The Maine Chapter of The Nature Conservancy seeks a knowledgeable, energetic Conservation Forester to manage 160,000 acres of Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) Certified timberland and ecological reserves at the Upper St. John River Forest. Secondary responsibilities include assisting our Stewardship team in management of the 45,000-acre Debsconeag Lakes Wilderness Area and other sites in Northern Maine. The Conservation Forester will have a unique opportunity to manage one of the most dynamic and impactful forest conservation projects in the United States. Communicating and sharing forest management and conservation outcomes and lessons learned with Conservancy staff, partners, and contractors are important parts of the work. The position is a hands-on field-oriented job with an expected 50% or more time spent in the woods. This position will require regular overnight travel and may be based near Millinocket, Maine or another community with good access to the forest of northern Maine.
The Conservation Forester Responsibilities include working with a Conservancy team and our contract foresters to plan, implement, monitor and report on timber harvests, ensure compliance on a maple sugarbush lease, maintain ecological reserve areas, manage forest roads and maintenance contracts, and oversee a project budget.
RESPONSIBILITIES AND SCOPE
- Manage multi-disciplinary administrative and professional staff, with responsibility for performance management, training and career development.
- Manage all aspects of forest stewardship to meet Conservancy goals for the Upper St. John River Forest and to meet FSC certification standards, carbon project standards, and other legal commitments;
- Implement ecologically sound forest harvest and other projects to advance our habitat management goals;
- Collect and analyze various types of data including GPS data and produce maps using GIS software;
- Maintain preserve areas frequented by the public, property boundaries and signage, tools and equipment, and data for monitoring and project management;
- Monitor conservation easements on private lands and adhere to conservation requirements on Conservancy land;
- Manage project teams and supervise staff, contractors, interns, or volunteers, in the field or office; and participate in collaborative planning efforts with the TNC Maine stewardship and forest teams;
- Ensure program compliance with internal policies and external requirements, including annual legal compliance monitoring;
- Perform tasks with minimal supervision and make independent decisions based on analysis, experience, and judgment;
- Gain cooperation from outside parties to accomplish program goals;
- May work in variable weather conditions, at remote locations, on difficult and hazardous terrain and under physically demanding circumstances; and
- Financial responsibility may include working within/managing a budget to complete projects, negotiating and contracting with vendors, and assisting with budget development and grant management.
- 5 years related work experience or equivalent combination of education and experience;
- Maine licensed professional forester or willingness to obtain a license required. Certified forester preferred;
- Experience with logging operations, forest management planning and forest certification programs;
- Experience completing tasks independently with respect to timeline(s);
- Experience using Microsoft Office; Outlook, Word, Excel;
- Experience with GPS and ArcGIS and/or similar applications;
- Experience performing physical work outdoors;
- Experience communicating with the public both in writing and verbally;
- Must have valid driver's license; and
- Supervisory experience with staff and volunteers.
DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Multi-lingual skills and multi-cultural or cross cultural experience appreciated
- Experience with invasive species control, wildfire training, and recreational management;
- Experience with ecosystem service markets, specifically forest carbon credit markets;
- Knowledge of the natural history and ecosystems of Maine and/or the Northern Appalachian forest;
- Knowledge of current trends and practices in conservation, land management, and climate change adaptation;
- Ability to explain conservation practices to technical and non-technical audiences; and
- Excellent communication skills via written, spoken and graphical means in English, basic French ability preferred
The Nature Conservancy offers competitive compensation, 401k or savings-plan matching for eligible employees, excellent benefits, flexible work policies and a collaborative work environment. We also provide professional development opportunities and promote from within. As a result, you will find a culture that supports and inspires conservation achievement and personal development, both within the workplace and beyond.