5 questions with Sawyer: Meet a forest and natural resource management alumnus

Five Questions with Sawyer

Sawyer Scherer
Bachelor of Science in Forest and Natural Resource Management, 2014
Master of Science in Natural Resources Science and Management, 2016
Forest Ecologist at UPM Blandin Paper Company

Describe your current job. What does it look like on a weekly basis?

I get the opportunity to work in a unique position at Blandin that enables me a very diverse set of responsibilities including forest monitoring, reforestation, forest planning, harvest scheduling, forest certification, and managing forest carbon projects. It is hard to say what an average week looks like for me. My schedule can be highly variable depending on the season, and the current projects I am working on.

What do you most enjoy about your current role?

At Blandin, we are constantly trying to be progressive leaders in forest management, finding new and better ways of managing the forest and doing business. I really enjoy finding ways for our business to result in positive conservation benefits. When we can weave those two things together, we know we are on to something good.

What made you choose CFANS and the major?

I have always had a passion for the outdoors, growing up hunting, fishing, and camping. That combined with growing up in a farming family, I always had an interest in managing and stewarding the land. When I realized that I could combine those interests into a career in forestry, I quickly narrowed my search. CFANS has a great reputation, and I was able to narrow my search for schools very quickly.

What was the best or most rewarding part about being a FNRM student?

As a student, I was very active in both the Forestry Club, as well as the Student Chapter of the Society of American Foresters. In my time with those two groups, I made the best friends of my life, and expanded my professional network. To this day, I work with and interact with people I met as part of my participation in those two clubs because of the networking opportunities they created.

How did your experiences in the major support your career goals?

The FNRM major really set me up for success and provided me with essential skills to not only jump into the workforce, but to excel in it. The summer field sessions at the Cloquet Forestry Center stand out as some of the most fun, and most important experiences I had while earning my degree.

This major is an excellent choice if you love the outdoors and want to make a positive impact on how natural resources are conserved and managed. The curriculum takes you beyond the classroom during hands-on field experiences in which students get to take up to six weeks of courses in forested and wilderness areas. The FNRM major is the only four-year program in Minnesota that is accredited by the Society of American Foresters. Earning an accredited degree makes students competitive candidates for jobs.