Final Filing Date: 7/8/2024.

Examination/Employment Application (STD 678) must be received or postmarked by the filing date indicated above. Applications postmarked, personally delivered or received via interoffice mail after the filing date will not be accepted.

Dates printed on Mobile Bar Codes, such as the Quick Response (QR) Codes available at the USPS, are not considered Postmark dates for the purpose of determining timely filing of an application.

If using the United States Postal Service (USPS) for delivery, there is no guarantee that your application will be postmarked and arrive by the final filing date. If your application does not have a postmark and arrives after the final filing date, your application may not be accepted into the examination. Therefore, to ensure timely delivery of your application, it is recommended that you use either parcel service, or certified mail. Using one of these options will provide proof the application was sent prior to the final filing date.

This classification is eligible for the following pay:

$6233 - $8090 Base Salary (paid every month)

$74,796 – $97,080 Annual Compensation

In addition to the above pay items, employees are eligible for retirement and medical benefits (health, dental, vision) and may be eligible for other pay differentials.

The information below will help you determine which classification(s) is(are) appropriate for you. Applicants must meet the Minimum Qualifications as stated on this bulletin to compete in this examination.

Open and Open, Non-Promotional Examination(s):

• FORESTER I (NONSUPERVISORY) - Open

All applicants must meet the education and/or experience requirements by the final filing date, July 8, 2024, to be considered for this administration. 

• Once you have participated in this examination, you may not test again for six (6) months.
• Applicants who have not passed probation in this classification are encouraged to apply.

Submit an Examination/Employment Application (STD 678) to apply for this examination.

Electronic applications can be submitted through your account at www.CalCareers.ca.gov.

You may apply by mail to:

• Department of Forestry & Fire Protection (CAL FIRE)
  Attention: Examination Unit
  710 Riverpoint Ct.
  West Sacramento, CA 95605
  

Indicate the Examination Code and Classification(s) on your Examination/Employment Application (STD 678).

You may drop off your application and any applicable or required documents at:

• Department of Forestry & Fire Protection (CAL FIRE)
  Attention: Examination Unit
  710 Riverpoint Ct.
  West Sacramento, CA 95605
  8:30 AM - 4:30 PM

Indicate the Examination Code and Classification(s) on your Examination/Employment Application (STD 678). All applicants must provide proof of identification. Accepted forms of identification are: 1) a photo identification card or 2) two forms of signed identification.

Please note the following:

1.) A State Application (STD 678) is REQUIRED and must be submitted.

2.) A Training and Experience (T&E) Narrative is also REQUIRED and must be submitted with your STD 678. See instructions below under "Examination Information" to complete this document.

3.) All applicants must include "from" and "to" employment dates (month/day/year), time base, and applicable civil service class titles on their STD 678. Applications received without this information may be rejected.

4.) Candidates that wish to qualify for the exam under the following Minimum Qualifications patterns (listed on the classification specification) MUST include the following with their STD 678:

• Pattern I: Copy of your valid license as a Registered Professional Forester (RPF) issued by the California State Board of Forestry and Fire Protection, or a copy of an authorized letter from the California State Board of Forestry and Fire Protection, Professional Foresters Registration. 
• Patterns II, III, or IV: Official or unofficial copies of your college transcripts and/or a copy of your diploma showing proof of coursework/completion/graduation.

APPLICATIONS SUBMITTED VIA EMAIL WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.

If you require assistance or alternative testing arrangements due to a disability, indicate on your application that you need reasonable accommodation. You will be contacted by a representative of the testing department to make the necessary arrangements. If you have not been contacted by the time you receive notification of testing, please contact the testing department listed in the Contact section of this bulletin.

If you are unable to submit your application or complete the test due to a disability, please contact the testing department listed in the Contact section of this bulletin.

All applicants must meet the education and/or experience requirements as stated on this exam bulletin to be accepted to the examination.

Either I

Possession of a valid license as a Registered Professional Forester issued by the California State Board of Forestry and Fire Protection or possession of an authorized letter from the California State Board of Forestry and Fire Protection, Professional Foresters Registration, to compete in the Registered Professional Forester exam. (Applicants with an authorization letter from the California State Board of Forestry and Fire Protection, Professional Foresters Registration, will be admitted to the examination, but they must secure the license before they will be considered eligible for appointment.)

Or II

Experience: Two years of experience performing the duties of a Forestry Assistant II in the California state service. AND

License Requirement: Possession of a valid license as a Registered Professional Forester issued by the California State Board of Forestry and Fire Protection (applicants who do not possess the required license will be admitted to the examination, but they must secure the license before they will be considered eligible for appointment).

Or III

Experience: One year of experience performing the duties of a Forestry Assistant II in the California state service and six months of forestry work requiring professional skill. (Graduation from college with specialization in forestry, range management, or a closely related natural resource field may be substituted for the six months of forestry work.) AND

License Requirement: Possession of a valid license as a Registered Professional Forester issued by the California State Board of Forestry and Fire Protection (applicants who do not possess the required license will be admitted to the examination, but they must secure the license before they will be considered eligible for appointment).

