Regional Forester; Forester

Competition # : 48983

Department: Natural Resources

Location: COXHEATH

Type of Employment: Permanent

Union Status: NSGEU - NSPG

Closing Date: ​25-Jun-26 ​ (Applications are accepted until 11:59 PM Atlantic Time)

About Us

Nova Scotia is rich in natural resources – including biodiversity, forests, geological resources, provincial parks and the land we manage. The Department of Natural Resources (Lands and Forestry) is responsible for the development, management, conservation and protection of forest, mineral, parks and wildlife resources and the administration of the province's Crown land. Together we are working with Nova Scotians to build a better future through sustainable natural resource management as we all benefit from the natural health and wealth of the province.

About Our Opportunity

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.

Qualifications and Experience

B.Sc. in Forestry plus six years related experience; or a M.Sc. in Forestry and four years related experience.

As the Regional Forester you are required to have a comprehensive knowledge of resource management principles, practices, objectives, policies, and procedures as well as Federal and Provincial regulations concerning natural resources. You must have expert knowledge regarding national, provincial, and regional forestry issues and topics and must be 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.

You must have the ability to work as part of a team and be able to demonstrate project leadership and project management skills. You must have excellent…