Peatland Restoration Forester

Peatland Restoration Forester

Job reference: REQ0608

Location: Multiple (See JD)

Salary: £31,178 - £33,262 + 26% Employer pension contributions

Contractual hours: 37

Basis: Full time

Job description

Do you want to be involved in guiding the future of peatland restoration across Scotland’s forests and land?

Are you looking to change career to a more practically focused job, with lots of opportunity to work outdoors in Scotland’s beautiful rural landscape?

We’re looking for 2 enthusiastic, practical, creative, forward-thinking people to join our delivery team in Dumfries & Galloway. You will be responsible for managing the delivery of peatland restoration projects, from planning through to contract management.

About the team

Forestry and Land Scotland’s peatland restoration programme is increasing in scale. To date, we have undertaken restoration work on over 9,000 hectares of degraded peatland habitat, ~1,000 hectares of restoration per annum. By 2025 we expect to be restoring some 3,000 hectares annually, to prevent emissions, capture carbon and create new valuable habitats for threatened peatland wildlife in the process.

The Peatland Restoration team is growing to meet the ambitions of our commitment. The National Planning and Environment team has 6 staff that support overall programme management & delivery, GIS functions, and technical advice. Within the Regions there are a total of 10 staff dedicated across Scotland to delivery of peatland restoration work, through project development to works supervision. Additional support is provided from Planning Foresters and Civil Engineers. As part of a nationwide team, you will be supported to develop your skills & expertise through regular technical mentoring and peer to peer learning opportunities.

The South Region team of 120 people manage almost 170,000 ha of land, with huge variety and potential, spread all the way from the Borders to the Isle of Arran. Find out more from our local staff about the benefits of living in Dumfries and Galloway.

What you will do

You will play a vital role in tackling both the Climate Emergency and biodiversity crisis through planning and delivering the restoration of peatland habitats across your Region. Many areas have been modified by past management, and your role will be to restore existing Blanket Bogs, Lowland Raised Bogs, and afforested peatlands. Restoring peatlands is valuable, not just in reducing emissions, but also improving biodiversity, water quality, and even reducing the risk and severity of flooding in some catchments.

You will work as part of a Regional delivery team, to manage all stages of the restoration process on a number of project areas each year. Working with the wider regional team of foresters, and national team of peatland restoration staff, you will prepare site restoration plans, procure and oversee management of contractors and monitor and report on progress. You will ensure the work is carried out in a safe, environmentally sustainable, legally compliant and efficient manner.

Training will be provided, both formally and through learning from experienced colleagues and interaction with other organizations.

Main Duties

Planning, Procurement & Contract Management

• Work with the Regional team to prepare peatland restoration project proposals, adopting best practice methods and providing value for money.
• Work with Regional and National procurement teams to procure and manage service contracts to deliver the peatland restoration programme.
• Manage contractors to ensure good communication is maintained, provide accurate and appropriate feedback, following FLS guidance to ensure all work is delivered to the required standard, budget and timescale.
• Monitor progress and expenditure of your projects, for input into monthly reporting to the Peatland Project Team and quarterly Business Monitoring Reporting.

Working with Others

• Work collaboratively with the Planning & Environment teams to deliver agreed sustainable

peatland management and restoration programmes.

• Maintain effective relations with colleagues in other functions in relation to operational

activity, supporting regional and national systems and initiatives as required.

• Actively participate in ongoing training and mentoring provided through the national peatland restoration team.
• Liaise with external stakeholders as appropriate for the role, e.g., SEPA, NatureScot,

Neighbours.

Promote a safety-first culture, delivering enhanced safety and environmental standards

• Effectively manage all aspects of health and safety within area of responsibility.
• Effectively manage environmental compliance within area of responsibility.
• Ensure that all peatland operations comply with industry best practice, relevant

legislation and FISA at all times and maintain our UKWAS certification.

Hear more about what it is like to work in our Peatland Team and get more detail on these roles at:

https://forestryandland.gov.scot/jobs/current-opportunities/protect-and-restore-our-peatlands

For more information, please review the Job Description and Success Profile.

 Apply Here

Closing date: 23 July 2023.