recommended Preparation: FOR 235. (Summer).
Prereq: Junior standing
WLF 440 – Conservation Biology (3 credits)
Patterns of biological diversity; factors producing changes in diversity; values of diversity; management principles applied to small populations, protected areas, landscape linkages, biotic integrity, restoration, legal issues, and funding sources. (Fall).
Prereq: FOR 221, REM 221, or BIOL 314 or Permission
Suggested courses to meet Forest Biology requirements
FOR 221 – Principles of Ecology (3 credits)
Principles of ecology and their relevance to management of natural resources. Major topics include plant and wildlife population, community, ecosystem, and landscape level processes and how these processes interact with the environment. Exploration of how ecosystems are affected by humans and global change. Introduction to the types of questions asked by ecologists, the principal concepts and theories that guide ecological inquiry, and the methods that are used to answer ecological questions. Both terrestrial and aquatic systems are considered. (Online summer only).
Prereq: Biol 102/Biol 102L or Biol 114 or Biol 115 or PlSc 205; or Permission
REM 252 Wildland Plant Identification (2 credits)
Develop skills to identify and classify major rangeland plants. Focus is on identification of grasses, forbs, and shrubs. Discussions will also encompass the ecological roles of wildland plants and the ecosystem classification. This course includes a 1-day field trip. Required for REM majors. (Spring).
GEOG 385 – GIS Primer (3 credits)
Intro to basic concepts and applications of geographic information systems (GIS), lab exercises on PC-based GIS packages. Two lec and 2 hrs of lab a wk. (Fall and Spring).
Prereq: basic knowledge of PC-based operating system.
REM 341 Systematic Botany (3 credits)
Phylogenetic approach to understanding plant systematics and evolution with a primary focus on the flora of the Pacific Northwest. Includes identification of important plant families and the use of dichotomous keys for species identification. (Spring and Summer).
Prereq: BIOL 114 or BIOL 115; and BIOL 213 or PLSC 205
Suggested courses to meet Forest Resource Measurements and Inventory requirements
GEOG 385 – GIS Primer (3 credits)
Intro to basic concepts and applications of geographic information systems (GIS), lab exercises on PC-based GIS packages. Two lec and 2 hrs of lab a wk. (Fall and Spring).
Prereq: basic knowledge of PC-based operating system.
FIRE 451 - Fuels Inventory and Management (2 credits)
Tools, quantitative analysis, and approaches for inventory and management of fuels for wildland fires over large, diverse areas in forests, woodlands, shrubland, and grasslands. Critically review and synthesize relevant scientific literature.
Prereq: FOR 375, REM 144 and FOR 274 or REM 411
FIRE 407 GIS Application in Fire Ecology and Management (2 credits)
Introduces applications of GIS in fire ecology, research, and management including incident mapping, fire progression mapping, GIS overlay analysis, remote sensing fire severity assessments, fire atlas analysis and the role of GIS in the Fire Regime Condition Class concept and the National Fire Plan. Additional assignment/projects required for graduate credit. (Spring).
Prereq: FOR 375 or GEOG 385; or Permission
REM 410 Principles of Vegetation Measurement (2 credits)
On-line course designed to give an overview of vegetation measurement techniques for grasslands, shrublands, woodlands, and forests. Students will gain a solid understanding of how to evaluate and monitor vegetation attributes relative to wildlife habitat, livestock forage, fire fuel characteristics, watershed function, and many other wildland values. Recommended Preparation: A basic understanding of how to use computer spreadsheets such as Excel. (Fall only) Students who desire a hands-on and interactive experience with vegetation measurement are encouraged to also enroll in REM 411 which is a course the builds on the principles delivered in REM 410 and includes field experiences. (Fall).
Prereq: STAT 251 or permission
REM 411 – Wildland Habitat Ecology and Assessment (2 credits)
This course integrates field sampling with quantitative and theoretical concepts related to scientific research, wildlife habitat, and land management practices. Students collect, analyze, and report on ecological data in various formats, and learn specific protocols used by professionals to assess wildlife habitat. Class field trips required.
Recommended preparation: REM 252 and REM 253, REM 341, or other plant identification class; ability to use excel. Co-enrollment in REM 410 is recommended. (Fall).
Prereq: STAT 251 or Permission