Ash Dieback Recovery Officer

at  Derbyshire County Council

£33,034 - £36,239 - PLUS MARKET LEADING PACKAGE (SEE BELOW)

Derbyshire County Council has an exciting job opportunity for anyone with the right skills, expertise and passion for trees and woodland. We’re looking for an Ash Dieback Recovery Officer to join our Trees and Woodlands team within Derbyshire County Council’s Countryside Service.
Ash Dieback Disease is predicted to have significant landscape and ecological impact across Derbyshire in the next two decades. Mitigating the loss of ash trees has been identified as a priority within the County Council’s Ash Dieback Action Plan. The role of the Ash Dieback Recovery Officer is to identify woodland and non-woodland habitats within the Council’s own land portfolio and wider county that are at the greatest risk from the disease and develop management plans to maintain public safety and landscape character whilst minimising impacts on biodiversity. This post will also act as advisor and enabler to partner organisations, landowners and members of the public for wider woodland management issues and work closely with the Million Trees Officer to facilitate new tree planting and woodland creation initiatives.

Ash Dieback Recovery Officer key duties will include:

• Undertake woodland condition surveys across the county council’s estate and prepare an overarching Forest Plan that identifies threats and opportunities for improving the long-term health and resilience of our woodlands that maximises socio-economic and environmental benefits.
• Prepare detailed management prescriptions for the county council’s woodland estate.
• Submit felling licence, EIAs and grant applications on behalf of all council departments.
• Prepare specifications for tender documents.
• Project manage delivery of capital and maintenance programs for approved schemes.
• Maintain accurate records for reporting purposes.
• Work with external organisations and landowners to improve woodland health and secure funding for sustainable management at a landscape scale in line with the County’s Nature Recovery Strategy.

Derbyshire’s employment package

What we offer you:

• 27 days annual leave plus bank holidays rising to 32 days once you reach 5 years of continuous service
• Flexi time (7am to 7pm), allowing up to an additional 2 days of leave per month
• Generous local government pension scheme
• Guaranteed incremental annual pay increases
• Cycle to work scheme
• Discounts at selected county leisure centres
• and much more!

Our Woodlands team is contractually based in Matlock, Derbyshire, but as part of our Modern Ways of Working programme we are currently working on a hybrid basis. There’ll be an opportunity to discuss future working arrangements at interview.
Provisional Interview Date: 5 June 2024

• Undertake woodland condition surveys across the county council’s estate and prepare an overarching Forest Plan that identifies threats and opportunities for improving the long-term health and resilience of our woodlands that maximises socio-economic and environmental benefits.
• Prepare detailed management prescriptions for the county council’s woodland estate.
• Submit felling licence, EIAs and grant applications on behalf of all council departments.
• Prepare specifications for tender documents.
• Project manage delivery of capital and maintenance programs for approved schemes.
• Maintain accurate records for reporting purposes.
• Work with external organisations and landowners to improve woodland health and secure funding for sustainable management at a landscape scale in line with the County’s Nature Recovery Strategy