Trees & Woodland Adviser

Join us now to be part of the vital force in protecting and enhancing our National Park. We as a National Park Authority play a crucial role in tackling the twin challenges of the Global Climate Emergency and Nature Crisis.

Job Title: Trees & Woodland Adviser

Location: Balloch, with hybrid working model in place

Salary: £33,622 - £40,473 (Band D) per annum

Hours: 35 hours per week, we are happy to talk part time and flexible working

Status: Permanent

Do you have experience in providing tree and woodland advice and a passion for nature restoration and tackling climate change? Then we want to hear from you!

Our Nature and Land Use Team lead the delivery of our biodiversity and landscape work with the aim of helping tackle the Climate Emergency and Nature Crisis. A large part of our role is providing expert advice on development management and project delivery to our colleagues and partners, so this is an exciting time to join the team and help make a difference for the future.

The Role:

You will provide forest and woodland advice and project development and delivery, particularly in relation to our statutory planning role and our new Future Nature programme. Working closely with other specialist colleagues you will provide woodland management advice and the development and delivery of projects that contribute to our work on nature restoration, and wider natural heritage improvement outcomes. You will also work on the development of planning guidance and casework systems and will contribute to wider projects requiring trees and woodland input.

The post holder will provide formal and informal advice to both the Park Authority, other agencies and land managers on forest and woodland policy and strategy, woodland management, creation, harvesting and restructuring schemes, trees and woodlands in relation to development and Tree Preservation Orders. The post holder will also work on the development and delivery of projects related to woodland management and creation.

The post holder will be expected to work closely with other members of the Nature and Land Use Team, colleagues in other teams and external partners to advise on all aspects of woodland management that help to protect, enhance and expand the natural capital of the National Park.

Responsibilities:

· Support, operate and enforce systems and procedures governing woodlands and trees subject to development proposals and statutory protection.

· Develop and contribute to the preparation and application of policies and strategies which support the delivery of outcomes defined in the National Park Partnership Plan, Local Development Plan and corporate plans, including contributing to reporting and the production of new plans and responding to national consultations relating to the forestry sector and land use as required.

· Provide expert advice and information as necessary on matters relating to woodland management and arboricultural issues, and support monitoring systems and research which provide intelligence on the National Park’s woodland and forest.

· Work with external partners including private sector land managers and agents, NGOs, Forestry and Land Scotland, Scottish Forestry and Nature Scot, to develop partnerships and engagement that promote and enable development and delivery of woodland management and creation schemes to ensure new management plans and schemes contribute to and integrate with wider nature restoration and land management objectives in the National Park.

· Develop and deliver or support specific projects and initiatives relevant to trees and woodlands in the National Park including project specification, securing funding sources, monitoring project delivery and measuring outcomes.

· Identify improvement opportunities and deliver innovative solutions to capitalise on these.

Who we are looking for:

Your skills, abilities and experience should include:

· Relevant degree or equivalent qualifications, including, but not limited to, Arboriculture, Forestry, Landscape Architecture, Planning or related environmental discipline.

· A qualification in arboriculture or forestry

· Practical knowledge of statutory and policy frameworks governing forest management and tree protection including the statutory requirements pertaining to Tree Preservation Orders, trees in Conservation Areas and the planning system.

· Experience of either producing or assessing woodland creation plans, management plans and restructuring & felling plans.

· Current UK driving Licence or access to a driver if disability prevents driving.

· Ability to work effectively as part of a multi-disciplinary team.

· Ability to process complex information and produce succinct written reports in a timely fashion.

· Excellent written and oral communication skills.

· Good ICT skills.

· An outcome and customer focused approach.

Ideally, but not essential, you’ll also have:

· Experience in interrogating land use information associated with GIS and other information systems.

· Detailed knowledge of UKFS

· An understanding of land use, the rural economy and biodiversity.

· Understanding of landscape and ecological assessment, and access legislation and the impacts of woodland creation/restructuring on these.

· Understanding of designated sites and species legislation and landscape designations and their importance in relation to trees and woodlands.

· Corporate Membership of a relevant professional body (e.g. Arboricultural Association, ICF, MLI).

How to apply:

If you are interested in this role, complete your application by 5^th April 2023.

· Access our application form on our website

· Interviews will be virtual

· Interview dates are set for: 17^th April 2023

Who we are and our values:

We offer flexible and remote working, with a generous pension scheme and annual leave allowance. Staff have access to wellbeing services and there is a strong focus on wellbeing throughout the organisation.

Being part of Loch Lomond & the Trossachs National Park Authority means being passionate about what you do, working hard to inspire and lead the way for others. We care about each other and are accessible and friendly treating each other with respect and understanding, we think about our planet with each decision we make. Together, we are the difference.

Loch Lomond & the Trossachs National Park Authority are proud to celebrate difference. Diversity of experience is vital in our success we want our business to be representative to the communities we work alongside. As an equal opportunity employer, we actively encourage applicants from a wide range of individuals, irrespective of age, disability, gender reassignment, gender identity and expression, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, and sexual orientation.