Forestry Conservation Tech 1 - Greenough

Job Description - Forestry Conservation Tech 1 - Greenough (25140429)

Position Title: Forestry Conservation Tech 1 - Greenough - (25140429)

The Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation's mission is to help ensure that Montana's land and water resources provide benefits for present and future generations. The DNRC believes employees are their most important asset. The DNRC empowers employees to exercise professional judgment in carrying out their duties. Employees are provided with the training and tools necessary to achieve the mission. Both team effort and individual employee expertise are supported and sustained.

Core Values:

• We value and respect each other.
• We create collaborative work environments.
• We build and maintain strong relationships.
• We celebrate our successes and take pride in our work.

Essential Functions (Major Duties or Responsibilities): These job functions are the essential duties of the position and are not all-inclusive of all the duties that may be assigned to the incumbent.

FOREST IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS:

This position assists with various forest improvement projects within the four SWLO Unit land offices. The incumbent conducts preliminary thinning activities; conducts statistical regeneration and survival surveys; identifies and examines areas with abundant trees, and areas lacking trees; maps areas of completed work for each Unit; collects data for road maintenance projects; conducts road inventory; and participates in prescribed burning operations. These duties require knowledge of the principles and practices of technical level forest management, silviculture, and botany; forest road design and construction; prescribed burning and wildland fire fighting procedures and guidelines; and insect and disease identification; skill in reading and interpreting various types of maps and aerial photos; and navigating in the woods; skill in the operation of snowmobiles, ATV’s, and 4x4 vehicles; and the ability to keep scientific records, identify inconsistencies in the field and develop recommendations, establish and maintain effective working relationships with Unit and Area staff, and communicate effectively verbally and in writing.

• Conducts preliminary thinning activities to determine optimal areas to thin. This includes collecting stand inventory field data to measure and examine timber characteristics (e.g., species, trees per acre, age, tree diameters and heights, insect and disease activity, etc.) for use in preparing silvicultural prescriptions; interpreting data to determine optimal areas to thin; delineating acreage; measuring area to thin; marking and mapping proposed area; and compiling and analyzing inventory data to estimate associated contract costs and writing and administrating contracts.
• Conducts statistical regeneration and survival surveys to determine natural reforestation and planting success of desirable tree species. This involves identifying where trees were planted; assessing expected natural regeneration; establishing survey plots to monitor regeneration; monitoring survival of planted trees; and recording and tabulating field data may involve use of database.
• Identifies and examines areas with abundant trees, and areas lacking trees to infer possible causes. Determines possible problems affecting success of tree survival, and makes recommendations as to whether planting is needed in specific areas. Also identifies occurrences such as grazing damage and notifies supervisor of location.
• Maps areas of completed work for each Unit. This involves coordination with individual work units and delineation of required or completed work on a map for future work or reference.
• Conducts road inventory to identify road closures and check accessibility of road systems and obtains keys to ensure that gates are locked as appropriate.

FOREST MANAGEMENT PROJECTS:

This position participates in various forest management projects directed by resource managers within the four SWLO Unit land offices. The incumbent collects, compiles, and assesses various data in preparation for planned timber sales or permits; identifies, locates, documents, and marks legal property and section corners and lines; locates, surveys, marks, and maps timber sale and permit harvest units and special management areas; interprets silvicultural prescriptions prepared by professional foresters; estimates and records volumes (cruises) for timber sales; interprets and summarizes timber cruise field data; examines field conditions to identify inconsistencies in silvicultural prescription; traverses, surveys, and maps proposed forest roads; and recommends silvicultural treatments in various technical forestry areas. These duties require knowledge of the principles and practices of technical level forest management, silviculture, and botany; timber cruising techniques; logging methods and techniques; basic surveying; timber sale data collection and measuring procedures; forest habitat types and species identification; forest stand dynamics; and insect and disease identification; skill in reading and interpreting various types of maps and aerial photos; extensive skills in the operation of specialized cruising and surveying tools and equipment including a relaskop, diameter tape, clinometer, compass, GPS, electronic data recorders, etc.; and the ability to keep scientific records, identify inconsistencies in the field and develop recommendations, establish and maintain effective working relationships with Unit and Area staff, and communicate effectively verbally and in writing.

