Reforestation Forester
(Forestry, Logging & Mill Operations)
Full Time
Fort Bragg, California, United States
Position Title: Reforestation Forester
Work Location: Fort Bragg, CA
SUMMARY
Direct responsibility for tree planting from inception to free-to-grow status, including all facets of vegetation management and materials sourcing.
These activities must
1.) Comply with all applicable state and federal laws;
2.) Produce the desired rate of return on investments;
3.) Be conducted safely, and
4.) Be deployed in a manner that is consistent with the Company’s core values and consistent with the requirements of its Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification. Ensuring prompt reforestation and state certification of compliance with required stocking standards is key to achieving sustained yield harvest levels and financial objectives.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES include, but are not limited to the following. Other duties may be assigned.
Promote Safety - Ensure a safe working environment, oversee safety programs, and develop Job Safety Analysis procedures to address the hazards associated with forestry activities.
Vegetation Management - Develop and implement prescriptions to control unwanted competing vegetation in young conifer stands with cost effective treatments to promote conifer growth and survival. Tasks involve ensuring employee and contractor safety, planning, budgeting, inspections/monitoring, mapping, government permitting, database updating, and experimentation.
Reforestation/Planting – Oversee planting activities and re-plant sites as necessary to achieve desired stocking levels of appropriate conifers in compliance with California’s Forest Practice Act stocking standards and those set by the Company. Tasks involve ensuring employee and contractor safety, planning, budgeting, inspections/monitoring, mapping, database updating, and experimentation.
Site preparation - Oversee and/or advise area managers and RPFs as to appropriate methods to prepare areas for planting, This may include, broadcast or prescribed burning, brush piling and soil ripping.
Monitoring - Conduct systematic surveys of various random planting projects to test whether Company goals are being met and to. confirm compliance with the stocking standards required by California’s Forest Practice Act.
Such surveys will be needed to
1.) Confirm the efficacy of treatments;
2.) Compare planting performance to expectations based on financial analyses;
3.) Assess clone performance; and
4.) Prescribe additional stand management treatments.
Pre-commercial Thinning - Releasing overstocked stands by selection thinning at the ten to fifteen year age groups promotes the continued rapid growth of the stand into the free-to-grow status. Tasks involve: employee and contractor safety, planning, budgeting, contracting and conformance inspections, database updating, and experimentation.
Tree improvement program - Carry out all necessary steps in continuing and growing the Company’s tree improvement program. This will include oversite, maintenance and expansion of Company hedge farms, supervision of clone collection and propagation, testing of clone out plants and oversight of Company contacts with outside vendors and partners participating in the Improvement Program.
Conduct Federal Worker Protection Safety Standards training for employees and contractors.
Plan and conduct tours and address various groups interested in Company programs.
Interact with Forestry department to ensure integration and cost effective execution of projects.
Assist Forestry department with preparation of Timber Harvesting Plans as time allows.
Purchase materials and equipment for projects.
May assist with return on investment analyses as directed.
EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE
This position requires a California Registered Professional Foresters license (RPF) and The California Pest Control Advisors (PCA) License or the ability to qualify for and take the RPF exam, and obtain the PCA license within two (2) years of hire date. Strong knowledge in the California Forest
Practices and Department of Pesticide Regulation rules is required. Ability to work without supervision and manage multiple projects in a timely manner. Must have good leadership and supervisory skills and the ability to maintain positive working relationships with Company groups, state agencies, and concerned citizen groups. Project experience including planting, burning, pesticide use, and pre-commercial thinning and tree improvement technology. Must have proficient skills and knowledge of Geographic Information Systems, spreadsheets, and database software.