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Conservation Officer

Conservation officers conserve and protect Alberta’s natural resources. They provide educational and outdoor recreational opportunities as well as public safety and enforcement services on Crown lands.

Also Known As

Law Enforcement Officer, Natural Resource Officer, Peace Officer

NOC Codes

In Canada, the federal government groups and organizes occupations based on a National Occupational Classification (NOC) system. This alis occupation may not reflect the entire NOC group it is part of. Data for the NOC group can apply across multiple occupations.

The NOC system is updated every 5 years to reflect changes in the labour market. Government forms and labour market data may group and refer to an occupation differently, depending on the system used.

Here is how this occupation has been classified over time.

2006 NOC

  • 2224: Conservation and Fishery Officers

2006 NOC-S

  • C124: Conservation and Fishery Officers

2011 NOC

  • 2224: Conservation and fishery officers

2016 NOC

  • 2224: Conservation and fishery officers

2021 NOC

  • 22113: Conservation and fishery officers

2023 OaSIS

  • 22113.00: Conservation and fishery officers
Duties
Updated Mar 31, 2025

Conservation officers are responsible for protecting natural and cultural resources in Alberta’s public lands. They also keep visitors safe. Conservation officers support land management by ensuring appropriate and safe public land use through:

  • Conservation compliance and enforcement
  • Conflict prevention and resolution between humans and wildlife
  • Public safety and protection

Conservation officers specialize in conservation compliance and enforcement of laws, regulations, rules, and orders relating to recreation, fish, and wildlife. They:

  • Promote the responsible use, stewardship, and protection of natural resources
  • Patrol Alberta’s Crown lands on foot and by truck, all-terrain vehicle, aircraft, boat, horseback
  • Address unlawful activities that impact the well-being of natural resources
  • Respond to and investigate complaints
  • Represent the Provincial Government’s policies regarding resource use by Indigenous persons.

Conservation officers protect both the public and animals in preventing conflict between humans and wildlife. They:

  • Investigate and respond to reports of conflict between humans and wildlife and attacks in provincial parks and protected areas
  • Educate the public on such interactions
  • Close areas, issue warnings, and use other mitigation strategies
  • Haze, trap, or chemically immobilize wildlife when needed
  • Relocate wildlife
  • Euthanize wildlife or assist with euthanization, if necessary
  • Work with partner agencies and other wildlife experts

In public safety and protection, conservation officers:

  • Maintain an active officer presence throughout public lands
  • Support search and rescue operations

To learn about other occupations that protect natural resources, visit the Fish and Wildlife Officer and Park Warden occupational profiles.

Working Conditions
Updated Mar 31, 2025
  • Strength Required Lift up to 10 kg

Conservation officers and park wardens work indoors and outdoors. They often work in extreme weather, remote areas, or rough terrain when responding to illegal activities, wildlife conflicts, and hunting or fishing seasons, which open regardless of weather conditions.

They work irregular hours. This can include evenings, weekends, and holidays. They may work split shifts or standby shifts. They may need to work overtime to respond to complaints or serious events.

Conservation officers regularly need to lift items up to 20 kilograms. They may sometimes need to lift items over 45 kilograms.

They may work alone for extended periods, such as when working in remote locations. They might face risks in the management of wildlife and during the enforcement of legislation.

Conservation officers use enforcement equipment including:

  • A defensive baton
  • Pepper spray
  • Handcuffs
  • Firearms such as pistols, shotguns, rifles, or patrol rifles
Interests & Abilities

In Alberta, this occupation is part of 1 or more 2006 National Occupational Classification (NOC) groups. If there are multiple related NOC groups, select a NOC heading to learn about each one.

Conservation and Fishery Officers

2006 NOC: 2224

Interest Codes

Interest Codes for This NOC Group
DIRECTIVE

Interest in driving - operating to conduct patrols by truck, aircraft, boat or on foot to ensure compliance with provincial and federal statutes relating to fish, wildlife and the environment; and in implementing and supervising approved techniques in preventing and overcoming damage caused by wildlife

METHODICAL

Interest in compiling information when investigating complaints and arresting violators; and in gathering resource data by making inventories of fish, collecting water samples and assisting biologists in scientific research

SOCIAL

Interest in speaking with the public to generate awareness of fish and wildlife conservation and regulations; and in supervising or providing firearms safety training courses and trapper education courses

Your Interest Codes

To identify or change your interest codes, complete the Interests Exercise in CAREERinsite.

Reading Interest Codes
A Quick Guide

The interest code helps you figure out if you’d like to work in a particular occupation. 

It’s based on the Canadian Work Preference Inventory (CWPI), which measures 5 occupational interests: Directive, Innovative, Methodical, Objective, and Social.

