The article examines the professional requirements for the future forestry specialist. It is established that the requirements for specialists in the forest sector need to improve the system of their professional training. It is revealed that in the first place in solving this problem is the professional orientation of future forestry professionals, which is an incentive for the development of other professionally significant personality traits of the future specialist, there is a focus on productivity in self-development and self-realization in professional activities. The invariant components of the content of professional training of forestry specialists, aimed at the formation of their professional competencies, are revealed. The classification of invariant requirements which are correlated with stages of preparation of the future expert of forestry is offered: I stage - "entry", II stage - "awareness", III stage - "implementation". The experience of German scientists in the modernization of forestry education on a competency basis, which means - mastering universal, common to all areas of training, competencies, including general cultural and professional. It is established that the universal requirements for a forestry specialist include: his ability and readiness to carry out production and management, research, technological, etc. tasks, as well as - to social and intercultural interaction. It is revealed that the forestry specialist belongs to a group that combines three types, selected on the basis of the specifics of the subject of labor: "man-technique", "man-living nature" and "man-man", which significantly affects the composition his basic competencies. It is proved that the main result of the requirements for the training of future forestry specialists is their ability and readiness to solve environmental and social problems on a scientific basis, including environmental pollution, global warming, water crisis and others.