Presales Forester, Natural Resource Specialist 2 (NRS2)

State of Washington•Snohomish County – Other, WA

3d•$4,299 - $5,117•Hybrid

About The Position

The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has an exciting opportunity within our Northwest Region as a State Lands Presales Forester. The successful applicant will become part of a team of outstanding natural resources professionals dedicated to the sustainable management of DNR trust lands and our fiduciary responsibilities to the trust beneficiaries. This position provides forestry expertise on DNR uplands to achieve agency goals and deliverables. Sustaining long-term ecosystem protection and productivity is achieved through careful planning, diligent project management, and active coordination of input from specialists and stakeholders. The economic viability of these working forests will be maintained by robust communication and teamwork in order to maintain or enhance revenue-generating activities on trust lands. This position helps the Northwest Region achieve the mission through strong leadership, thoughtful decision-making, and excellent planning. The incumbent plans, coordinates, and manages timber sales and silvicultural activities on trust land under the guidance of a unit forester. This position works in the office and in the field, implementing DNR policies and procedures, including the Habitat Conservation Plan (1997), Policy for Sustainable Forests (2006), relevant WAC’s, including the Forest Practices Rules, and the Multiple Use Concept (RCW 79.10.120).

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in forestry, natural resources, environmental science, or a similar area of study AND one year of experience in a natural resource field; OR an equivalent combination of education and/or experience.
Experience with timber sale boundary identification and marking, critical features identification and marking, and plot data gathering.
Knowledge of forest management principles, silvicultural prescriptions, and timber harvesting operations.
Knowledge of the Washington Forest Practices Rules.
Knowledge of timber harvesting systems (including cable systems) and forest road construction principles.
Knowledge of timber sale and silvicultural contract administration.
Strong written and verbal communication skills.
Commitment to fostering and supporting an environment that honors diversity, equity, inclusion, and environmental justice practices.
Perform assigned duties in a manner consistent with applicable laws, regulations, and public records retention and requests are followed.
A current, valid driver’s license and two years of driving experience.
Additionally, DNR requires state drivers to possess a license that is not suspended, revoked, or restricted (for example, Occupational/Restricted Driver Licenses or requiring ignition interlock devices).
This position requires driving as an essential function.

Nice To Haves

Knowledge of the theory, policy, principles and practices of the forestry profession as applied to Northwestern United States (i.e., fundamentals of: silviculture of Northwest species, markets and economics, cruising methods, sales layout, logging methods, engineering, plant nutrition, propagation and weed control, reforestation and intensive forest practices, recreation, multiple use, inventory, water quality, watershed management and basic principles of fisheries management).
Experience with timber harvesting systems (including cable systems) and forest road construction principles.
Experience with timber sales and silvicultural contract administration.
Accustomed to using GIS software to create maps and manage data.
Experience and Competency in office computer applications such as Microsoft Word and Excel.
Facilitation and negotiation skills.

