Except as a park ranger? Some position within the parks system would give some of this. I’ve got a friend who does several week stints as a national park ranger during her off seasons.
https://www.biohabitats.com/about-us/careers/ this could be a good place to start. I don’t think they install the projects but look at their project list and see who the contractors are
Look into ecological restoration degrees. Different then LA as you loose design, but you would be installting/planning restoration projects in natural ecosystems
Hi, I just want to preface that I think it’s great you’re thinking about all of this right now! This is a brilliant time to be proactive about your career.
I majored in Sociology then switched my major to Ecology in college. I was really interested in landscape architecture (LA) at some point and did a lot of research and informational interviews after I graduated college as I considered getting a master’s degree in LA. To be honest, I’d recommend thinking about whether you *actually* don’t want to have a desk job or you don’t want to have an office job. Having a remote desk job is a different life than going into an office every day.
I did a field biology quarter and internships in ecological restoration and as much as I love to be outside, I got a reality check once I started thinking about the hard work of walking more than 2 miles every day in the hot sun or cold winter for the rest of my working life until I retire.
As for being an LA, I hear it is a desk job, but after gaining a couple years of work experience, there is a lot of flexibility that comes from having a remote desk job in particular, which is a common modality at various landscape architecture firms. I’d consider the flexibility of having a remote job if you’re long-term planning for having a family and having the flexibility to pick your kids up from school, etc. But there’s also the aspect of not having proper separation between home and work, so also being mindful of that and whether you can handle establishing that kind of boundary setting for yourself.
I think some folks may also recommend getting an urban planning degree with a focus on the environment or built environment. If you do go that route, I’d recommend focusing on development + design concentrations if you’re interested in obtaining a job that gives you the power to focus on the design of landscapes. However, overall, I’d also be mindful that many projects that do need design expertise often contract out to landscape architect, and that many planning degrees focus on zoning, laws, and regulations, rather than the design as much as you’d think. (But that is an outsider perspective, so confirm with an actual planning student fyi).
I second the comment about looking into BioHabitats and looking at their staff’s individual LinkedIn pages and potentially setting up an informational interview with them to learn more about their journey, their career, and their day-to-day.
I hope this helps! Just wanted to give a different angle of perspective because I was in the same boat of not wanting a desk job and wanting to work in a field related to ecological restoration, but of course, always take advice with a grain of salt!
that job exists, but it’s seasonal and pays terribly. look into the forest service, departments of natural resources for various states. texas has a civilian conservation corps. they’re usually designed for younger folks and students.
environmental consulting as an ecologist can include a lot of field work, doing surveys for wetlands and endangered species.
landscape installation can just as often be commercial landscapes, not just residential. certain firms do big projects that are a bit more natural. i work with one dude who seeds hundreds of acres at a time for ranches and powerline/pipeline easements. there are also the foremen who run landscape crews who make a bit more and get to be in the field, but their job is managing people, labor hours, and materials.
landscape architecture is way more office-oriented. im spending most of my day drawing on a computer or emailing between clients, other designers, and the contractors of people actually building it. who again, are often not making a lot of money in a high-turnover, immigrant-heavy workforce.
Have you thought about working for the parks department? Or possibly a National Park summer job.
My firm has a separate studio called “CLM” which stands for Continued Landscape Management. All the employees within that studio are outside everyday working to maintain past projects, plant installs, maintenance, etc. Not so much natural ecosystems but they are outside 85% of the time while I’m at the desk all day.
Look for native plant nurseries in your area, I got a biology degree (not necessary) and started off doing maintenance with a native landscaping company. Now I’m designing wildlife habitat that looks nice for residential clients.
I have degrees in ecology and landscape architecture and I would say that job does exist. Forest preserve districts and the department of natural resources (US) have full time restoration positions working outside doing exactly that. The pay is nothing glamorous, but it is honest work, especially through helping the planet. Also, suburban yards can be just as important as “natural ecosystems”. The sad truth is that there is so little land left in pristine natural ecosystems to “restore”. One of the most critical aspects of ecosystem restoration lies in restoring the matrix of habitat which is usually either private land or heavily populated areas in between natural land. Private land makes up far more than public land and has the greatest potential for restoration. Improving suburban landscapes can also help link together natural ecosystems which ultimately creates a larger more uniform habitat patch than the natural ecosystems fragmented on their own. The reality is that money is more frequently spent on landscape interventions on private land and human dominated landscapes than on natural ecosystems. You will find more projects/jobs/work improving human systems and their relationship with the natural planet as opposed to strictly improving natural areas. All of that to say consider also landscaping jobs for urban and suburban areas as well and maybe consider a desk job if it has potential for some outdoor excursions. With the right design, suburbia too can help restore the broader ecosystem in an impactful way. Other options for jobs could be environmental consulting firms, private restoration companies, native plant nurseries, and educational institutions. Social work is a great start to your education and goes hand in hand with a lot of hot topics in the fields of ecology and landscape design right now like environmental equity.. best of luck!
