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NYC Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS)

ZOHRAN KWAME MAMDANI
Mayor

      DEPARTMENT OF CITYWIDE ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES
BUREAU OF EXAMINATIONS

YUME KITASEI
Commissioner

NOTICE OF EXAMINATION

       Forester
      Exam No. 7036

When To Apply:

From: 

September 2, 2026

To:

September 22, 2026

Application Fee: $68.00

Paying by credit, debit, or gift card incurs a nonrefundable 2.00% service fee.
 
The application fee may be waived for: New York City high school students, first-time test takers, veterans, unemployed individuals, and those receiving public assistance or supplementary security income.

  YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR READING THIS ENTIRE NOTICE
BEFORE YOU SUBMIT YOUR APPLICATION.

 

WHAT THE JOB INVOLVES:

Foresters implement professional forestry plans regarding the selection, planting, pruning, repairing, spraying, removal, and inspection of city trees; collect data for work load planning and computer model simulation of work to be done by contractors for stump removal, tree pruning, tree planting and related urban forestry contracts; serve as borough liaison to central office staff for assigned contract work; prepare detailed specifications of agency forestry contracts; attend preconstruction meetings to discuss contract specifications, schedules and payment procedures; monitor daily progress of agency contractors and prepares daily status reports on agency contract work; report results and recommendations to supervisors; collect statistical data concerning mensuration  measurements, silvics indicators, and physiological parameters in order to maintain a complete and accurate borough or citywide tree inventory update; modify micro and macro EDP software programs as required; provide professional support and follow-up on consultancy with private and municipal agencies and private individuals on forestry-related matters; conduct research and provides entomological and pathological surveys required for the development of plans and programs regarding forestry methods, practices and procedures; as a member of a team, analyses and budget requests; may supervise subordinate employees involved in professional forestry activities; operate and maintain technical and professional instruments, kits and tools in the performance of the above mentioned professional research and survey duties; operate motorized equipment and vehicles incidental to the performance of these duties. All Foresters perform related work.

Special Working Conditions:

Foresters may be required to work various shifts including nights, Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays. 
 
Some of the physical activities performed by Foresters and environmental conditions experienced are: standing for extended periods of time; working outdoors in an urban environment in all kinds of weather; walking on uneven ground and walking uphill.
(This is a brief description of what you might do in this position and does not include all the duties of this position.)

THE SALARY:

The current minimum salary is $50,458 per annum. This rate is subject to change. There are two assignment levels within this class of positions. Appointments will generally be made to Assignment Level I. After appointment, employees may be assigned to the higher assignment level at the discretion of the agency.

HOW TO QUALIFY:

It is your responsibility to determine whether or not you meet the education and experience requirements for this examination before submitting your application. If you are found "Not Qualified," your application fee will not be refunded and you will not receive a score.

As per Section 54(2) of the Civil Service Law, the education requirement needed to qualify must be met by September 22, 2027. The experience requirement needed to qualify must be met by the last day of the Application Period (September 22, 2026).

 

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS:

  1. A master’s degree from an accredited college or university, with a specialization in forestry or a related subject; or
  2. A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university, with a specialization in forestry or a related subject and one year of full-time professional experience in forestry or arboricultural work; or
  3. An associate degree from an accredited college or university, with a specialization in forestry or a related subject and three years of full-time professional experience in forestry or arboricultural work; or
  4. A satisfactory combination of education and/or experience that is equivalent to "1", "2", or "3" above. Education in forestry or a related subject, from an accredited college or university, may be substituted for the experience described in "3" above at the rate of 30 semester credits for one year of experience. However, all candidates must have at least an associate degree with a specialization in forestry or a related subject.

The college or university must be accredited by regional, national, professional, or specialized agencies recognized as accrediting bodies by the U.S. Secretary of Education and by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA).

If you were educated outside the United States, you must have your foreign education evaluated to determine its equivalence to education obtained in the United States. This is required only if you need credit for your foreign education in this examination. For more information see the Foreign Education Evaluation Guide in the Required Information section.

