Park Naturalists
What they do
Plan, develop, and conduct programs to inform public of historical, natural, and scientific features of national, state, or local park.
Expected pay range
Expected pay range
This represents the median earnings for this career in the selected county or state. In the range shown, 25% of workers earned less than the bottom salary and 25% earned more than the top salary. Data is provided by the Texas Workforce Commission.
About park naturalists
Other titles
Environmental Education Specialist, Environmental Educator, Interpretive Naturalist, Naturalist, Park Activities Coordinator, Park Interpretive Specialist, Park Naturalist, Park Ranger, Program Production Specialist
Tasks they perform
- Conduct field trips to point out scientific, historic, and natural features of parks, forests, historic sites, or other attractions.
- Prepare and present illustrated lectures and interpretive talks about park features.
- Plan and organize public events at the park.
Skills they need
- Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
- Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
- Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
- Social Perceptiveness - Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
- Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
- Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
- Service Orientation - Actively looking for ways to help people.
- Active Learning - Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
- Instructing - Teaching others how to do something.
- Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
- Learning Strategies - Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
- Complex Problem Solving - Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
Licenses and Certifications
How to decide which one is right? That depends on an individual’s career path, specialty, and resources.
Certifications
Certifications may be available for this career and can help build knowledge and skills in specific job roles. Explore available certifications (external link opens new tab)
Similar careers
View careers in the same field as park naturalists.
Forest and Conservation Technicians
Better pay
Median salary for this career is higher than the median salary of all careers in the county selected. Salary data is provided by the Texas Workforce Commission.
Tour Guides and Escorts
In demand
In demand careers have high-growth, high-demand, and emerging jobs critical to Texas. They are based on economic indicators like in demand industries, labor market trends, and economic conditions, provided by the Texas Workforce Commission.
Range Managers
Additional career information and resources
Learn more about park naturalists with these helpful sites.
- American Association for State and Local History (external link opens new tab)
- Association of National Park Rangers (external link opens new tab)
- Forest Stewards Guild (external link opens new tab)
- National Association for Interpretation (external link opens new tab)
- North American Association for Environmental Education (external link opens new tab)
- Occupational Outlook Handbook: Conservation scientists and foresters (external link opens new tab)
- Society for Range Management (external link opens new tab)
- Society of American Foresters (external link opens new tab)
- The Association for Living History, Farm and Agricultural Museums (external link opens new tab)