Or IV

Experience: Either

1). Three years of experience in the California state service performing forestry work requiring professional skill, fire prevention, or supervising fire suppression work in a class comparable in level to a Forestry Assistant II. Or

2). Two years of experience in forestry work requiring professional skill involving one of the following: management of a forest area; management of forest resources; appraising forest resources; forest engineering; regulating forest practices; controlling forest pests; reforestation or tree nursery production; urban forestry; or range and watershed management duties. (Graduate work in forestry may be substituted for up to one year of the required experience on a year-for-year basis.) AND

Education: Equivalent to graduation from college with specialization in forestry, range management, or a closely related natural resource field. (Additional qualifying experience may be substituted for up to two years of the required education on a year-for-year basis.) AND

License Requirement: Possession of a valid license as a Registered Professional Forester issued by the California State Board of Forestry and Fire Protection (applicants who do not possess the required license will be admitted to the examination, but they must secure the license before they will be considered eligible for appointment).

EDUCATION: Existing law provides that a peace officer must be a high school graduate, pass the General Education Development (GED) Test indicating high school graduation level, pass the California High School Proficiency Examination, or have attained a two-year or four-year degree from an accredited college or university.

AGE REQUIREMENT: Must meet minimum age requirement to be appointed as a California peace officer per the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) and in accordance with existing law.

This examination consists of the following component(s):

Components that are due with your application will be scored and will count toward your final examination result. Failure to submit these items may result in disqualification or elimination from the examination.

A final score of 70% must be attained to be placed on the eligible list.

TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE (T&E) NARRATIVE - WEIGHTED 100%

In this type of examination the T&E Narrative document IS THE EXAMINATION. 

The T&E Narrative is a written document that responds to the questions listed below. 

An evaluation of the Narrative documents will be conducted by a rating panel consisting of CAL FIRE subject matter experts (SMEs) (in July/August 2024). The rating panel will compare each candidates' Narrative responses against standardized, pre-determined rating criteria. The examination questions below were derived from the knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) listed in this bulletin and the classification specification.

When preparing your T&E Narrative document please respond to the following four (4) examination questions:

1. You have been assigned to plan and implement a vegetation management project within the CAL FIRE Vegetation Management Program (VMP). Describe in detail five or more steps you would take to achieve compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).

2. You are conducting a routine inspection of timber operations in a rural area. An upset landowner approaches you with complaints about the logging. Please give four or more examples explaining how you would address the situation.

3. You work in a Sierra Nevada mixed conifer forest that has experienced high tree mortality levels. Considering the environmental factors that may have contributed to tree mortality, describe three or more management techniques you would employ to improve forest health.

4. You are preparing a Timber Harvest Plan (THP) that requires road construction. Describe four or more of the following considerations and why they are important in determining proper road placement: Land use history; environmental features; topography; anthropogenic feature; economic feasibility; yarding method; silviculture prescription; type of road; construction type.

In addition to responding to the questions above, your T&E Narrative document MUST follow the instructions listed below. Failure to follow these instructions may result in disqualification from the testing process: 

• Please use Arial font, size no smaller than 10.

• Limit your responses to no more than a total of four (4) pages (Only the first four pages will be scored)

• Your document MUST be typewritten (NO handwritten narratives)

• Please clearly label the number that corresponds to the question to which you are responding.

• You may include multiple responses on a single page.

• Please place your name on each page of your narrative.

APPLICATIONS RECEIVED WITHOUT A NARRATIVE DOCUMENT WILL BE DISQUALIFIED.

Complete and submit the following items with your application. These will be scored and count toward your final examination result. Failure to submit these items will result in disqualification from the examination.

Training & Experience (T&E) Narrative Instructions: ForesterIInstructions.pdf

In addition to evaluating the applicant's relative knowledge, skill and ability as demonstrated by quality and breadth of education/experience, emphasis in each test component will be on measuring competitively, relative to job demands, each applicant's:

Knowledge of:

