Community Forester -Rappahannock District

Community Forester
-Rappahannock District

The Virginia Department of Forestry (DOF) is seeking to hire a Community Forester for our Rappahannock District in the Central Region. This position will focus mainly on supporting urban & community forestry projects and programs in Northern Virginia. DOF community foresters provide professional assistance, direction, and outreach to private citizens, local governments, cooperating agencies, and non-government organizations regarding the DOF's urban and community forestry (U&CF) program.

The U&CF program includes but is not limited to technical assistance, education, and outreach to expand, maintain, and enhance urban and community forests. In addition to U&CF duties, the Community Forester will also support departmental rural forest operations including forest management planning, conservation, water quality protection, and wildfire protection. The Community Forester position reports to the District Forester and implements the agency's forest management program at the local level.

Duties include, but are not limited to:

• Fostering activities that promote the importance of trees and forests to an urban audience
• Providing professional forest management advice to forest landowners in both urban and rural settings through technical assistance and forest management plan development
• Developing and utilizing partnerships with local governments, nongovernmental organizations, partner agencies, and other community groups to deliver forestry education and conservation information
• Promoting and administering state and federal cost-share programs to support forest management projects
• Assessing and addressing forest health concerns
• Representing DOF at events including presentations, meetings, and media events
• Promoting green infrastructure planning, and supporting DOF Riparian Buffer work
• Preventing and suppressing wildland fires, including enforcing Virginia's fire laws
• Inspecting logging jobs for compliance with Virginia's Silvicultural Water Quality Law

Location:

This Community Forester will be focused on providing services in Prince William and Stafford County, as well as the City of Fredericksburg, Manassas, and Manassas Park. This position is part of the Rappahannock District, which includes the counties of Arlington, Culpeper, Fairfax, Fauquier, Greene, Loudoun, Madison, Orange, Prince William, Rappahannock, Spotsylvania, and Stafford, and the cities of Manassas, Manassas Park, Fredericksburg, Alexandria, Fairfax, and Falls Church.

Within 6 months of hire, the chosen candidate must reside in Prince William or Stafford County, or the City of Fredericksburg, Manassas, or Manassas Park (negotiable with approval by the Regional Forester). This position is classified as having a home-based duty location, however there are designated DOF offices located in Fairfax and Warrenton that can be used as needed. A take home state-owned vehicle, laptop, smartphone, and mobile printer will be provided.

Salary reflects the 12% cost-of-living adjustment applicable to Northern Virginia.

Minimum Qualifications:

Experience in technical and professional forestry work, arboricultural, or horticulture; demonstrated knowledge of tree identification, silviculture, forest measurements, wildfire suppression, prescribed burning, watershed protection, and forest health; experience planting trees and riparian buffers; experience or training in developing forest management plans including planting, site preparation, invasive species control; knowledge and experience developing and leading educational programs for youth and adults; ability to work independently;

excellent organizational skills; ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with personnel from various state and federal agencies, local planners, cooperators, and the public; public speaking skills and experience; demonstrated excellent written, oral, and interpersonal communication skills; valid driver's license; ability to negotiate different types of forested terrain on foot; ability to travel around the state and stay overnight on occasion;

and experience with and ability to use a PC and Microsoft Office software…