Full-Time Forester
Job Description
Forester, Pioneer Forest
The L-A-D Foundation is a Missouri private operating foundation dedicated to exemplary stewardship of Pioneer Forest and other natural and cultural areas and to scientific research, education, public recreation, and encouragement for projects and policies that have a positive influence on the Missouri Ozarks region and beyond. Pioneer Forest is the largest privately-owned forest management operation in Missouri. For more than 70 years, the staff has employed single-tree selection forestry to achieve a healthy, uneven-aged forest.
General Description: Located within 30 miles of Salem, MO, this position will work as part of the Pioneer Forest team, collaborating on all aspects of delivering excellence in forest management. Foresters are responsible for administering timber sales and helping to monitor programs, records, and activities on or relating to the Forest. This position reports to the Chief Forester.
Pioneer Forest is interested in researching symbiotic management techniques that may further our desired outcomes for a naturally regenerative uneven-aged forest in the Missouri Ozarks. The ideal candidate has an inquisitive nature, with an interest in continuing to learn and understand the changing forest. Pioneer is a predominantly mixed hardwood forest, with a large component of oak and shortleaf pine.
Hours: 40 hours/week, salaried exempt
Salary: Forester $45,000-$60,000/year or commensurate with experience
Benefits: 401(k), health and dental insurance, paid vacation, and sick leave.
General Field Responsibilities:
- Become familiar with sawmills and loggers doing business within the region.
- Monitor market prices for timber.
- Become familiar with the land boundaries of Pioneer Forest.
- Work with the chief forester to recommend when and where cutting is to occur each year.
- Maintain mechanical and other equipment used while on the job and assist others.
- Assist with the CFI every 5th year (last completed March 2023) or boundary line maintenance each year.
- Assist with timber cruises required for land acquisition, disposal, or exchanges.
- Assist in updating Pioneer Forest’s annual cutting records.
- Assist in building the organization’s Natural Features Inventory and in management of invasive species.
- Provide leadership on special projects including forestry, research or monitoring, recreation, protected areas, and community outreach.
- Assist with prescribed fire, wildfire, and feral hog eradication, as needed.
Timber Sale Responsibilities:
- Understand and apply the method of single-tree selection forestry utilized by Pioneer staff.
- Assume responsibility for marking timber for one or more timber sales at a time.
- Monitor the work of sawmills and loggers operating on Pioneer Forest as they cut and remove timber.
- Determine where best management practices are appropriate, including directional felling, minimizing damage that may occur to leave trees, keeping equipment out of stream and creek bottoms, and adjusting marking to benefit forest reserve buffers, glades, drainage areas for sinkhole ponds, and other areas important to the forest.
- Ensure the quality of cutting by loggers through regular inspection of work areas.
- Inspect sales, including logging roads and skid trails, install and inspect water bars where needed, and inspect trails in the area for damage.
Other Responsibilities:
- Understand and act to implement the Pioneer Forest Management Plan, and the L-A-D Ecological Management Plan for Pioneer Forest.
- Serve as a contact for the local community on matters that may arise and may affect the organization.
- Be the “eyes and ears” for all activities that affect Pioneer Forest in the district to which the individual is assigned, and to the community at large.
- Provide leadership to the public in forest conservation education.
- Monitor lands that may be of interest for Pioneer’s consolidation goals and recommend suitable purchases whenever opportunities may be available.
- Maintain the issued truck in good working order, including ensuring regular maintenance is performed.
- Assist with writing of reports and other documents as needed.
- Work cooperatively with the L-A-D ecological management staff as needed to help implement the treatments required to meet the goals of the L-A-D Ecological Management Plan
- Other duties as assigned.
Minimum Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in forestry, forest management, or closely related field.
- A strong interest in application of forest management from a conservation-oriented perspective
- Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
- Willingness to do physically demanding work for sometimes long, irregular hours in remote areas under a variety of weather conditions.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
- Experience with common software applications such as Word, Excel, and web browsers.
- Ability to work well with a wide variety of people in sometimes stressful conditions.
- Must have a valid driver’s license.
Desired but not Mandatory Attributes:
- Experience in varied landscapes through prior employment, internships, or work study that may bring new perspectives to Pioneer Forest’s uneven-aged management.
- Interest in researching new methodologies for forestry operations or conservation more broadly that may be applied on Pioneer Forest to improve management techniques and achieve desired outcomes.
- Experience with scientific research methodology, reporting, and writing.
- Understanding of landscape-scale conservation management techniques and implementation.
- Experience with various timber management projects such as timber stand improvement and evaluating outcomes from those projects.
- Ability to use, maintain, and train others on the safe operation of chainsaws, 4×4 trucks, trailers, UTVs, pumps, and hand tools.
- Training in First Aid, CPR, EMT, or Wilderness First Responder certification.
To learn more about the L-A-D Foundation & Pioneer Forest visit www.ladfoundation.org.
EOE Statement:
L-A-D Foundation/Pioneer Forest is an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of age, race, creed, country of origin, or gender.
How to Apply
To apply: Please submit a cover letter and resume to [email protected], and indicate Forester Application in the subject line of the email. The position is open until filled, with interviews starting in early August. Resumes received by 11:59 pm August 6, 2023, will be in the first round of consideration.Apply for this Job
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