1. Natural resource management principles and practices to guide the application of Department programs and responsibilities.
2. Silvicultural methods and their application to ensure that timber harvesting plans are approved and implemented consistent with professional standards and California Forest Practice Rules.
3. California Foresters Licensing Law to ensure Registered Professional Foresters are functioning in a manner that meets the standards of professional forestry practices.
4. Timber harvest methods and practices (e.g., tractor logging, cable logging) to ensure equipment and practices are utilized to protect all forest resources.
5. Forestry, range, wildlife, and fisheries management principles and practices to assess potential impacts and manage ecosystems effectively.
6. Mapping methods and practices (e.g., drafting techniques, Global Positioning System, topographical map interpretation) to delineate and interpret geographical information.
7. Natural sciences (e.g., wildlife, biology, soil, climatic conditions) to ensure appropriate environmental analysis and project implementation.
8. Federal, State, and local environmental forest and fire laws (e.g., Public Resource Code, California Code of Regulations, Forest Practice Act, California Environmental Quality Act), and Department policies and procedures to ensure compliance and enforcement for public safety and environmental protection.
9. The identification and protection process for cultural resources (e.g., historic, pre-historic) to ensure their preservation.
10. Forest measurements tools (e.g., diameter tape, Biltmore stick, clinometer) used for field measurements of trees and slope of the ground for accurate recording of data.
11. Watershed management and erosion control methods to protect natural resources.
12. Forest road engineering (e.g., road location, construction and design, watercourse crossing design) for the development and review of a transportation and harvesting system to ensure compliance with public safety standards and environmental regulations.
13. Department policies, procedures, and strategies to understand and accomplish the mission of the Department.
14. Environmental effects from land management and incident related activities (e.g., vegetation treatment methods, range management) and mitigation measures necessary to protect forest resources and health and safety of personnel and the public.
15. Other agencies’ roles, purposes, and jurisdictional authorities to effectively work together on collaborative objectives.
16. Wildlife management and wildlife habitats to protect fisheries, terrestrial fauna, and plants at a level commensurate with a professional forester’s scope of license and expertise.
17. The California Environmental Quality Act to identify the significant environmental impacts of actions and develop measures to avoid or mitigate those impacts within a professional forester’s scope of license and expertise.
18. Reforestation practices and principles to ensure adequate regeneration of forestlands.
19. Photogrammetry and remote sensing imagery (e.g., aerial photos, satellite) to gather information on various resources (e.g., vegetation characteristics, wildlife habitats, structures, water resources) for analysis and resource planning.
20. Land surveying (e.g., establishing unit boundaries, county assessor parcel data, use of bearings and distances, public land survey system) to locate property features.

A Departmental Open eligible list for the FORESTER I (NONSUPERVISORY) Classification will be established for:

• Department of Forestry & Fire Protection

The names of successful competitors will be merged onto the eligible list(s) in order of final score regardless of test date. Eligibility expires 12 months after it is established. Applicants must then retake the examination to reestablish eligibility.

Veterans' Preference will be granted for this examination. Veterans' Preference is an assistance program for veterans, veteran widows and widowers, and spouses of 100% disabled veterans who seek employment with the state. Veterans' Preference is also extended to currently serving military members nearing their retirement or separation date.

You are not eligible for Veteran's Preference if you are:

• A veteran who has been dishonorably discharged or released.
• A veteran, widow or widower of a veteran, or spouse of a 100 percent disabled veteran who currently has permanent civil service status. (Permanent civil service status is the status of an employee who is lawfully retained in his/her position after completion of the applicable probationary period. This does not include limited term).

Veterans' Preference is codified in Government Code Sections 18973 – 18979.

Veteran status is verified by the California Department of Human Resources (CalHR). Directions to apply for Veterans' Preference are on the Veterans' Preference Application (Std. Form 1093), which is available at www.CalCareers.ca.gov, and the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Career Credits are not granted for examination(s) administered on an Open basis or a Promotional basis.

• Department of Forestry & Fire Protection

Questions regarding this examination should be directed to:

CAL FIRE Reasonable Accommodation Coordinator
710 Riverpoint Ct.
West Sacramento, CA 95605
Phone: (916) 894-9570 ext. Option 3
ReasonableAccommodations@fire.ca.gov

California Relay Service: 1-800-735-2929 (TTY), 1-800-735-2922 (Voice). TTY is a Telecommunications Device for the Deaf, and is reachable only from phones equipped with a TTY Device.

Examination and/or Employment Application (STD 678) forms are available at the California Department of Human Resources, local offices of the Employment Development Department, and through your CalCareer Account (www.CalCareers.ca.gov).

If you meet the requirements stated on this examination bulletin, you may take this examination, which is competitive. Possession of the entrance requirements does not assure a place on the eligible list. Your performance in the examination described in this bulletin will be rated against a predetermined job-related rating, and all applicants who pass will be ranked according to their scores.

Department of Forestry & Fire Protection reserves the right to revise the examination plan to better meet the needs of the service, if the circumstances under which this examination was planned change. Such revision will be in accordance with civil service laws and rules and all applicants will be notified.

General Qualifications: Applicants must possess essential personal qualifications including integrity, initiative, dependability, good judgment, the ability to work cooperatively with others, and a state of health consistent with the ability to perform the assigned duties of the class. A medical examination may be required. In open examinations, investigation may be made of employment records and personal history and fingerprinting may be required.

Eligible Lists: Eligible lists established by competitive examination, regardless of date, must be used in the following order: 1) sub-divisional promotional, 2) departmental promotional, 3) multi-departmental promotional, 4) service-wide promotional, 5) departmental open, 6) open. When there are two lists of the same kind, the older must be used first. Eligible lists will expire in one to four years unless otherwise stated on the bulletin.

High School Equivalence: Equivalence to completion of the 12th grade may be demonstrated in any one of the following ways: 1) passing the General Education Development (GED) Test; 2) completion of 12 semester units of college-level work; 3) certification from the State Department of Education, a local school board, or high school authorities that the competitor is considered to have education equivalent to graduation from high school; or 4) for clerical and accounting classes, substitution of business college work in place of high school on a year-for-year basis.

Accepted applicants must provide proof of identification at each in-person test session. Acceptable identification consists of a photo identification card or two forms of signed identification.