Jobs at Larimer Conservation District

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Job Announcement: Conservation Forester

Fort Collins, CO

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Overview

The Larimer Conservation District (LCD) is a locally led special district of Colorado, supervised by a volunteer board of directors. LCD’s focus is to use the best-available science to guide management decisions on the ground to protect, enhance, and restore upper-watershed private lands within the district boundaries. Currently, LCD has three primary program areas: Forest Restoration, Riparian Restoration, and Conservation Education.

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LCD’s Forest Restoration program was founded in 2016 and has since become a primary implementer of private-lands forest management in Larimer County, completing over 4,000 acres of restoration on 60+ properties. Forests within the District cover a wide variety of natural environments and human communities. Conservation District staff work with landowners and federal, state, and local partners to manage, protect, and restore forest resources.

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The Forest Restoration team seeks a highly motivated, independent, organized, and outgoing natural resource professional to join the team. This position will work closely with LCD’s current forestry staff to complete all aspects of the program’s responsibilities. The focus for this position will be to act as the team’s lead for project monitoring (pre- and post-project inventory & analysis) as well as ensuring that proper planning documents are in place. This role is primarily field-focused, though there are times of year where more office work is required. We expect this role to work collaboratively and cooperatively with all District staff and will directly report to LCD’s Forest Program Director.

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Position Requirements

  • Team mentality: positive attitude, cooperative, kind-hearted, solution-oriented, and enthusiastic to pitch in extra work to assist teammates.

  • Skilled communicator: this position has a high degree of social interaction, and the employee is expected to maintain frequent and effective lines of communication between staff, partners, contractors, and landowners. Candidate must enjoy working with people and have a natural respect for differing viewpoints.

  • Ability to convey ideas and scientific concepts related to natural resources to those who may or may not be familiar with such topics (politicians, public, land managers, journalists, etc.)

  • Organizational/administrative skills: Ability to independently track and manage complex projects involving multiple partners, contracts, budgets, field operations, and record keeping

  • Ability to work outdoors (est. 75% field work), often alone, during all seasons to complete required field work; ability to hike over steep, uneven terrain to perform strenuous outdoor work in a variety of weather conditions

  • Ability to operate motor vehicles including 4x4 trucks and ATVs/UTVs on and off road

  • Must have a valid Colorado driver's license or the ability to acquire one upon employment

  • Technical writing skills – write effectively and efficiently on topics involving forestry and natural resources (contribution to Forest Management Plans, grant applications, reports, educational/promotional documents, press releases, etc.). Experience with grant writing and/or project proposal development is desired.

  • Highly organized and efficient in managing tasks, projects, computer files, supplies, and time

  • Self-motivated and self-directed; take initiative to identify what needs to be done, solve problems, and anticipate team/partner needs

  • Flexibility to consistently perform a variety of duties and deal with unforeseen events

  • Committed to safety, quality, discretion, and professionalism

  • Able and willing to work up to 12 weekend days per year (at 1.5 time with compensatory leave)

  • Ability to identify local trees, understory plants, and noxious weeds

  • A bachelor's degree in forestry or a related natural resources degree

  • Candidates with 2+ years’ experience in professional applied forestry preferred

  • Familiarity with common forestry terminology, inventory equipment, mapping & navigational software, data loggers

  • General computing: proficient in Microsoft Office Suite, ArcGIS, and able to learn other software programs as necessary. Candidates with Forest Vegetation Simulator (FVS) experience preferred.

  • Experience and comfort with public speaking, professional presentations, and adult education/training

 

Primary Duties

  • Monitoring

    • Pre- and post-implementation stand condition surveys using common forest inventory techniques and equipment

    • Innovate and enact new ways to improve quality and efficiency of inventory methods/techniques

    • Before and After photos: obtain quality and well-aligned photos that illustrate the treatment for use in grants, landowner communications, marketing materials, etc.

    • Noxious weed mapping pre- and post-treatment

    • Erosion and other resource concern monitoring in completed treatment units

  • FVS Input & Analysis

    • Input inventory data into databases for use in FVS

    • Run necessary FVS analyses

    • Participate in continuing education opportunities to learn additional FVS functions and provide training to the Forestry team

    • Create tables, graphs, figures, images with FVS outputs for use of team in FMPs and RFPs

  • Planning

    • Forest Management Plans

      • Ensure FMPs are created by NRCS deadlines

      • Create corresponding NRCS Implementation Requirements forms and Job Sheets

    • Act as LCD lead on NRCS planning requirements including Conservation Desktop, CART, CPA-52 (NEPA), Implementation Requirements, Wildlife Habitat Evaluation Guides, Job Sheets, etc.

    • Cultural Resources (CR)

      • Complete NRCS NEPA required CR surveys and/or coordinate surveys with NRCS Archaeologist

      • Complete NRCS CR documentation and submit to NRCS Archaeologist(s)

  • Tree marking

    • Work with LCD staff to complete boundary and leave tree marking on project sites.

  • Other Conservation Forester duties as required to manage team’s workload, including but not limited to:

    • Logging site checks

    • Landowner communications

    • Technical writing

    • Social media posts

    • Newsletter contributions

    • etc.

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Salary, Benefits, and Employment Status

Salary: Commensurate with experience, starting salary will range from $50,000 to $56,000. Future salary adjustments are made on an annual basis and based on performance reviews. Position is full time. Employment agreement is renewable annually, dependent on performance and funding.

 

Benefits:

  • Employer-paid health, vision, & dental insurance plan available

  • 3% Simple IRA retirement match after 6-months

  • Generous paid vacation and sick leave

  • 11 paid Federal Holidays

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Application Process and Contact Information

We invite all interested persons to learn more about LCD’s Forest Restoration Program on our website, www.larimercd.org. No phone calls please.

To apply, please compile the following application materials into one (1) PDF document, with the file name “LastName_FirstInitial_Forester2022” and submit by email to gretchen@larimercd.org. Any questions can also be directed to this email address.

  • Cover letter

  • Current resumé

  • List of three (3) employment references

A federal background check will be utilized as a contingency for employment. Interviews will be conducted to select the employee.

For consideration, all application materials must be submitted by 5pm MST on 8/22/2022.

 

 

Larimer Conservation District is an equal opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran, or disability status.

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