During the Education and Experience Exam (EEE), you will get instructions on converting part-time experience to the full-time equivalent.

You must final submit your Education and Experience Exam in OASys by midnight Eastern time on the last day of the Application Period, and once you Final Submit, no changes can be made.

Failure to click Final Submit by the deadline will result in an incomplete application, and you will not receive a score or a refund of the application fee.

 

Driver License Requirement: At the time of appointment, you must possess a motor vehicle driver license valid in the State of New York. This license must be maintained for the duration of your employment.

Residency Requirement Advisory:

City residency is not required for this position.

English Requirement:

You must be able to understand and be understood in English.

Proof of Identity:

Under the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986, you must be able to prove your identity and your right to obtain employment in the United States prior to employment with an agency under the jurisdiction of the Commissioner, Department of Citywide Administrative Services.

HOW TO APPLY:

Apply through the Online Application System (OASys) at www.nyc.gov/examsforjobs. Follow the onscreen application instructions to submit your application and payment. A valid email address is required. Free email accounts are available from Google, Yahoo!, AOL, Outlook.com, or Mail.com.

New OASys accounts must be verified to confirm your email address is valid and that you have access to the email account. You will receive a confirmation email from OASys to confirm your account upon registering for your OASys account. If any issues arise, contact DCAS at nyc.gov/CivilServiceNowNYC and select the applicable subject. If you do not receive the confirmation email, check your spam or junk mail folder before contacting DCAS.

You can pay with major credit cards, bank cards, or prepaid debit cards with a credit card logo. Veterans and individuals receiving certain public assistance may qualify for a fee waiver. For more information on eligibility and required documentation, visit the Fee Waiver FAQs on OASys at https://a856-exams.nyc.gov/OASysWeb/faqs.

You may come to the DCAS Computer-based Testing & Application Centers to apply for this examination online.

The centers will be open Monday through Friday from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM:

Manhattan Brooklyn Queens
2 Lafayette Street 210 Joralemon Street 118-35 Queens Boulevard
17th Floor 4th Floor 5th Floor
New York, NY 10007 Brooklyn, NY 11201 Forest Hills, NY 11375
Staten Island Bronx
135 Canal Street 1932 Arthur Avenue
3rd Floor 2nd Floor
Staten Island, NY 10304 Bronx, NY 10457


The DCAS Computer-based Testing & Application Centers will be closed on Monday, September 7, 2026.

Application Receipt:

After applying for the examination through the Online Application System (OASys), expect an immediate receipt via email. If you don't see it, be sure to check your Junk, Trash, or Spam folders. Alternatively, you can view a summary of your application status on your OASys Dashboard under "Notifications."

If you still can't find the email, contact DCAS at nyc.gov/CivilServiceNowNYC and select the applicable subject. Include your exam number and profile number for easier identification. Also, verify that your email address in your profile is accurate and up to date. Finally, add OASys@dcas.nyc.gov to your known senders to ensure you receive all important communications.

Special Circumstances Guide:

This Guide provides instructions for requesting alternate test dates for religious observances, how to apply for disability accommodations, Legacy credit, and address changes. Following the relevant instructions in the guide is crucial when filling out the "Application for Examination." Guide Link: https://www.nyc.gov/assets/dcas/downloads/pdf/employment/nyc-dcas-special-circumstances-guide.pdf

Civil Service Guidance for Veterans:

There are a range of benefits available to eligible veterans in their civil service careers. Specifically, veterans and disabled veterans may be eligible for application fee waivers, preference credits, make-up exams, retroactive seniority, and age deduction where the exam has maximum age requirements. Review the Civil Service Guidance for Veterans at: https://www.nyc.gov/assets/dcas/downloads/pdf/employment/faqs-for-veterans.pdf

PENALTY FOR MISREPRESENTATION:

Any intentional misrepresentation on the application or examination may result in disqualification, even after appointment, and may result in criminal prosecution.

