Regional Forester (Forester 3)

The Government of Nova Scotia • Coxheath, NS

6d • CA$78,775 - CA$96,133 • Onsite

About The Position

Reporting to the Regional Resource Manager, as the Regional Forester you are part of a multi-disciplinary Integrated Resource Management (IRM) natural resource/land use planning team providing expert professional and technical advice to department Senior Management, Directors, Area Mangers, Assistant Managers, and District staff. You will develop, analyze, and interpret policy; manage budgets; approve forest management plans; manage controversial public/politically sensitive issues; allocate limited resources among competing corporate and public interests; assess and deliver training and supervise casual staff. You maintain, apply, and provide expert knowledge of regional and provincial issues and situations to provide meaningful input to provincial programs.
You are an integral part of the region’s multi-disciplinary natural resource/land use planning team which develops and applies ecosystem based IRM planning for future Crown land use. You will be required to apply resource science expertise to make complex management decisions that seek to balance the economic, environmental, and social demands on Crown lands, and you may be required to lead the team in the development of a new ecosystem-based approach to future Crown land planning.
You design forest management programs and are responsible for the implementation and supervision of provincial natural resource programs in the areas of Crown Land Administration and Crown Land Management; Private Land Stewardship and Outreach and Outdoor Recreation including multi-use trail development and management. You will liaise and provide advice to other government departments, municipal units and community groups, community forest projects and participate on community, interdepartmental and intergovernmental committees.
As the Regional Forester you develop and deliver stewardship and outreach programs and promote sustainable resource management through provision of assistance and advice to industry, public, landowners/operators, universities, youth, federal, provincial, and municipal agencies. You will deliver public presentations, lead and/or participate with various program committees and provide input to inquiries and environmental impact assessments. You may also deliver and/or assist with providing specialized training in PTA (Pretreatment Assessment), FEC (Forest Ecosystem Classification) as well as implementation of the Silviculture Guide to the Ecological Matrix and High Production Forestry to the Department’s Regional technical and Professional staff.

Requirements

• B.Sc. in Forestry plus six years related experience; or a M.Sc. in Forestry and four years related experience
• Comprehensive knowledge of resource management principles, practices, objectives, policies, and procedures
• Knowledge of Federal and Provincial regulations concerning natural resources
• Expert knowledge regarding national, provincial, and regional forestry issues and topics
• Capable of responding to diverse situations requiring a broad knowledge of forestry practices and principles as well as forestry and wildlife policies, regulations, and guidelines
• Ability to work as part of a team
• Demonstrate project leadership and project management skills
• Excellent communication (verbal and written) skills
• High degree of independent professional judgement, decision making and initiative when addressing complex and sensitive forestry issues
• Ability to undertake projects independently based on instructions given in broad outline form, with minimal direction and supervision and often under very stringent time constraints
• Training in first aid and CPR
• Safe outdoor travel and survival skills
• Good working knowledge of compass, global positioning systems, photo-interpretation and small craft operation (canoes, small boats)
• Valid driver’s license (minimum Class 5) and access to a motor vehicle
• Strong understanding of Occupational Health and Safety
• Record of working safely
• Working knowledge of ArcGIS
• Working knowledge of computer software used in land planning, data management and communications
• Strong analytical skills
• Policy formulation experience

Nice To Haves

• Experience in forest ecosystem management
• Experience in delivery of extension programs
• Experience managing budgets

Responsibilities

• Develop, analyze, and interpret policy
• Manage budgets
• Approve forest management plans
• Manage controversial public/politically sensitive issues
• Allocate limited resources among competing corporate and public interests
• Assess and deliver training
• Supervise casual staff
• Maintain, apply, and provide expert knowledge of regional and provincial issues and situations
• Develop and apply ecosystem based IRM planning for future Crown land use
• Apply resource science expertise to make complex management decisions
• Lead the team in the development of a new ecosystem-based approach to future Crown land planning
• Design forest management programs
• Implement and supervise provincial natural resource programs in Crown Land Administration and Crown Land Management
• Implement and supervise Private Land Stewardship and Outreach and Outdoor Recreation including multi-use trail development and management
• Liaise and provide advice to other government departments, municipal units and community groups, community forest projects
• Participate on community, interdepartmental and intergovernmental committees
• Develop and deliver stewardship and outreach programs
• Promote sustainable resource management through provision of assistance and advice to industry, public, landowners/operators, universities, youth, federal, provincial, and municipal agencies
• Deliver public presentations
• Lead and/or participate with various program committees
• Provide input to inquiries and environmental impact assessments
• Deliver and/or assist with providing specialized training in PTA (Pretreatment Assessment), FEC (Forest Ecosystem Classification) as well as implementation of the Silviculture Guide to the Ecological Matrix and High Production Forestry to the Department’s Regional technical and Professional staff

Benefits

• Defined Benefit Pension Plan
• Health
• Dental
• Life Insurance
• General illness
• Short and Long Term Disability
• Vacation
• Employee and Family Assistance Programs
• Career development where you have access to career guidance, tools, resources, and ongoing training for every stage of your career
• Engaging workplace: our employees feel valued, respected, connected, and tuned in, we have forward-thinking policies and strategies
• Countless career paths
• Department specific flexible working schedules

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior