Forester

Beltrami County; Bemidji (MN); On-site; USD 48,000 - 61,000; Full time

Job summary

Beltrami County is creating an eligibility list for a full-time, benefited Forester in the Natural Resource Management Department in Bemidji, MN. Responsibilities include timber sale design, timber sale preparation, contract administration, and directing forest development projects.

Preferred hiring salary range is $34.90 to $38.13 per hour, with a full range of $34.90 to $44.21 per hour. Placement depends on qualifications, equity, market conditions, and policy guidelines.

Qualifications

• Minimum requirements: Bachelor's degree in Forestry Management, Natural Resources, or related Natural Resource field.
• Three years or more related work experience in Forestry.
• Valid Minnesota Driver's License.

Responsibilities

• Develops plans for harvest, reforestation, chemical use, roads, and trails; provides technical support and training to contractors; administers contracts to ensure compliance.
• Designs timber sale areas to incorporate sustainable forestry and stand-level management; develops sale contract specifications.
• Develops resource management plans aligned with sustainable forestry standards; prescribes forest treatments to regenerate forests and protect wildlife habitat.
• Communicates with landowners, citizens, and interest groups related to forest management activities.
• Maintains inventory and mapping programs; updates GIS and access designations for county lands.
• Compiles wildlife census data and submits to state agencies; recommends wildlife projects on county land.
• Assists in development of departmental budget and operations plans; supports forest development areas and road maintenance.

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Forestry Management / Natural Resources

Three years or more of progressively related work experience in Forestry

Job description

OPEN UNTIL FILLED; APPLICATIONS WILL BE REVIEWED EVERY TWO WEEKS

Beltrami County is creating an eligibility list for a full-time, benefited Forester to work in our Natural Resource Management Department. Responsibilities include timber sale design, timber sale preparation, and contract administration; directing forest development projects including but not limited to site preparation and reforestation; forest inventory; multiple use resource management projects that may include forest recreation, aesthetics, wildlife habitat, and water quality.

Performs difficult skilled technical work managing the natural resources of tax-forfeited lands, sustainable harvests of forests, long-term forest health, and related work as apparent or assigned. Work is performed under the limited supervision of the Natural Resources Management Director.

Preferred hiring salary range is $34.90 to $38.13 per hour with a full range of $34.90 to $44.21 per hour. Placement depends on factors such as qualifications, internal equity, market conditions, and applicable policy guidelines.

Education and Experience

Minimum requirements are:

• Bachelor’s degree in Forestry Management, Natural Resources, or a related Natural Resource field.
• A substitution of education and work experience may qualify: Eight years of related work experience may be substituted for a Bachelor’s degree; Four years of related work experience and an Associate’s degree in a related field may be substituted for a Bachelor's degree.
• Three years or more of progressively related work experience in Forestry.
• Valid MN Driver's License.

Qualification Requirements

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential function satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Essential Functions

• Develops plans for harvest, reforestation, chemical use, roads, and trails; provides technical support, training, and education of silvicultural practices to contractors of forest harvesting and forest development projects; administers contracts to ensure compliance; recommends penalties for non-compliance with contracts.
• Designs timber sale areas to incorporate principles of sustainable forestry and stand level management; establishes sale locations and boundaries; develops sale contract specifications.
• Develops resource management plans consistent with sustainable forestry standards; prescribes and implements forest treatments needed to regenerate forests, improves wildlife habitat, preserves and protects cultural resources, and protects the forest from natural concerns.
• Communicates with landowners, citizens, and special interest groups related to forest management activities.
• Maintains inventory and mapping programs for county-managed lands; completes inventory and GIS alterations to forest stands review access trails and off-road use designations.
• Compiles wildlife census data for study projects; submit to state agencies; recommends wildlife projects to state on county-managed land.
• Assists in the development of departmental budget and operations plans; provides budget needs related to forest development areas, trail construction, and road system maintenance.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

Thorough knowledge of the principles and practices of forest land management and administration; thorough knowledge of state and federal laws and regulations related to forest stewardship; thorough knowledge of tree and plant identification, and tree insect and disease identification; general knowledge of the use of standard forestry and GPS equipment; general knowledge of standard office software and mapping programs; ability to express ideas effectively both orally and in writing; ability to analyze facts and prepare detailed recommendations and reports; ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with associates, contractors, and the general public.

Physical Requirements

This work requires the regular exertion of up to 10 pounds of force and occasional exertion of up to 100 pounds of force; work regularly requires walking, speaking or hearing, using hands and fingers, climbing or balancing, frequently requires stooping, kneeling, crouching or crawling and reaching with hands and arms and occasionally requires standing, sitting, pushing or pulling, lifting and repetitive motions; work requires close vision, distance vision, ability to adjust focus, depth perception, color perception and peripheral vision; vocal communication is required for expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken word; hearing is required to perceive information at normal spoken word levels; work requires preparing and analyzing written or computer data, visual inspection involving small defects and/or small parts, using of measuring devices, operating machines, operating motor vehicles or equipment and observing general surroundings and activities; work regularly requires exposure to outdoor weather conditions, frequently requires working near moving mechanical parts, exposure to fumes or airborne particles and insects and occasionally requires exposure to toxic or caustic chemicals, exposure to vibration and wearing a self contained breathing apparatus; work is generally in a loud noise location (e.g. grounds maintenance, heavy traffic).

Special Requirements

• Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) drone license, Certified Forester, Pesticide Applicator, chainsaw certification, and First Aid/CPR may be required within two years of hire.
• Employment offer contingent upon successfully passing drug screening, background check, and physical.