REQUIRED INFORMATION:

  1. Application for Examination: Follow the online instructions, including those relating to the payment of fee and, if applicable, those found in the Special Circumstances Guide.

  2. Education and Experience Exam: Complete the exam by following the on-screen instructions. You must provide detailed information about your licenses, education, and experience and finalize your submission in the Online Application System (OASys) by midnight Eastern time on the last day of the application period. Once you click on Final Submit, no further changes can be made. Failure to submit by the deadline will result in your examination being deemed incomplete, and you will not receive a score or be invited to any subsequent exam portions. Additionally, your application fee will not be refunded.

  3. If applicable, ensure your foreign education evaluation is submitted directly to DCAS by an approved evaluation service within eight weeks after the application deadline. Approved evaluation services are listed in the Foreign Education Evaluation Guide located on the DCAS website at https://www.nyc.gov/assets/dcas/downloads/pdf/employment/nyc-dcas-foreign-education-evaluation-guide.pdf. Request a "document-by-document" (general) evaluation. Note: If you have college credits acquired from an institution outside the United States and you intend to claim such credits on this examination, request a "course-by-course" evaluation (which includes a "document-by-document" evaluation).

THE TEST:


Your score will be determined by an Education and Experience Exam. You will receive a score of 70 points for meeting the education and experience requirements listed above. After these requirements are met, you will receive additional credit up to a maximum of 100 points on the following basis:  

Education used to gain additional credit must be obtained by the last day of the Application Period (September 22, 2026). Experience and certifications must be obtained by September 22, 2026.

If you have satisfactory full-time experience in urban forestry management for:

You will receive
up to:

At least 1 year but less than 3 years

10 points

At least 3 years but less than 5 years

20 points

5 or more years

30 points
   

If you have satisfactory full-time experience in practical arboricultural work in an urban forestry environment for:

You will receive
up to:

At least 1 year but less than 3 years

5 points

At least 3 years but less than 5 years

10 points

5 or more years

15 points
   
   
   

If you have satisfactory full-time experience in commercial or traditional forestry work for:

You will receive
up to:
At least 1 year but less than 3 years 3 points
At least 3 years but less than 5 years 6 points
5 or more years 9 points
   
 
  
If you have credits earned at an accredited college or university in any of the following courses: dendrology, botany, forest mensuration, remote sensing and geographic information systems, landscape plant materials, forest entomology, forest pathology, forest or plant ecology, horticulture, diseases and insect pests of trees, plant health, care for woody ornaments, infrastructure and tree conflict management, tree planting and transplanting, soil science, tree and shrub fertilization, tree structure mechanics, tree hazard evaluation/tree risk management, tree and landscape valuation and for any of the following civil engineering courses:  construction project management, tree preservation and protection during construction, for the completion of: You will receive:
   
3 to 9 semester credits 1 point
10 to 19 semester credits 2 points
20 to 30 semester credits 3 points
   
   
For possession of the following certification(s): You will receive:
   
Board Certified Master Arborist (issued by the International Society of Arboriculture) 2 points
Certified Arborist Municipal Specialist (issued by the International Society of Arboriculture)  1 point
Tree Risk Assessment Qualification (issued by the International Society of Arboriculture)  1 point
Certified Arborist (issued by the International Society of Arboriculture)  1 point
Registered Consulting Arborist (issued by the American Society of Consulting Arborists)  1 point
Certified Urban and Community Forester (issued by the Society of American Foresters)  1 point
Certified Forester (issued by the Society of American Foresters)  0.5 point
   

During the Education and Experience Exam (EEE), you will get instructions on converting part-time experience to the full-time equivalent.


Education and experience used to meet the minimum requirements cannot be used to gain additional credit.

 

You will receive a maximum of one year of experience credit for each year you worked. Each year of experience will be credited under only one category which will be the highest appropriate category.

