Jungle calling

A wildlife expert manages a forest and maintains its flora and fauna by administering, protecting and preserving it. You have to learn about silviculture, protection, and...

A wildlife expert manages a forest and maintains its flora and fauna by administering, protecting and preserving it. You have to learn about silviculture (forest development), protection (legal and other regulations related to forests), and forest mensuration (measuring trees).

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The lowdown
A wildlife expert manages a forest and maintains its flora and fauna by administering, protecting and preserving it. You have to learn about silviculture (forest development), protection (legal and other regulations related to forests), and forest mensuration (measuring trees). Indian Institute of Forest Management (IIFM) and Indian Forest Service (IFS) open up avenues in wildlife conservation

Clock Work
For an IIFM graduate working as a private consultant:
7.30am: Read new research, check websites
9.30am: Reach office
10am: Meet industrialist to discuss control of effluents from his factory
1.30pm: Lunch
2.30pm: Work on project with NGO to help villagers
6.30pm: Leave for home

For a deputy conservator of forest
4.30 am: Leave home early for site of reported forest fire
10.30am: Return, have breakfast
12pm Leave for site to check on teak plantation
2pm: Lunch with villagers at site, give them inputs on microfinance
5pm: Go to office, check files
6.30pm: Leave for home

The payoff
After the implementation of the 6th Central Pay Commission recommendations, pay scales in the Indian Forest Service are as under:
. Principal chief conservator of forests (head of forestry) Rs80,000
. Principal chief conservator of forests, Rs75,500 to Rs80,000
. Additional principal chief conservator of forests, chief conservator of forests and conservator of forests Rs37,400 to Rs67,000
. Deputy conservator of forests Rs37,400to Rs67,000

Getting there
Take up science after Class 10 (preferably with botany and zoology). The IIFM and IFS both can lead to great careers. Entrance to the IIFM’s PG diploma in forest management programme and fellow programme in management is through the institute’s Common Admission Test. Recruitment to the IFS is through an annual civil service exam conducted by the Union Public Service Commission. Applicants should hold a BSc degree in maths, physics, chemistry, botany, zoology, geology, statistics, veterinary
science

Institutes
. Indian Institute of Forest Management, Bhopal
www.iifm.ac.in
. Aligarh Musilm University , Aligarh
www.amu.ac.in
. Dr YS Parmer University of Agriculture, & Forestry, Solan
www.yspuniversity.ac.in
. Forestry Research Institute, Dehradun
www.icfre.org
. Postgraduate School, Indian Agriculture Research Institute, New Delhi
www.iari.res.in

Pros and cons
. A great deal of satisfaction doing meaningful work
. The best workplace environment in the world
. One is required to travel often
. Dealing with forest mafia can be dangerous
. Travelling can cause fatigue
. An exciting, but extremely challenging job
. Most of your time is spent in the forests