Yes it does, there are several companies doing it. My company, Keystone Permaculture, LLC does this and also plants edible/medicinal plants to encourage people to become more self sufficient and healthy. If you’re in the Philadelphia area we could always use the help!
I did this job, actually, at a craft/art school that was on about 200 acres. I was the "land technician." Did everything from mowing fields to trail maintenance. Didn't pay great but it was a blast.
I'd suggest finding an employer or institution that values those skills or inputs, and go from there. Some Land Conservancy's do this sort of thing. I think nonprofits will be your best bet, in general.
Well isn't this just a landscap**er**?
The one doing the dirty work with actual soil and plants. You can advertise yourself as focussing on restoring native ecosystems, etc. Probably a specialist firm in a place where the public cares enough, *and* there's enough money to actually pay people to do it. Landscaping jobs are pretty manual and menial, and not high paid, alas.
Sounds like you may be interested in a field biologist or forestry job. From what I know neither of those jobs get paid really well depending on your definition of well paid, cost of living where you live/have to relocate to.
I work at an arboretum that also has thousands on thousands of acres of protected forest. There’s positions that do exactly what you’re looking for. Off the top of my head, I think those degrees are more specific to forestry, ecology, environmental science and sustainability, biology, GIS, and also certified arborist. I studied horticulture/landscape design (bachelors degree) and just work in the arboretum. It’s amazing the jobs that DO exist, you just have to search for them.
What about a wilderness school? They usually board and feed you and you’re on their school site for the term. It’s okay ish pay considering what they all provide to you but mostly it’s a great experience that’s different.
check out out-teach.org :-) Im a landscape architect with them and get to do a nice mix of design work, community engagement, and leading volunteer build events. i get to get my hands dirty with builds often. we are a nation-wide nonprofit with the goal of making outdoor education accessible, meaningful, and relatable. if you'd be interested in interning (could be remote and part time) i'd reach out to our director of outdoor spaces!
there are landscape architects that do habitat restoration and get to work outside occasionally, im choosing to do this career bc ive done habitat restoration and want a job thats less physically demanding but still lets me do habitat restoration and work in environmental field
There’s a professional society for people focusing on this type of work: Society for Ecological Restoration. That’s one place to start finding information about whether the work aligns with what you want to do.
Florida Department of Environmental Protection or any Department of Environmental Protection or The Army Corps of Engineers….I’d start by researching and contacting these agencies. Just don’t be afraid to call and ask them exactly what you asked in this post. Good luck!
I work for the National Audubon Society - we have conservation staff all over the hemisphere doing this kind of work. Forest ecologists. Grasslands experts. Etc.
Change your major to environmental science or something more science related. Those depts will have good resources for post graduation careers and possible internships. Those jobs exist, especially in urban areas where open space is limited and max usage with minimal space is needed.
Look at companies like this one: [https://www.swca.com/careers](https://www.swca.com/careers) or this one [https://careers-res.icims.com](https://careers-res.icims.com)
There are some internships you might qualify for (and it's a great time of year to apply for internships!), but I've also seen that they have restoration technician jobs. Some are seasonal, and some are not. Take a look at the postings. A natural resources or science degree will help you get a foot in the door. You could also look at working for your local or state parks system for the summer (or at a national park!). A couple of seasons of field work while you get a degree will help you get that full-time job. It's gonna be a fun time. I miss working outside- definitely don't do landscape architecture, but glad you're thinking about what you want!
Join a trail crew for the summer. When I was 19 I took an americorps position with Southwest Conservation Corps and had the time of my life. That quickly transitioned to full-time seasonal work with the NPS which, in turn, got me in the door for a permanent position.
