Forestry Program Specialist

Kentucky Personnel Cabinet•Frankfort, KY

6d•$4,298 - $4,513•Hybrid

About The Position

The mission of the Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet (EEC) is to improve the quality of life for all Kentuckians by protecting our land, air, and water resources by utilizing our natural resources in an environmentally conscientious manner. We do this by helping families connect with nature and preserving the Commonwealth’s natural heritage; and by supporting innovative, resilient, and sustainable energy solutions that together bring economic benefit to the commonwealth. By joining the Division of Forestry, Forest Management Branch, Stewardship, FIA, and Urban Section as a Forest Stewardship Forestry Program Specialist in Franklin county, you will have the opportunity to significantly contribute to ensuring the programmatic integrity of numerous forestry-related programs, and the consistent delivery of services to the public. During the performance of your assigned duties, you will interact on a daily/weekly basis with local, state, regional, and national partners with emphasis on coordinating the forest stewardship program statewide, sustainable forest management and the public, especially with branch personnel, the forest management branch, and the division's program staff.

Requirements

Graduate of a college or university with a bachelor's degree in forestry, natural or physical science.
Must have four years of professional experience in forest products utilization, forest health, tree nursery and tree improvement, urban and community forestry, wildfire prevention and control, forest management stewardship assistance, natural resource management, conservation or four years of professional experience as a forester.
Graduate study in forestry or related field will substitute for the required experience on a year-for-year basis.
Experience in forest products utilization, forest health, nursery and tree improvement, urban and community forestry, wildfire prevention and control, forest management and stewardship assistance or related will substitute for the required education on a year for year basis.
Must possess a valid driver's license prior to appointment in this job classification.
Must be at least 21 years of age.
Must maintain any required licensure(s), certification(s), or other credentials for the length of employment in this job classification.
Ability to work independently.
Effective communication, organization, and documentation skills.
Proficient knowledge and use of information technology and federal accomplishment reporting.

Responsibilities

Implementing, coordinating, and monitoring all of the federal program requirements.
Coordinate with NRCS on Farm Bill delivery including working closely with NRCS state-level personnel on forestry cost-share specifications that meet NRCS practice standards.
Developing educational forestry materials, and assisting with professional forester training series, silvicultural training and sustainable forestry management initiatives.
Seeking federal funding opportunities for specialized forest stewardship forestry projects.
Preparing grant narratives, contractual agreements, accomplishment reports, SMART reporting, GIS-Survey 123 forest stewardship monitoring reports and annual GIS uploads into the national US Forest Service database.
Provide sustainable management goals and strategies for the forest stewardship program.
Continue outreach efforts with the University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service to continue to produce topic-specific short courses, webinars, marketing workshops, publications, etc.
Recognize one overall state winner for the Kentucky Outstanding Forest Steward of the Year contest and present the awards.
Continue to inspect forests that are certified by the American Tree Farm System.
Provide technical assistance to private forest landowners seeking cost share assistance through other USDA programs especially the NRCS funds that have been dedicated to Environmental Quality Incentive Program (EQIP) and Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) cost-share practices in Kentucky. Those practices will include afforestation, riparian buffers, timber stand improvement, and improvement on existing access trails and roads
Continue to operate two seedling nurseries to provide a low cost source of native hardwood species for afforestation and reforestation efforts across the Commonwealth.
Prepare forest stewardship plans and practice plans for landowners who sign up to receive cost-share assistance in the EQIP program. A forest stewardship plan is required as part of the conservation planning process.
Continue to provide technical assistance that includes selectively marking and estimating volume of timber or harvest; timber marketing assistance; assistance in tree planting and/or natural forest regeneration; timber stand improvement recommendations and marking; and other forest-related resource management assistance as appropriate.