Job summary
What could be better than working outdoors in the nation�s vast and varied forests, taking on challenging tasks, and making a tangible difference. Our Community Rangers use their broad skills and ongoing training to directly engage the community in the work of Forestry England. Whether that be communicating about forestry operations in person and using signage or leading community groups to carry out woodland management. Our Community Rangers are also key in helping to ensure our woodlands are safe for the public to enjoy. The work is varied and would suit a person who is self-motivated and well organised to undertake tasks in a safe and efficient manner.
Background
Forestry England is part of the Forestry Commission. West England Forest District is responsible for the sustainable management of over 38,200ha of the public forest estate in the west and south-west of England. The North of the District extends from woodlands just to the north of Shrewsbury, southwards to the majestic oak and beech woods of Savernake Forest in Wiltshire and south-west as far as Idless Woods near Truro in Cornwall. The District is managed from the District Office at Coleford, in the Forest of Dean, supported by local Forest Beat or Recreation Hub delivery teams dispersed across the Forest District. These local teams are responsible for the delivery of agreed work programmes.
The West Dean team cover the West side of the Forest of Dean main block, woodlands in Herefordshire and woodlands to the south west of the main block in the Wye Valley. The team are based at the main office in Coleford. The Beat is led by a Beat Forester, supported by a team of eleven staff who are responsible for all aspects of woodland management, including timber sales, tree safety, community engagement and wildlife management.
Job description
The postholder will support the Beat Forester in communicating and engaging the public to explain a wide range of forestry operations, recreational activities, and work to overcome antisocial behaviours in our woodlands
You can expect to spend around two thirds of your time outdoors and will usually be expected to manage your own time to maximise efficiency and effectiveness. A normal working week could involve a recreation trail inspection, including following up reported incidents of antisocial behaviour one day, writing letter and signs to explain a forestry operation to the local community another day, leading a community group to carry out a conservation task on another day.�
Key Work Areas
1) Widen participation in woodland recreation for all abilities
Develop and lead the delivery of a community plan for the beat to deliver a step-change in both the numbers and quality of dialogue with local people both using and engaged in the management of their local woodlands.
Develop new and alternative ways of engaging with local people to ensure there are different opportunities for people to hear about and get involved in our work, particularly those hard-to-reach audiences who may not use the typical or traditional ways of engaging.
2) Increase our capacity and effectiveness through partnership working
Initiate and lead or support partnership projects ensuring joint positive outcomes.
Develop and maintain an up to date, growing network of contacts across the communities in the beat, representing a cross section of the people living, working and using our woodlands.
3) Raise awareness and understanding of sustainable forestry
Proactively tell the story of how we manage forests, including local engagement about proposed and active forestry operations on the beat.
Collaborate with Forestry England colleagues to deliver forestry-related sessions to Sixth Form, Further Education students and adult special-interest groups.
Interact with our visitors in a positive way (either face to face or through digital channels such as social media) to help them understand and connect to our forests and woodlands.�
Challenge antisocial behaviour in the woodlands we manage, from littering to unauthorised trail building, documenting issues and working with the community to change behaviours.
4) Increase volunteering opportunities across a diverse community
Encourage the development of meaningful volunteering opportunities on the beat for individuals, groups and companies, and facilitate first time visits by hard to reach or otherwise under-represented groups to encourage greater use of their woods.
5) Evolve our operational delivery
Advise and support beat staff, ecologists and wildlife staff on engaging with local communities.
Support the beat in providing safe and welcoming woodlands, including safety inspections, management of unauthorised trails, litter and fly-tip clearance reports.
Take opportunities to continually evaluate community work and projects
6) Use internal communications channels to inform the whole team on where the business is
Ensure you are engaged with Forestry England�s internal communication channels keeping yourself informed and up to date with the progress that the organisation is making and the work that we undertake in the nation�s forests.
To share your work through internal channels, articles for our District newsletter and attending local meetings as appropriate.
7) Embed a safety-first culture in our teams
To be responsible for working within the Forestry England�s health and safety policies and guidelines ensuring that the health, safety and wellbeing of yourself and others is an integral part of how you work.
Person specification
ESSENTIAL��
Essential Professional and Technical experience:�
1. Practical experience of working with community groups and/or volunteers in an outdoor environment
2. Experience of communicating key information through a range of methods. �
3. Experience in planning and leading community projects to achieve joint positive outcomes
4. A proven track record inspecting, assessing and maintaining both safe facilities for visitors, and safe working conditions volunteers and contractor
5. Competence with a wide range of IT applications including Microsoft Office Applications.�
6. Excellent communication skills
DESIRABLE�
Desirable Professional & Technical experience:��
7. Ability to find and map trails in woodlands on rough terrain.
8. An understanding of outdoor recreation�
9. A practical understanding of digital channels for engagement
10. A practical knowledge of the application of safe guarding policies.
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
11. Making Effective Decisions
12. Communicating and Influencing
13. Managing a Quality Service
14. Delivering at Pace
15. Working Together
Benefits
Alongside your salary of �27,941, Forestry Commission contributes �7,544 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme.
Across Forestry England, we are focused on ensuring that our staff are respected, included, supported and engaged. We love difference and know that every single person is unique. We encourage an environment that values the uniqueness in everyone.
Our wide range of Staff Benefits helps us to achieve this:
� A great environment with flexible working options and a range of family friendly benefits;
� Generous annual leave allowance of 25 days on entry increasing by 1 day each year to a maximum of 30 days (pro rata based on part time hours). After 20 years� service you will receive a one-off award of 5 extra days� holiday. On top of this, you'll receive all public holidays plus an additional �privilege� days (pro-rata for part time);
� A Civil Service pension, with the opportunity to choose from two pension schemes, one Career Average (Alpha) or a Defined Contribution Scheme (Partnership). If you join the Civil Service Career Average Scheme, we will contribute at least 26% of your salary towards your pension membership every month. Further details can be found at Civil Service Pensions;
� A range of wellbeing benefits, including access to an Employee Assistance Programme 24/7, Bike to Work Scheme plus many more;
� A culture which promotes a diverse and inclusive work environment;
� Free parking at Forestry England sites and free entry to our National Arboretums; and
� Three paid volunteering days per year (pro-rata for part time).
This is a fantastic learning opportunity, working with skilled and experienced colleagues across the organisation. Forestry England is committed to lifelong learning and we will support your career development in a variety of ways, including:
� Learning and development tailored to your role;
� Continual Professional Development: support for individual learning plans and sponsored membership of professional bodies (such as the Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management);
� 5 dedicated learning days a year (from e-learning to traditional training, team activities to coaching and shadowing), to target the skills you need to take your career forward;
� Civil Service Learning (CSL) online platform provides access to a host of high quality training courses on a variety of useful and relevant subjects; and
� Dedicated Technical Training in support of our operational functions, ensuring that keeping people safe is central to everything we do.