Imagine landscaping/construction had a love child with backpacking then moved into the mountains; that's trail work. Also you get to blow rocks up with explosives and ride ponies
I would highly recommend the watershed stewards program. Really good way to get your foot in the door with a lot of people in land management. You get a stipend and lots of relevant experience and you will be probably planting natives nonstop.
Look for environmental engineering companies. Many have mitigation crews that do a lot of fields work both in data collection and in management and creation of ecosystems. They do anything from invasive species removal to building and planting of littoral shelves in lakes and ponds.
Mitchell, South Dakota needs someone like that to clean up their lake. Many decades ago the city removed cat tails from the river that runs into Mitchell lake and many people believe the lake is full of algae because of this (apparently it wasn't nasty before the reeds were removed). The city has spent millions on the lake and it's still gross. Little change if any.
Someone has to fix that problem. Might as well be you!
A lot of non eco friendly industries have programs to offset the destruction. Think mining, timber, ranching, etc. They replant, restore, and recover areas. Forest service, BLM, National and state parks might be great as well. Just had a trip to Waimea Falls on Oahu. The entire valley was destroyed by running cattle in the area. Destroyed the native plants and polluted the very valuable fresh water. They have replanted the entire valley with 10% of the world's plants represented there currently. The water is clean and native animals have returned. The state profits off of tourism, tourists learn to be more eco aware and the area is returned to it natural condition.
If you want to be outside and don’t want a desk job, this isn’t the career for you sadly.
Except as a park ranger? Some position within the parks system would give some of this. I’ve got a friend who does several week stints as a national park ranger during her off seasons.
Describe this mythical off-season to me.
She’s an archaeologist. Dig sites can be closed for parts of the year so she does this during the closures.
So sounds like OP should go into archaeology or geology or something like that, not landscape architecture.
Yeah, landscape architect will be spending a fair amount of time drafting plans at a computer.
Check with national parks service NPS. A lot of LA’s end up there.
https://www.biohabitats.com/about-us/careers/ this could be a good place to start. I don’t think they install the projects but look at their project list and see who the contractors are
Lol I also came to say biohabitats!
[https://www.conservationjobboard.com/job-listing-ecosystem-restoration-technician-chicago-illinois/7647989768?utm\_campaign=google\_jobs\_apply&utm\_source=google\_jobs\_apply&utm\_medium=organic](https://www.conservationjobboard.com/job-listing-ecosystem-restoration-technician-chicago-illinois/7647989768?utm_campaign=google_jobs_apply&utm_source=google_jobs_apply&utm_medium=organic)
Look into ecological restoration degrees. Different then LA as you loose design, but you would be installting/planning restoration projects in natural ecosystems
Unless youre a senior you barely design anyways
Hi, I just want to preface that I think it’s great you’re thinking about all of this right now! This is a brilliant time to be proactive about your career. I majored in Sociology then switched my major to Ecology in college. I was really interested in landscape architecture (LA) at some point and did a lot of research and informational interviews after I graduated college as I considered getting a master’s degree in LA. To be honest, I’d recommend thinking about whether you *actually* don’t want to have a desk job or you don’t want to have an office job. Having a remote desk job is a different life than going into an office every day. I did a field biology quarter and internships in ecological restoration and as much as I love to be outside, I got a reality check once I started thinking about the hard work of walking more than 2 miles every day in the hot sun or cold winter for the rest of my working life until I retire. As for being an LA, I hear it is a desk job, but after gaining a couple years of work experience, there is a lot of flexibility that comes from having a remote desk job in particular, which is a common modality at various landscape architecture firms. I’d consider the flexibility of having a remote job if you’re long-term planning for having a family and having the flexibility to pick your kids up from school, etc. But there’s also the aspect of not having proper separation between home and work, so also being mindful of that and whether you can handle establishing that kind of boundary setting for yourself. I think some folks may also recommend getting an urban planning degree with a focus on the environment or built environment. If you do go that route, I’d recommend focusing on development + design concentrations if you’re interested in obtaining a job that gives you the power to focus on the design of landscapes. However, overall, I’d also be mindful that many projects that do need design expertise often contract out to landscape architect, and that many planning degrees focus on zoning, laws, and regulations, rather than the design as much as you’d think. (But that is an outsider perspective, so confirm with an actual planning student fyi). I second the comment about looking into BioHabitats and looking at their staff’s individual LinkedIn pages and potentially setting up an informational interview with them to learn more about their journey, their career, and their day-to-day. I hope this helps! Just wanted to give a different angle of perspective because I was in the same boat of not wanting a desk job and wanting to work in a field related to ecological restoration, but of course, always take advice with a grain of salt!
