Nature & Environment

Forstwart/in EFZ

You care for forests. You harvest wood responsibly.

Forstwart/in EFZ

01 · Overview

What this profession is about

Foresters care for forests. They cut trees according to plan. They implement nature conservation measures.

You are the guardians of the forests. You work outdoors in all weather. You cut trees according to precise plans. You care for young trees. You protect nature from pests. You master challenging tasks with chainsaws and heavy machinery. Your work secures the wood supply. It preserves our habitats for future generations.

FieldNature & Environment
Education pathVocational Training (Apprenticeship)
IndustryForestry
Swissdoc 0.120.6.0

02 · Salary

What you can earn

MedianCHF 81'900
CHF 57'800CHF 123'500
✓ Strong salary match
Salaries reflect Swiss market data. Range covers entry to senior. Salary reference based on Foreign Trade Expert. Based on 663 observations, updated 7 months ago.

Salary by experience

80k90kmedian 82k76k75k78k82k90k97k0-2 yrs3-5 yrs6-8 yrs9-11 yrs12-21 yrs21+ yrs
View as table
ExperienceSalary (CHF)
0-2 yrsCHF 76'300
3-5 yrsCHF 75'320
6-8 yrsCHF 78'000
9-11 yrsCHF 81'516
12-21 yrsCHF 90'000
21+ yrsCHF 97'100

Salary trend

+9% over decade
85k81k81k82k88k2014-20162017-20192020-20222023-2025
View as table
PeriodSalary (CHF)
2014-2016CHF 80'600
2017-2019CHF 81'250
2020-2022CHF 82'368
2023-2025CHF 87'590

Top earning cantons

  • ZugCHF 93'62516 obs.
  • VaudCHF 90'90033 obs.
  • St. GallenCHF 88'20033 obs.
  • ZurichCHF 87'78586 obs.
  • SolothurnCHF 86'50120 obs.
  • FribourgCHF 86'41614 obs.
View as table
CantonSalaryObs.
ZugCHF 93'62516
VaudCHF 90'90033
St. GallenCHF 88'20033
ZurichCHF 87'78586
SolothurnCHF 86'50120
FribourgCHF 86'41614

Top paying industries

  • Information technology / TelecomCHF 93'0005 obs.
  • Chemicals / PharmaceuticalsCHF 90'00047 obs.
  • Consumer / Luxury goods industryCHF 90'00046 obs.
  • UtilitiesCHF 88'4007 obs.
  • Public administration / AssociationsCHF 88'4005 obs.
  • Medical TechnologyCHF 87'21626 obs.
View as table
IndustrySalaryObs.
Information technology / TelecomCHF 93'0005
Chemicals / PharmaceuticalsCHF 90'00047
Consumer / Luxury goods industryCHF 90'00046
UtilitiesCHF 88'4007
Public administration / AssociationsCHF 88'4005
Medical TechnologyCHF 87'21626

03 · Pathway

How to enter and grow

  • 🎓 Forstwart/in EFZ
  • 3 Jahre

Official education path

The training takes 3 years in a forest business. You attend vocational school once a week.

Typical training path

Forstwart/in EFZ

Curriculum

  • Holz
  • Ernten Verjüngen und Pflegen von Wald und Sonderstandorten
  • Umsetzen von Massnahmen des Waldschutzes
  • Erstellen und Unterhalten
  • Forstlicher Bauwerke
  • Bedienen und Unterhalten der Arbeitsmittel
  • Einhalten der Vorschriften für Arbeitssicherheit, Gesundheits- und Umweltschutz
  • Mitarbeiten bei betrieblichen Aufgaben

Prerequisites

  • obligatorische Schule abgeschlossen
  • ärztliche Voruntersuchung

Requirements

  • Enjoyment of outdoor work
  • Good observation skills for natural processes
  • Sense of responsibility and good judgment (accident risk)
  • Independence
  • Good health for physically demanding work in wind and weather
  • Technical understanding for working with machines and equipment
  1. 1Holz
  2. 2Ernten Verjüngen und Pflegen von Wald und Sonderstandorten
  3. 3Umsetzen von Massnahmen des Waldschutzes
  4. 4Erstellen und Unterhalten
  5. 5Forstlicher Bauwerke
  6. 6Bedienen und Unterhalten der Arbeitsmittel
  7. 7Einhalten der Vorschriften für Arbeitssicherheit, Gesundheits- und Umweltschutz
  8. 8Mitarbeiten bei betrieblichen Aufgaben

Where this can lead

Career changes are rare. A shortened apprenticeship as a gardener or fruit specialist is possible.

04 · Skills & fit

What it takes

Required skills

  • Physical fitness
  • Understanding of nature
  • Awareness of safety
  • Technical skill
  • Independence

Personality fit

  • Swiss career path
  • Career transition
  • Professional growth

05 · Daily reality

What the work feels like

Typical day

You stand at the cutting site. You prepare the chainsaw. You secure the surroundings. After cutting, you sort the wood. You transport it to the storage area with a tractor.

  • You mark trees for cutting according to plan. You organize the cutting site.
  • You determine the falling direction. You secure the area for safety.
  • You operate chainsaws and machines. You cut and process the logs.
  • You store the wood and calculate the volumes. You transport it with tractors.
  • You care for forest edges and plant young trees. You support natural regeneration.
  • You protect the forest from pests, fungi, and extreme weather.
  • You build fences and maintain forest paths. You service the work equipment.

Working conditions

You work in the forest all year. You work in all weather conditions. You often work for public forest services, cantonal authorities, or private companies.

Strengths

  • Physical fitness
  • Understanding of nature
  • Awareness of safety
  • Technical skill
  • Independence

Trade-offs

  • Dependence on weather
  • Physical strain
  • Risk factors
  • Noise exposure

06 · Similar

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