Each set of 3 interest codes for this NOC group is listed in order of importance.

A code in capital letters means it’s a strong fit for the occupation.

A code in all lowercase letters means the fit is weaker.

Learn About Interests

Abilities

Typical ability expectations for this NOC group
Your abilities

To fill in or change the values for your abilities, complete the Abilities Exercise in CAREERinsite.

Mental Abilities

General Learning Ability

Verbal Ability

Numerical Ability

Visual Abilities

Spatial Perception

Form Perception

Clerical Perception

Physical Abilities

Motor Coordination

Finger Dexterity

Manual Dexterity

Understanding Abilities

A Quick Guide

You are born with abilities that help you process certain types of information and turn it into action. These abilities influence which skills you can learn more easily.

The abilities or aptitudes shown for this NOC group come from the General Aptitude Test Battery (GATB). The GATB measures 9 aptitudes. It groups them into 3 categories: mental, visual, and physical.

The abilities scores range from 1 to 5, with 5 being stronger.

Learn About Abilities

Traits & Skills
Updated Mar 31, 2025

Conservation officers need:

  • Tact and diplomacy
  • The ability to deal effectively with difficult people and situations
  • The ability to remain calm in stressful situations
  • Interpersonal skills
  • Leadership skills
  • Strong oral and written communication skills
  • Problem-solving skills
  • An interest in nature
  • Genuine concern for the environment
  • An understanding of the motivation and activities surrounding hunting and fishing
  • Flexibility and willingness to learn and adapt to new best management practices

They should enjoy:

  • Working outdoors in various geographic and weather conditions
  • Conducting patrols and investigations
  • Working with wildlife

Conservation officers need to be healthy, strong, and in good physical condition.

Educational Requirements
Updated Mar 31, 2025
  • Minimum Education 4 years post-secondary

The Government of Alberta accepts different combinations of education and experience. The educational requirement is a 2-year diploma, applied degree, or bachelor’s degree. Acceptable fields include:

  • Biology
  • Enforcement of conservation and natural resource law
  • Criminal justice
  • Ecology
  • Political science
  • Other fields related to those listed above

Examples of acceptable combinations of education and experience requirements are:

  • 2-year diploma plus 48 months of work experience
  • 4-year bachelor’s degree plus 24 months of work experience

Other conditions of employment include:

  • Successful completion of the Physical Abilities Requirement Evaluation (PARE) test in 4 minutes or less
  • A valid driver’s licence - other certifications such as defensive driving or classes beyond the standard Class 5 may be required
  • Standard first aid certification
  • Level C CPR certification
  • A current and clear criminal record check
  • Successful completion of a psychological assessment
  • Successful completion of a vision and auditory assessment
  • Eligibility for firearms certification

The following are considered assets:

  • Experience in delivering training programs and public education programming
  • Experience and understanding of legal principles, practices, and court systems
  • Experience with watercraft, off-highway vehicles, and snowmobiles
  • Certification in advanced wilderness first aid
  • Experience in remote back country travel
Related Education

The following schools offer programs or courses that are related to this occupation but are not required to enter the field.

Canadian Criminal Justice Academy
Medicine Hat College
Mount Royal University
NorQuest College
Northern Alberta Institute of Technology
Red Deer Polytechnic
University of Alberta
University of Victoria

To expand or narrow your program options, visit Post-Secondary Programs and start your search with:

Completing a program does not guarantee entrance into an occupation. Before enrolling in an education program, prospective students should look into various sources for education options and employment possibilities. For example, contact associations and employers in this field.

Certification Requirements
Updated Mar 31, 2025
  • Certification Not regulated

There is currently no provincial legislation regulating this occupation in Alberta.

However, conservation officers must be eligible for a peace officer appointment after successful completion of the Conservation Officer Training Academy.

Employment & Advancement
Updated Mar 31, 2025

Conservation officers work for the Government of Alberta. They work in provincial parks and public lands.

Those with several years’ experience may advance to supervisory positions such as sergeant or inspector. This is a direct line of succession from an entry-level position up to the Chief Conservation Officer.

Industry Concentration

This section shows the industries where the majority of people in this occupation work. The data is based on the 2016 Census.

In Alberta, this occupation is part of 1 or more 2016 National Occupational Classification (NOC) groups.

Conservation and fishery officers
2016 NOC: 2224

85.3% of people in this occupational group work in:

NOC groups often include several related occupations. Although there is labour market data for the larger NOC group, this occupation makes up only a part of that group. It means data for this occupation may be different than the data shown. For examples, see Note.

3-Year Job Market Forecast

This section shows the short-term demand forecasted for this occupation in Alberta over a 3-year period. It also shows the number of people employed in the occupation.