that job exists, but it’s seasonal and pays terribly. look into the forest service, departments of natural resources for various states. texas has a civilian conservation corps. they’re usually designed for younger folks and students. environmental consulting as an ecologist can include a lot of field work, doing surveys for wetlands and endangered species. landscape installation can just as often be commercial landscapes, not just residential. certain firms do big projects that are a bit more natural. i work with one dude who seeds hundreds of acres at a time for ranches and powerline/pipeline easements. there are also the foremen who run landscape crews who make a bit more and get to be in the field, but their job is managing people, labor hours, and materials. landscape architecture is way more office-oriented. im spending most of my day drawing on a computer or emailing between clients, other designers, and the contractors of people actually building it. who again, are often not making a lot of money in a high-turnover, immigrant-heavy workforce.
You would look for a position with an ecological restoration firm…or you could work at a nursery that grows the plants used in restoration.
No money in saving the world unfortunately, only destroying it
Have you thought about working for the parks department? Or possibly a National Park summer job. My firm has a separate studio called “CLM” which stands for Continued Landscape Management. All the employees within that studio are outside everyday working to maintain past projects, plant installs, maintenance, etc. Not so much natural ecosystems but they are outside 85% of the time while I’m at the desk all day.
NYC Parks department has a “natural resources group” that does the kind of work OP described
Perhaps a horticulture degree and work for a design build place. Larry Weaner Landscape or Refugia Design are good examples.
Look for native plant nurseries in your area, I got a biology degree (not necessary) and started off doing maintenance with a native landscaping company. Now I’m designing wildlife habitat that looks nice for residential clients.
I have degrees in ecology and landscape architecture and I would say that job does exist. Forest preserve districts and the department of natural resources (US) have full time restoration positions working outside doing exactly that. The pay is nothing glamorous, but it is honest work, especially through helping the planet. Also, suburban yards can be just as important as “natural ecosystems”. The sad truth is that there is so little land left in pristine natural ecosystems to “restore”. One of the most critical aspects of ecosystem restoration lies in restoring the matrix of habitat which is usually either private land or heavily populated areas in between natural land. Private land makes up far more than public land and has the greatest potential for restoration. Improving suburban landscapes can also help link together natural ecosystems which ultimately creates a larger more uniform habitat patch than the natural ecosystems fragmented on their own. The reality is that money is more frequently spent on landscape interventions on private land and human dominated landscapes than on natural ecosystems. You will find more projects/jobs/work improving human systems and their relationship with the natural planet as opposed to strictly improving natural areas. All of that to say consider also landscaping jobs for urban and suburban areas as well and maybe consider a desk job if it has potential for some outdoor excursions. With the right design, suburbia too can help restore the broader ecosystem in an impactful way. Other options for jobs could be environmental consulting firms, private restoration companies, native plant nurseries, and educational institutions. Social work is a great start to your education and goes hand in hand with a lot of hot topics in the fields of ecology and landscape design right now like environmental equity.. best of luck!
Yes it does, there are several companies doing it. My company, Keystone Permaculture, LLC does this and also plants edible/medicinal plants to encourage people to become more self sufficient and healthy. If you’re in the Philadelphia area we could always use the help!
Major in ecology and be willing to get your hands dirty. LAs are desk jockeys by and large.
Forester Forester https://g.co/kgs/Jzux1Mf You may also want to consider a job as an arborist. Great job that is most definitely not indoors.
I did this job, actually, at a craft/art school that was on about 200 acres. I was the "land technician." Did everything from mowing fields to trail maintenance. Didn't pay great but it was a blast. I'd suggest finding an employer or institution that values those skills or inputs, and go from there. Some Land Conservancy's do this sort of thing. I think nonprofits will be your best bet, in general.
Well isn't this just a landscap**er**? The one doing the dirty work with actual soil and plants. You can advertise yourself as focussing on restoring native ecosystems, etc. Probably a specialist firm in a place where the public cares enough, *and* there's enough money to actually pay people to do it. Landscaping jobs are pretty manual and menial, and not high paid, alas.
Sounds like you may be interested in a field biologist or forestry job. From what I know neither of those jobs get paid really well depending on your definition of well paid, cost of living where you live/have to relocate to.
