Range managers are specialists in grazing management. They plan the optimum combination of animals, size of herds, and conservation of vegetation and soil for maximum production without destroying the ecology of an area. Their work also involves timber production, outdoor recreation, erosion control, and fire prevention.
Most range managers work for the federal government in the Forest Service, Soil Conservation Service, and the Bureau of Land Management. State governments employ range managers in fish and game agencies, land agencies, and extension services.
Private firms that employ range managers include coal and oil companies and large livestock ranches. United Nations agencies and foreign governments also employ American range managers.
Places of Employment and Working Conditions
Most range managers work in the West and in Alaska.
Outdoor work is usual for range managers, and locations are often remote. They sometimes spend long periods away from home.
Qualifications, Education, and Training
Good physical condition, love of the outdoors, and scientific interest are necessary. Communication skills are also important.
High school should include as many science courses as possible.
Thirty-five colleges and universities offer degree programs in range management or range science; others offer some course work in this field. A degree in a related field such as forestry or agronomy is accepted by some employers. Studies include biology; chemistry; physics; mathematics; plant, animal, and soil sciences; and ecology. Electives in economics, computer science, forestry, wildlife, and recreation are desirable.
Graduate degrees in range management are usually necessary for teaching and research positions.
Potential and Advancement
The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts a decline in the demand for range managers of 2 percent between 2014 and 2024. This means jobs in the field will be scarce, and competition will be tough.
Income
The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that the median annual income for range managers in 2015 was $64,170.
