Planning Forester

In this role you will join six other colleagues in North District's planning and environment team. To help you settle in quickly you'll be provided with training and mentoring and will be working closely with experienced team members to help you settle quickly into the role. The planning and environment team is involved in all aspects of the districts work - woodland management, timber production, road construction, open land and habitat conservation management, peatland restoration and the management of tree pests and diseases. The team maintain 57 forest plans, and associated SSSI and scheduled ancient monument management plans. Working closely with others the team designs the forests of the future, protecting and restoring natural habitats, whilst seeking to maximize productivity and enable programmes that meet a wide range of multiple objectives. This is a diverse and dynamic role that involves balancing financial, social and environmental delivery benefits from each plan area.,

• Prepare Land Management Plans (LMPs) based on a thorough understanding of the land and analysing environmental, silvicultural, financial and social impacts. Plans are required to meet the UK Forestry Standard and the UK Woodland Assurance Standard.
• Assist colleagues with the planning, delivery and monitoring of programmes for felling, restocking and habitat management.
• Undertake site visits and collaborate with relevant colleagues to explore land management and implementation options, identify silvicultural requirements, creatively address key problems identified and develop efficient and practical solutions to meeting land management objectives over the required timeframe.
• Build and maintain excellent working relationships with stakeholders such as community groups and statutory consultees.
• Forest Planners prepare screening information for Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) determination, full EIAs, and amendments to plans for regulatory approval as required.
  
  North England Forest District has a complement of 132 staff who care for 61,000 hectares of forest and 25,000 hectares of open land. Annual timber production is 550,000 m3 and there is a planting programme in excess of 3 million trees a year.
The District has 45 SSSIs totalling over 10,000 ha and is a major contributor to local and national biodiversity. We work across the Northumberland and Lake District National Parks. The District has four visitor centres at Grizedale, Whinlatter, Kielder and Hamsterley. The public forest estate in North England District attracts over one million visits per annum. Sustainable forest management is at the heart of everything we do, as part of the planning team you will contribute directly to achieving this. Your role will safeguard forest activities guaranteeing they have full approval for felling and restocking and that our UKWAS accreditation is maintained. Working at the forefront of the latest policies, legislation and best practice you will lead the way in revising the forest plans, ensuring they are fit for purpose and assist in the delivery of land management across the estate in its widest sense.