Best Careers for Hiker and Nature Lovers

[branchville]

I am 25 years old and have a certain amount of capital to either start a business or continue my education. I want to be able to live in a rural area surrounded by woods on the east cost, and either be able to work in nature, or have enough free-time to be able to hike often.

[grizzled]

Oh so many ways to approach that.

1) in my experience, most people starting a successful business eat, sleep, and breath it for a number of years. Doesn't lend it's self to a lot of free time-at which point it doesn't matter if you're near the woods or not.

2) most jobs in or near desirable recreation areas don't pay enough to survive on but they can be fun, at least for a while.

3) there are profession jobs that are located in those same desirable places. They usually pay a little less (scenery tax) but can be rewarding. Usually some very good competition for those positions.

4) probably the most important (at least for me), don't get into something you don't like to do just to live a specific location-not much future being unhappy 5 or 6 days a week.

Narrowed the field? I didn't think so.

But it can be done and I did it. Like any career choice, you need to decide what you really want to do first and then see if you can find a suitable location for a job. Where I'm located, there are abundant jobs in all sorts of recreational based businesses. Some of which are very progressive getting employees out to use their stuff. Just a loooong way from the east coast.

[Dogwood]

You could accomplish all those goals by doing trail maintenance and/or volunteering at a National Park. i.e.; docent, Visitors Centers, etc. Even if you start out on a volunteering basis they can  lead to paid employment. The flexible schedules allow you to continue your education as well. Lots of groups need volunteers to help survey and remove invasive species. i.e.; Nature Conservancy, Sierra Club, Hiking Clubs, etc. This is a great way to network with other outdoorsy pro environmental folks. That's what I did.

I also owned and operated  Landscape Contracting - Design and Build - companies in several states. In the northeast when I was operating out of central NJ during the winter I would either work on projects in warmer climates, AZ, CA, FL, GA, NV, etc or close up shop for 3 months and travel/hike in warmer zones. I did this for quite a few yrs while at the same time obtaining advanced degrees in Landscape Architecture and Horticulture.

Now, I live in Hawaii part of the yr where I'm involved in landscaping and organic farming and being a hiking bum the rest of the time. Don't own any more companies though. I haven't in awhile.