Habitat Restoration Officer

Forestry England; Lyndhurst; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 37,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Pension contribution

Discounts via STaRis

Free parking

Free arboretum entry

Career development

Job summary

Forestry England invites applications for a Habitat Restoration Officer based in the New Forest, South England. You will join the Higher-Level Stewardship (HLS) project team to plan and oversee landscape-scale habitat restoration with external funding from the New Forest HLS scheme.

The Verderer’s of the New Forest HLS scheme focuses on restoring internationally-important habitats across about 20,000 hectares, with duties including project coordination, stakeholder liaison and biodiversity

Responsibilities

• Plan and oversee landscape-scale habitat restoration projects as part of the Higher-Level Stewardship (HLS) team.
• Work with external funding from the New Forest HLS scheme and coordinate with partners.

Job description

The following content displays a map of the jobs location - Kings House, Lyndhurst, New Forest

Job Reference forestryengland/TP/1914/816

Contract Type:

Fixed Term Appointment

FTA with potential for permanency

Working Hours:

37

Location:

Kings House, Lyndhurst, New Forest

Closing Date:

04/11/2026

Job Category:

Land Management

Region:

South

Business Unit:

South

Job Introduction

We are Forestry England.

We live and breathe forests.

Job title – Habitat Restoration Officer

Salary- £33,854 per annum

Contract type – Fixed Term Appointment until 1st Jan 2029 with the possibility of extension or permanency

Join us. We're foresters, professionals and experts. We are a passionate team who love to share our enthusiasm and want to make a positive difference for you and the environment.

Together, we’re using our scale and expertise to grow the nation’s forests for everyone. We’re already adapting our landscapes for tomorrow, and getting stuff done today, like creating amazing places and experiences for you to enjoy. We're providing vital homes for wildlife, making our air cleaner to breathe and producing sustainable timber.

What you’ll do…

The successful candidate will join the Higher-Level Stewardship (HLS) project team based in the New Forest. The team plans and delivers landscape-scale habitat restoration projects with external funding from the New Forest HLS scheme. The Verderer’s of the New Forest HLS scheme is focused on restoring and enhancing internationally-important habitats, renowned for their flora and fauna, and covering around 20,000 hectares. As a Habitat Restoration Officer you will play a vital role in planning and overseeing our habitat restoration projects.

Please see the job description below for more information and details about what we need from you.

Where you’ll work…

Based at The King’s House, Lyndhurst, Hampshire, SO43 7NH in the South District team.

Our South England Forest District team is made up of around 160 people, containing a diverse range of roles - from wildlife rangers and ecologists to marketing professionals, we all contribute towards the management of 46,000 hectares (ha) of public forest estate and national parks that stretch from Sussex to Dorset, and from Berkshire to the Isle of Wight.

Much of this forest is of high national importance for nature conservation and wildlife, and of international importance for biodiversity. South England Forest District is therefore responsible for land that includes Special Areas of Conservation (SACs), Special Protection Areas (SPAs), Ramsar sites, Areas of Outstanding National Beauty (AONB) and sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).

Alongside your salary, Forestry England contributes an average of 28.97% towards your pension. You will become a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension Scheme.

• 25 days holiday a year, raising by one day every year’s service, up to 30 days (pro-rated for part time employees) plus additional days off such as bank holidays.
• STaRis our employee benefits scheme offering discounts on everyday supermarket shopping, as well as other things such as hotel stays clothes, mobile phones, other electrical items, medical and car insurance, holidays, gym discounts, household bills, Headspace wellbeing app.
• free parking at Forestry England sites and free entry to our National Arboretums at Westonbirt and Bedgebury.
• a commitment to lifelong learning through career development. Forestry England will support your career development in a variety of ways, including continual professional development, support for individual learning plans and sponsored membership of professional bodies.

You may also be assessed on Experience, Strength based questions, and/or the Technical Success Profile at the interview. The technical element could include a presentation, practical or written task.

Working for the Civil Service…

Forestry England is part of the Civil Service. The Civil Service has a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS). This means candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria during the application process will be guaranteed an interview. We also offer a Redeployment Interview Scheme to current civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the role. This role is also part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans and Prison Leaver Recruitment initiative.

Within Part 7 of the Immigration Act 2016, it is essential that applicants should have the ability to provide conversation in accurate spoken English.