Overview

The Woodlands Advisor role is a uniquely important position within Borders Forest Trust (BFT) as it reaches out beyond the Trust’s own estate and engages with independent landowners of all sizes to promote better native woodland cover and ancient woodland management, through our Treescapes project.

BFT is a charity, established in 1996 with the aim to restore native woodland and associated natural habitats in the south of Scotland for the benefit of both wildlife and people. The South of Scotland still has one of the lowest land covers of native woodland in the country, although BFT has to-date planted more than 2 million native trees and shrubs across the area, including through the Treescapes project.

The successful candidate for this new post will become part of a small, enthusiastic, and dynamic team directly contributing to restoring and saving of native woodlands across the South of Scotland, an area which still has one of the lowest land covers of native woodland in the whole country.

The work will involve a balance between office and outdoor work, requiring someone with a mix of skills including exceptional communication, co-ordination and interpersonal skills; and an aptitude and passion for ‘hands on’ outdoor conservation and working with people.

Objectives of the Post

The Woodland Advisor will develop and support the delivery of new native woodland planting schemes, including flood prevention and water quality plantings, and identify suitable ancient woodlands to be brought into conservation management in the Scottish Borders.

This will involve promoting the project; liaising with and advising private landowners and farmers; providing planting and woodland management advice and guidance; producing woodland management plans, assisting with applications for funding and supporting practical implementation and co-ordination of the planting and management works.

The post holder will also require to liaise with the Treescapes funding partner, Woodland Trust Scotland as well as partners of the South of Scotland Tree Planting Grant, principally the Tweed Forum and Scottish Forestry.

Principal Duties

• To promote the Treescapes Project through a range of media including printed material, externally published articles, using the BFT website and social media, and holding an awareness raising outreach event.
• Work with landowners, farmers, community groups and schools to advise and encourage new woodland planting projects and improved conservation management of ancient woodlands.
• Maintain a pipeline plan for the planting of 120ha of woodland conservation projects each year, comprised of native woodland creation and ancient woodland restoration.
• To improve the conservation management of ancient woodlands by building on the Ancient Woodland Inventory (AWI) of the Scottish Borders and exploring the potential for survival, restoration and expansion of ancient woodland remnants. Aiming to prepare woodland plans for 20ha of woodland restoration or woodland expansion of Ancient Woodland sites.
• To assist applicants with drawing funds from Forestry Grants Schemes, the Woodland Trust MOREwoods project or the South of Scotland Tree Planting Grant project. The post holder will act as the Scottish Borders’ agent for the MORE woods project.
• Co-ordinate and implement practical tree planting and woodland management work where required.
• Be responsible for meeting health and safety requirements including written risk assessments and working in accordance with BFT lone working policy.
• Contribute to BFT literature, annual reports / budgets and reports to funding bodies.
• Support the success of BFT by carrying out specific and general tasks as required.

Person Specification

Required

• Educated to degree level or equivalent.
• Experience, or understanding, of new native woodland creation
• Passionate and enthusiastic about the ecological vision of Borders Forest Trust.
• Excellent communication skills – especially around reporting, feedback on progress with projects and liaising with landowners
• Ability to manage and prioritise a diverse workload.

Desirable

• Experience in ancient woodland management
• Experience in applying for grant funding, especially the Forestry Grant Scheme.
• Experience of managing external contractors
• Experience of working in small, geographically spread team
• Experience of engaging with third parties – such as landowners – on behalf of an organisation
• Knowledge of ecological surveying.
• Local knowledge of the Scottish Borders and South of Scotland.
• Knowledge of the potential role of Carbon funding in new woodland creation.
• GIS Skills, but training can be provided.
• First Aid qualification, but training can be provided.