The study of nature has no beginning and it has no end,” Jim Corbett had said in Jungle Lore. And the forests of our country provide an opportunity to spend a lifetime in admiring nature and make a living at the same time. “The prospects of making a career in forestry and related areas are very good,” says D.K. Bandopadhyay, director of the Indian Institute of Forest Management in Bhopal. The surge in environmental consciousness globally has enhanced the importance of studying nature and natural resources in today’s world.

In India, one of the best institutes that offers courses in forestry is the Indian Forest Research Institute in Dehra Dun. Says Sharad Singh Negi, director and ex-officio vice-chancellor of the Forest Research Institute, “We offer MSc courses in forestry, wood science and technology and environmental management with the wood science and technology course having the distinction of being the only course of its kind in the country.” There are 29 seats for each of these courses. There is an all-India entrance exam which any BSc candidate can take.

The most appealing aspect of any forest study is the bit to do with its dwellers — popularly known as wildlife. “It was my inner voice that encouraged me to choose a career in wildlife conservation,” says Bipul Chakrabarty, a wildlife scientist at the Wildlife Trust of India who did his masters degree from the Wildlife Institute of India, Dehra Dun (WII). The WII has a two-year course in wildlife science affiliated to Saurashtra University.

Candidates should have completed 15 years of education and graduated with a minimum of 55 per cent with a biology major to get in,” explains R. Shankar, research coordinator and professor at WII. Degrees in veterinary science, forestry, agriculture and environmental sciences are also acceptable. Professional foresters, not more than 35 years of age, with a suitable degree and aptitude for wildlife research may also join the course.

The programme normally begins from July every alternate year. Applications are invited through advertisements in the press and through WII’s web site. “The selection process is rigorous, including a national-level entrance examination and an interview,” reveals Shankar.

The Indian Institute of Forest Management (IIFM) in Bhopal also offers courses in forestry. “We have two courses: a two-year postgraduate diploma in forest management and an MPhil-level programme in natural resource management for working people,” says K.N. Krishnakumar, chairperson of media relations at IIFM. Graduates of any stream can apply and entry is through the Common Aptitude Test. There are 60 seats for the PG diploma course and 20 seats for the post masters programme.

There are more adventurous fields opening up as well. This includes wildlife photography. “Youngsters today can acquire basic skills in wildlife photography by shooting on Handycams before moving on to professional cameras,” says Vijay Bedi, director of award-winning film on red pandas, Cherubs of the Mist. Umeed Mistry, a wildlife photographer who is a diving instructor at Barefoot Leisure Resorts in the Andamans, stresses the importance of tedious hours of experimentation to succeed as a wildlife photographer.

Naveen Pandey, a veterinarian working at the Kalimpong Animal Shelter, feels that more information on wildlife and forestry should be made available so that those interested are inspired to opt for careers in wildlife.

“The non government organisation sector in the wildlife and forestry field has really opened up and there are opportunities to become environmental educators now,” observes Sangita Mitra, senior project officer at World Wildlife Fund India.

Collaborations with reputed institutions like the Smithsonian and the US Fish and Wildlife Service have also boosted the prospects of making a career in forestry and wildlife.

Forestry graduates are in demand in the paper and logging industries too. They are absorbed in sustainable development projects that reduce pressure on forest resources.

Starting salaries could be in the range of Rs 15,000 per month, says Sharad Singh Negi of the Forest Research Institute of India. “The average salary package offered to our students this year was Rs 6.7 lakh per annum,” says Bandopadhyay.

But regardless of the financial benefits, all forestry and wildlife professionals are unanimous in their opinion that it is the mystery of Emerson’s Woodnotes that inspires them to join the green brigade for a lifetime.