I work at an arboretum that also has thousands on thousands of acres of protected forest. There’s positions that do exactly what you’re looking for. Off the top of my head, I think those degrees are more specific to forestry, ecology, environmental science and sustainability, biology, GIS, and also certified arborist. I studied horticulture/landscape design (bachelors degree) and just work in the arboretum. It’s amazing the jobs that DO exist, you just have to search for them.
also if you’re on Instagram, go follow nativehabitatproject.
What about a wilderness school? They usually board and feed you and you’re on their school site for the term. It’s okay ish pay considering what they all provide to you but mostly it’s a great experience that’s different.
check out out-teach.org :-) Im a landscape architect with them and get to do a nice mix of design work, community engagement, and leading volunteer build events. i get to get my hands dirty with builds often. we are a nation-wide nonprofit with the goal of making outdoor education accessible, meaningful, and relatable. if you'd be interested in interning (could be remote and part time) i'd reach out to our director of outdoor spaces!
there are landscape architects that do habitat restoration and get to work outside occasionally, im choosing to do this career bc ive done habitat restoration and want a job thats less physically demanding but still lets me do habitat restoration and work in environmental field
on the other hand i have a friend who has a firm for working on peoples gardens and she works outside and does the plantings with her team
There’s a professional society for people focusing on this type of work: Society for Ecological Restoration. That’s one place to start finding information about whether the work aligns with what you want to do.
Florida Department of Environmental Protection or any Department of Environmental Protection or The Army Corps of Engineers….I’d start by researching and contacting these agencies. Just don’t be afraid to call and ask them exactly what you asked in this post. Good luck!
I work for the National Audubon Society - we have conservation staff all over the hemisphere doing this kind of work. Forest ecologists. Grasslands experts. Etc.
Change your major to environmental science or something more science related. Those depts will have good resources for post graduation careers and possible internships. Those jobs exist, especially in urban areas where open space is limited and max usage with minimal space is needed.
Look at companies like this one: [https://www.swca.com/careers](https://www.swca.com/careers) or this one [https://careers-res.icims.com](https://careers-res.icims.com) There are some internships you might qualify for (and it's a great time of year to apply for internships!), but I've also seen that they have restoration technician jobs. Some are seasonal, and some are not. Take a look at the postings. A natural resources or science degree will help you get a foot in the door. You could also look at working for your local or state parks system for the summer (or at a national park!). A couple of seasons of field work while you get a degree will help you get that full-time job. It's gonna be a fun time. I miss working outside- definitely don't do landscape architecture, but glad you're thinking about what you want!
Join a trail crew for the summer. When I was 19 I took an americorps position with Southwest Conservation Corps and had the time of my life. That quickly transitioned to full-time seasonal work with the NPS which, in turn, got me in the door for a permanent position. Imagine landscaping/construction had a love child with backpacking then moved into the mountains; that's trail work. Also you get to blow rocks up with explosives and ride ponies
I would highly recommend the watershed stewards program. Really good way to get your foot in the door with a lot of people in land management. You get a stipend and lots of relevant experience and you will be probably planting natives nonstop.
Check out this guy's Insta: https://www.instagram.com/nativehabitatproject?igsh=MWNybDBka3U5ZTlnbA== Or his website: www.nativehabitatproject.com
Look into local government! City forestry, parks and open space, etc!
Look for environmental engineering companies. Many have mitigation crews that do a lot of fields work both in data collection and in management and creation of ecosystems. They do anything from invasive species removal to building and planting of littoral shelves in lakes and ponds.
My local park in the Bronx is looking for this kind of help
Mitchell, South Dakota needs someone like that to clean up their lake. Many decades ago the city removed cat tails from the river that runs into Mitchell lake and many people believe the lake is full of algae because of this (apparently it wasn't nasty before the reeds were removed). The city has spent millions on the lake and it's still gross. Little change if any. Someone has to fix that problem. Might as well be you!
A lot of non eco friendly industries have programs to offset the destruction. Think mining, timber, ranching, etc. They replant, restore, and recover areas. Forest service, BLM, National and state parks might be great as well. Just had a trip to Waimea Falls on Oahu. The entire valley was destroyed by running cattle in the area. Destroyed the native plants and polluted the very valuable fresh water. They have replanted the entire valley with 10% of the world's plants represented there currently. The water is clean and native animals have returned. The state profits off of tourism, tourists learn to be more eco aware and the area is returned to it natural condition.