I manage a team of habitat restoration and environmental education professionals to restore native tidal marsh habitat and educate students and members of the public about their local environment. On a day to day basis, that can be anything from joining them in the field to reporting on our work and seeking out new funding and projects to contribute to.
CAREER
Environmental Restoration Planners
Overview
Salary Median (2020)
$73,230
Projected Job Growth (2019-2029)
+7.8% (as fast as the average)
Most Common Level of Education
Bachelor's degree
Career
Roadtrip Nation Leaders in This Career
What Environmental Restoration Planners Do
Collaborate with field and biology staff to oversee the implementation of restoration projects and to develop new products. Process and synthesize complex scientific data into practical strategies for restoration, monitoring or management.
Other Job Titles Environmental Restoration Planners May Have
Coastal and Estuary Specialist, Fisheries Habitat Restoration Specialist, Habitat Restoration Specialist, Marine Habitat Resources Specialist, Restoration Ecologist, Restoration Specialist, Watershed Coordinator
How Leaders Describe a Typical Day at Work
Director of Ecosystems Restoration Programs ,
Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council (RESTORE Council)
I lead a staff supporting the RESTORE Council. I collaborate with diverse groups to conduct large-scale, multi-purpose, multi-agency ecosystem restoration. I lead a team that manages the monitoring and adaptive management strategies for the Council. I communicate our work to other agencies, partners, and stakeholders. I mostly work from my home in Florida. Our home office is in New Orleans and our Council members and stakeholders are all over the Gulf, so I do spend a lot of time traveling.
Tasks & Responsibilities May Include
- Develop environmental restoration project schedules and budgets.
- Create habitat management or restoration plans, such as native tree restoration and weed control.
- Provide technical direction on environmental planning to energy engineers, biologists, geologists, or other professionals working to develop restoration plans or strategies.
- Conduct site assessments to certify a habitat or to ascertain environmental damage or restoration needs.
- Collect and analyze data to determine environmental conditions and restoration needs.
Education
Level of Education Attained by Environmental Restoration Planners
Most common level of education among people in
this career: Bachelor's degree (64%)
Bachelor's degree
Master's degree
Doctoral or professional degree
Majors Related to Career
Additional Skills & Experiences That Can Help You Excel
Adaptive management is important in habitat restoration because there are a lot of different competing interests in our work.
Getting Started
Recommended First Step for:
College Students
Director of Ecosystems Restoration Programs ,
Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council (RESTORE Council)
My educational path was a great path into this work but you don't necessarily have to follow the exact same path to get into this. I would recommend a Ph.D. these days. Education in the sciences, and particularly any natural sciences, would be valuable. A combination of education and experience is crucial.
My educational path is a good way to get into this type of work. Research positions often require a Ph.D. but it is okay to change directions along the educational pathway and still end up where you want to be. I also highly recommend actually trying out different things. It's hard to tell if you'll actually like something unless you try that job out.
Everyone
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