 

You must Final Submit your Education and Experience Exam in OASys by midnight Eastern time on the last day of the Application Period, and once you Final Submit, no changes can be made.

 

Failure to click Final Submit by the deadline will result in an incomplete application, and you will not receive a score or a refund of the application fee.


CHANGE OF MAILING ADDRESS, EMAIL ADDRESS, AND/OR TELEPHONE NUMBER:

It is essential to promptly notify DCAS of any changes to your mailing address, email address, or phone number. Without your correct contact information, you may miss important updates regarding your exam(s), appointment considerations, or critical information that requires a timely response. To update your contact information, follow these steps:
  • City Employees: update your information in NYCAPS Employee Self-Service (ESS) at www.nyc.gov/ess
  • All Others: Log into your OASys account at www.nyc.gov/examsforjobs, navigate to your Dashboard, and update your Profile page.

CHANGE OF NAME AND/OR SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER:

To change your name and/or social security number with DCAS, use the Data Correction Form and follow all instructions provided. You can access the DCAS Data Correction Form at the following link: https://www1.nyc.gov/assets/dcas/downloads/pdf/employment/dp148a.pdf.

THE TEST RESULTS:

If you pass the Education and Experience Exam, your name will be placed on an eligible list in final score order. You will receive a list number and be notified of your test results via email. This eligible list determines the order of candidates considered for appointment, usually active for four years.

For more information about the civil service system, visit: https://www.nyc.gov/site/dcas/employment/more-about-civil-service.page.


If you believe your test was rated incorrectly, you can appeal your score to DCAS, Committee on Manifest Errors, using the Online Application System (OASys). Your appeal must clearly state the reasons for requesting a higher score and may result in a different rating.


ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

Selective Certification for Special Experience: If you have the experience listed in one or more of the areas listed below, you may be considered for appointment to positions requiring this experience through a process called Selective Certification. If you qualify for Selective Certification, you may be given preferred consideration for positions requiring this experience. If you wish to apply for Selective Certification, follow the onscreen instructions when completing your Education and Experience Exam to indicate your interest in such Selective Certification and Final Submit it in OASys. Your experience will be checked by the appointing agency at the time of appointment. 

  1. Municipal Government Experience (MGE): At least one (1) year of satisfactory, full-time experience working within a municipal government in a similar position, which provides services for a city with over 1 million in population.
  2. Federal Government Experience (FGE): At least one (1) year of satisfactory, full-time experience working within the federal government of the United States in a similar position.
  3. AmeriCorps (AMC): Successful completion of at least ten (10) months of satisfactory, full-time experience as a NYC Service AmeriCorps member at a City agency or non-profit organization, which includes 100+ hours of workforce preparedness trainings.
  4. Civil Service Pathways Fellowship (FEL): Successful completion of at least one (1) year of the Civil Service Pathways Fellowship program.

The above Selective Certification requirements may be met at any time during the duration of the list. If you meet the Selective Certification requirement at some future date, please submit a request by contacting DCAS via the following link: nyc.gov/CivilServiceNowNYC using the "Selective Certification" subject. Please include the examination title and number, your full name, OASys Profile ID number, and the Selective Certification(s) you are requesting in your submission.

Translation Notice:

This document is provided in English. Solely for convenience, Google Translate is offered to provide machine-generated translations to other languages. The New York City Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS) makes no representations or warranties, express or implied, regarding the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of any machine-generated translation and shall not be liable for any errors or omissions arising from the use of such translations. In the event of any conflict or inconsistency between the translated version and the English version, the English version will control and prevail.

READ CAREFULLY AND SAVE FOR FUTURE REFERENCE

The General Examination Regulations of the Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS) apply to this examination and are part of this Notice of Examination. They are posted at nyc.gov/dcas and copies are available at the DCAS Computer-based Testing & Application Centers.

The City of New York is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
Title Code No. 81361; Forestry Occupational Group.
For information about other exams, and your exam or list status, call 212-669-1357.
Internet: nyc.gov/dcas