Ceded Territory Forest Coordinator-Tribal Forestry

Ceded Territory Forest Coordinator

Hourly wage: $36.11–$40.64 (Regular/Full-Time).

Position functions under the Yakama Nation Division of Natural Resources Tribal Forestry Forest Operations Program. Work includes coordinating and collaborating with Tribal Forestry and other Yakama Nation natural resource programs, contractors, outside public and government agencies, academia, and others on a wide variety of projects associated with forest management, forest policy, and land management. Responsible to be familiar with applicable federal laws including NEPA, NIFRMA, Farm Bill, Good Neighbor Authority, TFPA, NHPA, ESA, and forest specific policies and procedures.

Familiar with tribal policy, laws, and plans related to land management issues within the Yakama Reservation.

Serves as a point of contact between either the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest (OWNF) or Gifford Pinchot National Forest (GPNF) and oversees the Ceded Territory branch of the program. Responsible for monitoring current and proposed policies and projects to determine potential impacts on YN management goals and objectives, staying abreast of national and state policies to determine impacts to the YN.

Coordinates and supports a wide range of forest management and policy-related activities within and beyond the Yakama Reservation boundary, including promoting working forest lands, forest infrastructure, and Yakama Forest Products. Provides oversight to the Ceded Territory branch during the development and implementation of workplans, coordinates grants and agreements, ensuring compliance with applicable policies, and providing technical oversight for forest management, fuels treatments, and restoration activities.

• Provides oversight and direction to the Central Washington Initiative Forester, Stewardship Foresters, and Forest Resource Specialists on forest and natural resource management.
• Participates and represents Yakama Nation in collaborative forest management efforts, including interagency and tribal partnerships, to support project planning and analysis that advance forest health, wildfire risk reduction, and restoration objectives within the Ceded Territory.
• Plans, coordinates, and facilitates meetings related to forestry and natural resource management, including leadership committee meetings, interagency coordination, and stakeholder engagement to support project development and decision-making processes to keep Tribal Forestry leadership informed.
• Attends planning meetings and coordinates projects related to management plans. Actively participates in forestry and other Natural resource staff meetings as well as public meetings related to resource issues and may assist with preparing Environmental Assessment documents.
• As assigned, represents Yakama Nation in the Tapash Sustainable Forestry Collaborative, Central Washington Initiative, South Gifford Pinchot Collaborative, North Central Wahington Forest Health Collaboration, and other collaborative processes in a leadership role to support active management that will result in additional timber supply for protection and enhancement of forested lands within ceded area.
• Primary contributor and reviews Environmental Assessments, Biological Assessments, and other NEPA-related documentation, including development of purpose and need, proposed actions, alternatives, design criteria, and effects analysis in coordination with interdisciplinary teams.
• Coordinates and advances projects under Good Neighbor Authority, and other cooperative agreements through pre-decisional planning, environmental compliance, and documentation development.
• Participate in forestry and natural resource staff meetings and contribute to program planning, prioritization, and reporting efforts associated with project development and NEPA processes.
• Identifies and evaluates funding opportunities, including grants and other funding mechanisms, and supports proposal development to advance forest management planning and environmental review activities.
• Oversees project development across both reservation and off-reservation lands, ensuring alignment with regulatory requirements, tribal…