Responsibilities

Research and analyze the operability and feasibility of harvest units.
Develop a feasible timber harvest plan using GIS, LIDAR, logging system analysis software, aerial photos, field observations, and maps, and consult with engineers, other foresters, and the unit forester to implement good presales designs and logging road planning. Operational feasibility is critical.
Research and devise appropriate silvicultural prescriptions, review and analyze similar stand prescriptions, and utilize GIS, department planning, and database software, growth and yield models, department protocols, Forest Practice Rules, and field observations while consulting with the region silviculturist and, in some cases, the biologist to devise a plan to successfully regenerate harvested areas or plan habitat treatments that meet department policies.
Foster good working relations with community members and adjacent landowners and be transparent about our operations.
Communicate and negotiate with adjacent landowners and external stakeholders through various means, including public meetings, field site visits, and use written and oral communication strategies to resolve property line discrepancies, cost share agreements, and access for state lands projects.
Present during education and information sharing opportunities.
Implement Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) requirements and Policy for Sustainable Forest(PSF) requirements on state lands, such as legacy cohorts and sensitive area protections like potentially unstable slopes, riparian areas, old growth, and cultural resources, all while maintaining a feasible harvest operation by coordinating site visits and consulting with biologists, geologists, archeologists, and silviculturists.
Assess, review, and implement all applicable policies, rules, and regulations, and incorporate any specialist input into the pre-sales design process and timber sales contract.
Analyze and ensure all planned sale units are safe, meet economic and fiduciary requirements, complement long-term watershed and landscape objectives, and protect or mitigate environmental concerns. Harvest units will be examined and selected by analyzing ecological constraints, economic constraints, and social constraints.
Assist in the development of landscape management plans (harvest plans) to ensure harvest volume deliverables (overall volume and volume by trust) and other landscape objectives are met (hydrologic maturity in ROS, NSO habitat requirements, etc.), while following all applicable policies, rules, and regulations. Data will be collected, processed, and analyzed. This will be accomplished using GPS, GIS, aerial photos, stand age data, LiDAR, local knowledge, and field observations, as well as through formal and informal training (pre-sales, unstable slopes, road engineering classes).
Create a timber sale packet that complies with all state and federal regulations and department protocols. Using professional experience, complete all necessary permitting and paperwork(FPA, SEPA, HCP checklist, contract) while reviewing previously completed documents found on the department’s Timber Sale Document Center (TSDC).
Clearly communicate contractual requirements and sales processes to the public, purchasers, and internal stakeholders by showcasing excellent communication skills, including clearly written documents, meeting facilitation to internal and external stakeholders, and public outreach.
Reduce and mitigate the environmental impacts and unnecessary fiscal burden to the State by inspecting and recommending proposed changes in sale layout and design independently, while using professional experience and knowledge of logging systems and equipment limitations, as well as contractual constraints to achieve required results.
Ensure environmental, social, political, contractual, and fiscal objectives are met. Any disputes will be resolved to the full extent, utilizing an understanding of contractual obligations, interpretation of Forest Practices Rules, clear written documentation, and experience with prior compliance work.
Accounting for large sums of money is required, and reconciling any discrepancies is necessary for audit purposes.
Provide trust beneficiaries with required revenues by utilizing the full understanding of fiscal principles and economic analyses associated with log markets, log delivery schedules, harvest systems, and engineering road construction principles.
Ensure harvest unit viability through on-the-ground observations, GIS, preliminary cruising, growth model runs, skyline analysis, GPS, past experience, and local knowledge.
Appropriately assess, classify, delineate, and buffer all waters and wetlands within and adjacent to the harvest area. Field observations, LIDAR, biologist consultation, and informal training will be utilized to apply the appropriate buffers per the department’s HCP and PSF.
Use GPS to collect data for boundaries, streams, wetlands, leaf trees, and road locations. Delineate a timber sale boundary that allows for feasible harvest operations that comply with all policies, rules, and regulations. GPS points will be collected to create shapefiles in GIS.
The HCP, Forest Practices Rules, and all other applicable rules and regulations will be followed, and specialists will be consulted.
Flag and traverse new forest road locations that comply with all rules and regulations. Consultation with specialists, including engineers, geologists, and forest practices foresters, is required, and projects will utilize LiDAR, GIS, and specialized roads training and forestry equipment, such as the GPS, clinometer, compass, maps, string box, and laser to achieve this objective. Results will be entered into the software as directed by the unit forester or project engineer.
Create standardized final GIS maps for Forest Practices, purchasers, and other external stakeholders utilizing department mapping protocols and SUMA standards in consultation with GIS specialists and the region management forester.

Benefits

Commitment to organizational health and wellness
Work/life balance
DNR Employee Resource Groups (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Council, Women’s Employee Resource Group, Veterans Employee Resource Group, etc.)
Statewide Employee Business Resource Groups
Leadership that empowers and supports employees
Professional development opportunities
Educational and career development aid
Public Service Loan Forgiveness Eligibility
Opportunities to participate in wildland fire suppression assignments
A comprehensive benefits package includes employer contributions toward health insurance, paid holidays, retirement plans, sick leave, and vacation days.