In Alberta, this occupation is part of 1 or more 2021 National Occupational Classification (NOC) groups.

Conservation and fishery officers
2021 NOC: 22113
Balanced
Job Market
< 1500
Employed in AB

Source: 2024-2026 Alberta Short-Term Employment Forecast

NOC groups often include several related occupations. Although there is labour market data for the larger NOC group, this occupation makes up only a part of that group. It means data for this occupation may be different than the data shown. For examples, see Note.

To see data for all occupations, visit Occupations in Demand.

5-Year Job Market Forecast

This section shows the employment outlook for this occupation in Alberta over a 5-year period.

Employment outlook is influenced by a wide variety of factors including:

  • Time of year (for seasonal jobs)
  • Location in Alberta
  • Employment turnover (when people leave existing positions)
  • Occupational growth (when new positions are created)
  • Size of the occupation
  • Trends and events that affect overall employment, especially in the industry or industries from the previous list

In Alberta, this occupation is part of 1 or more 2016 National Occupational Classification (NOC) groups.

Conservation and fishery officers
2016 NOC: 2224
2.1%
Annual Growth
(Below average)
5
New Positions

Source: 2021-2025 Alberta Regional Occupational Demand Outlook

Annual growth is from 2021 to 2025. New positions created each year are in addition to job openings created by employment turnover.

NOC groups often include several related occupations. Although there is labour market data for the larger NOC group, this occupation makes up only a part of that group. It means data for this occupation may be different than the data shown. For examples, see Note.

Employment turnover is expected to increase as members of the baby boom generation retire over the next few years.

Wage & Salary
Updated Mar 31, 2025

Conservation officer salaries range from $68,049 to $87,547 (Source: Government of Alberta, 2024 estimates).

Sergeant salaries range from $75,610 to $97,656 (Source: Government of Alberta, 2024 estimates).

In Alberta, this occupation is part of 1 or more 2016 National Occupational Classification (NOC) groups. If there are multiple related NOC groups, select a NOC heading to learn about each one.

Conservation and fishery officers

2016 NOC: 2224
Average Wage
$39.56
Per Hour
Average Salary
$74,795.00
Per Year
Average Hours
36.3
Per Week
Average Months on Payroll
12
Survey Methodology Survey Analysis

Source
2021 Alberta Wage and Salary Survey

NOC 2224 Wage Profile

Unless otherwise noted, the data shown here is for all industries and all regions in Alberta.

All wage estimates are hourly except where otherwise indicated. Wages and salaries do not include overtime hours, tips, benefits, profit shares, bonuses (unrelated to production), and other forms of compensation.

To see the full survey data for this NOC group, visit the wage profile.

Other wage sources
To make an informed wage and salary decision, research other wage sources [pdf] to supplement this data.

B: Good Reliability
Data Reliability Code Definition

Good Reliability, represents a CV of between 6.01% and 15.00% and/or fewer than 30 survey observations and/or if survey observations represent less than 50% of all estimated employment for the occupation.


Hourly Wage

For full-time and part-time employees
  • Low
  • High
  • Average
  • Median
Starting
Overall
Top

Hourly Wage

For full-time and part-time employees
Wages* Low (5th percentile) High (95th percentile) Average Median
Starting $29.96 $38.34 $32.67 $29.96
Overall $33.58 $45.02 $39.56 $38.09
Top $38.09 $45.57 $41.28 $38.09

Swipe left and right to view all data. Scroll left and right to view all data.

* All wage estimates are hourly except where otherwise indicated. Wages and salaries do not include overtime hours, tips, benefits, profit shares, bonuses (unrelated to production) and other forms of compensation.

Pay brackets for hourly wages

  • Starting pay: average pay offered for entry-level positions
  • Overall pay: average pay across all employees in this occupation
  • Top pay: average pay offered to top-paid employees

Industry Information

ALL INDUSTRIES
Public Administration

Skills Shortage

Employers that Recruited in the Last 2 Years
51%
51%)
Recruiting Employers that Experienced Hiring Difficulties
N/A
Employers with Unfilled Vacancies of over 4 Months
0%
0%
Vacancy Rate
N/A
Related Post-Secondary Field of Study
  • Environment, Forestry and Related Studies
Other Sources of Information
Updated Mar 31, 2025

Government of Alberta, Conservation Officers website: www.alberta.ca/conservation-officers

Government of Alberta, jobs website: www.alberta.ca/find-a-job

Government of Alberta, Research Alberta Public Service Careers website: researchapscareers.alberta.ca

Get information and referrals about career, education, and employment options from Alberta Supports.

Updated Mar 31, 2025. The information contained in this profile is current as of the dates shown. Salary, employment outlook, and educational program information may change without notice. It is advised that you confirm this information before making any career decisions.

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