Area Ecologist

Job summary

The Forestry Commission are the government’s forestry experts and we work to protect, improve and expand England’s woods and forests. This is done by providing policy advice to government and leading delivery through providing information and advice, regulation, incentives and protecting tree health.

The Area Ecologist role will provide ecological advice on forestry schemes and proposals to Area colleagues and support the work of the national Natural Environment Advisors. This local, expert specialist advice will enable well informed and timely decision making that fully accounts for the existing ecological interests of both woodland and nonwoodland (open) priority habitats and species and their potential for enhancement.

Never has there been a more important time for trees and forests to help tackle the climate emergency and provide a much-needed sanctuary for people and wildlife. The Government has ambitious tree planting and woodland management targets, the Forestry Commission is here to support the forestry sector, landowners and communities in the delivery of these ambitions. Support is delivered in the form of grant funding and technical expertise; the role of Area Ecologist is key to both these pillars.

If you are passionate about the role of forestry in creating a better future for England and want to play a key part in realising that, we want to hear from you.

This role will support the Area team and national Natural Environment team to enable the forestry sector to protect, improve, and expand England's woodland resource, through:

1. Providing technical expertise on ecological issues relating to forestry and woodland protection, management and creation across the Area.
2. To support the Area team in promoting and delivering sustainable forestry and woodland management to ensure the Government’s woodland and tree establishment targets enhance biodiversity for woodland and non-woodland priority habitats and species.
3. To build and maintain a network of contacts across the statutory and NGO ecology and conservation sector to promote the work of the Forestry Commission and foster collaborative working.

The successful applicant will have a passion for woodlands and forests and for the benefits to society, the environment and the economy that they provide. They will advocate with knowledge and enthusiasm the environmental and other benefits that woodland creation provides and will be a trusted and reliable source of sound ecological advice related to woodland creation and management.

Job description

Woodlands are a precious resource. Each year they produce over 11 million tonnes of timber across the UK, remove 18 million tonnes of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, and attract 475 million visits from the public. They provide a range of ecosystem services including enhancing biodiversity, removing natural pollutants, natural flood mitigation and recreation, alongside supporting the rural economy. We are at an important time where woodlands are needed more than ever to help tackle the climate emergency and provide a much-needed sanctuary for people and wildlife. This The Governments ambitious woodland creation aspirations will contribute to meeting the net-zero by 2050 target, and to government’s wider environmental targets.

The main focus of this role is woodland creation schemes but advice provision related to woodland management is also included. A secondary aspect of the role is to provide ecological input to relevant partnership work, including advising and influencing Defra group and other organisations on opportunities and common goals involving trees, woodlands and the enhancement and protection of nature conservation interest.

The Role will be managed by a Partnership and Expertise Manager in the Area team

Key Work Areas

Provision of ecological advice

• Work closely with area and national team colleagues to provide casework support as needed, most notably concerning woodland creation and management proposals.
• Work with Area team colleagues to provide technical input to woodland creation schemes and woodland management plan development, benefiting both woodland and open priority habitats and species, in line with the requirements of the UK Forestry Standard
• Working with Nature Recovery Advisors and other Area colleagues, provide ecological input to support the delivery of strategic environmental projects such as Local Nature Recovery Strategies, Protected Site Strategies and Landscape Recovery Projects
• Provide ecological advice on major infrastructure projects in the Area that the Forestry Commission is consulted on e.g. road, rail, airport, energy and reservoir projects.
• Provide technical advice on ecology across the Area, ensure European Protected Species (EPS) guidance is embedded in practice, raise awareness of EPS , supporting national team colleagues as appropriate.
• Working with Nature Recovery Advisors, provide representation on/contribute ecological expertise to species recovery projects in the area where forestry and woodland is a key issue/habitat e.g. woodland birds, threatened lepidoptera, red squirrels, beaver and pine marten etc.
• Keep up to date with the latest developments in conservation, ecology and biodiversity in the region and communicate these to Area colleagues.
• Provide support with special projects as required and the development and delivery of specialist training to the Area team as required.

Work with others

• Develop effective working relationship with all other subject specialists in the Area team, such as Woodland Resilience Advisors, Planning Advisors, and Historic Environment Advisors and with Woodland Officers, Woodland Creation Officers and Field Team Managers, to enable effective team working within and across the Area team as a whole.
• Build and maintain good working relationships with Defra group colleagues including Natural England and the Environment Agency (EA) and the non-governmental conservation sector, contributing to partnership projects and facilitate knowledge exchange and sharing of best practice.
• Develop and maintain a close working relationship with the relevant Forestry England District ecology teams, in particular support collaborative working where the nation’s forests provides an important contribution to existing local ecological restoration zones/Local Nature Recovery Strategies.
• Provide Forestry Commission representation at County and Unitary level Biodiversity Steering/Working Group meetings and any specialist forums concerned with woodland and its component priority habitats.

Person specification

Essential:

• Degree or equivalent in Ecology, Environmental Management or closely related discipline.
• In depth understanding of woodland and forestry’s role in providing biodiversity benefits (habitats and species, and ecosystem services), and how to build the resilience of the woodland resource.
• Working knowledge of Environmental Impact Assessment, Habitats Regulations Assessment, and other relevant environmental regulations, standards and good practice of relevance to forestry and nature conservation.
• Capability to undertake habitat and species surveys relevant to woodland creation and management. .
• Experience of advising on conservation land management including, ideally, on non-woodland Priority Habitat restoration/creation.
• An understanding of the key Section 41 habitats present across the Area, both wooded and open habitat types such as species rich grassland and lowland heathland.
• Competent IT user with experience of MS Office applications.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.

Please clearly demonstrate how the abov