• Collects, compiles, and assesses various data in preparation for planned timber sales or permits within the four SWLO units by identifying and classifying data such as timber stand conditions, insect and disease situations, understory condition, various site data, habitat type data, slope measurement, wetland information, existing road conditions, etc.
• Identifies, locates, documents, and marks legal property and section corners and lines. This involves determining and applying appropriate surveying techniques and instruments (e.g., hand compass, staff compass, transit, Global Positioning System (GPS), etc.); examining aerial photos; identifying, documenting, and protecting legal property corners and property lines; and identifying, brushing out, and blazing and marking appropriate property lines and corners.
• Locates, surveys, marks, and maps timber sale and permit harvest units and special management areas. This involves determining and applying appropriate surveying techniques and instruments (e.g., hand compass, staff compass, transit, Global Positioning System (GPS), etc.); examining aerial photos; and interpreting written prescriptions and tentative mapped locations and translating to field locations.
• Interprets silvicultural prescriptions prepared by professional foresters, and assesses and estimates quality of trees to determine whether to mark specific trees for harvest or retention. The incumbent examines to locate and quantify defects and damage from insects, disease, etc.; estimates merchantability of trees in accordance with size, quality, and defects standards, and through independent application of assessment methods; and assesses approved marking guides noted in the silvicultural prescription to determine and mark specific trees or groups of trees for either harvest or retention.
• Estimates and records volumes (cruises) for timber sales by tree species for each harvest unit. This involves measuring tree heights and diameters using specialized forestry equipment and field instruments; assessing and estimating defect and potential forest products by applying established guidelines and assessment methodologies; determining an effective means of locating appropriate plots using various instruments and methods (e.g., compass, pacing, grids, etc.); creating a statistical sample of the trees or acreage; and evaluating and expanding sample volumes to estimate total volumes.
• Interprets and summarizes timber cruise field data to determine accurate calculations for timber sales, road appraisals, and contracts. This involves evaluating field data, drawing maps, creating tables, compiling and summarizing data, and entering data into customized database.
• Examines field conditions to identify inconsistencies in silvicultural prescription written by professional forester. The incumbent identifies environmental features such as water, soil, fisheries, wildlife, aesthetics, etc.; identifies and reports inconsistencies between prescription and field conditions; and determines effective solutions (e.g., adjusting markings, etc.) to resolve discrepancies to ensure appropriate consideration of timber resources and protection of environmental resources.
• Recommends silvicultural treatments in various technical forestry areas based on observation of potential problems and issues encountered during the course of fieldwork. This would include harvest methods such as clear-cut, seed tree, shelter wood, group selection, commercial thinning, etc.

This position performs a variety of other professional and technical duties in support of SWLO and Division operations. This includes activities such as participating in special projects, vehicle and equipment repair and maintenance, purchase of minor supplies, conducting research, attending meetings and conferences, and attending ongoing training and educational programs as directed.

APPLICATION MATERIALS REQUIRED FOR THIS POSITION ARE:

• Online State of Montana application
• Resume

HELPFUL HINT: You must check the “relevant document” box to ensure your attachments are uploading correctly to the specific application.

Knowledge: Work requires knowledge of the principles and practices of technical level forest management, silviculture, and botany; timber cruising techniques; forest road design and construction; logging methods and techniques; basic surveying; timber sale data collection and measuring procedures; forest habitat types and species identification; statistical methods; forest stand dynamics; prescribed burning and wildland fire fighting procedures and guidelines; and insect and disease identification.

Skills: This position requires skill in reading and interpreting various types of maps and aerial photos; translating aerial photo and map locations to the ground; identifying landmarks in the field; and navigating in the woods. The position also requires extensive skills in the operation of specialized cruising and surveying tools and equipment including a relaskop, diameter tape, clinometer, compass, GPS, electronic data recorders, complete input to databases, etc.; and in the operation of snowmobiles, ATV’s, and 4x4 vehicles.

Abilities: The position requires the ability to keep scientific records, identify inconsistencies in the field and develop recommendations, establish and maintain effective working relationships with Unit and Area staff, and communicate effectively verbally and in writing.

Working Conditions and Physical Demands: Predominant work is performed in the field, which involves exposure to varying weather conditions, terrain, and road conditions. The incumbent is expected to wear clothing and footwear to match weather conditions. Unpredictable encounters occur with wild animals. Travel in mountainous terrain by vehicle or on foot is required in any month. Regular walking up and down mountains or in streams can be expected. Safety concerns include driving unimproved mountainous roads, walking across mountainous terrain, or wading rivers or streams at high water in all weather conditions. Vehicular travel requires both 4x4 and ATV’s. Occasional overnight travel may be required on a project-by-project basis.

Supervision Received: Work assignments are provided verbally or in writing by the Area Silviculturist or resource managers located in any of the four SWLO Unit Land Offices. The supervisor typically establishes overall work procedures and priorities, and the incumbent determines appropriate work sequences and methods to accomplish assigned tasks. The incumbent conducts work independently or in conjunction with other forest technicians with minimal supervision to complete assignments within established timeframes. Technical assistance is available from the Unit and land office professionals, and department and division procedures manuals are available in the office. Work is informally reviewed on a project basis by supervisor, forest management specialists, or resource manager within the assigned Unit. Overall work is evaluated through annual performance appraisals by the Area Silviculturist.

Scope and Effect: The actions and decisions of the incumbent in completing field work and data collection duties directly affect the success of the SWLO forest management program, which generates revenues for school trust lands, as well as forest improvement projects and programs. Field work conducted by the incumbent is necessary to estimate, mark, and sell timber, and conduct other forest management and forest improvement activities. Accuracy of field data is critical, and has a direct impact on the accuracy and reliability of multiple aspects of forest management and forest improvement projects.

Salary: $21.97 - 21.97 Hourly

Telework Eligibility: Not Telework Eligible

Benefits Package Eligibility: Paid Leave & Holidays, Retirement Plan

Number of Openings: 1

Employee Status: Seasonal (less than 6 mos)

Schedule: Full-Time

Job Type: Standard

Shift: Day Job

Travel: Yes, 5 % of the Time

Primary Location: Greenough

Agency: Department of Natural Resources & Conservation

Union: 000 - None

Posting Date: Mar 3, 2025

Closing Date: Ongoing

Required Application Materials: Cover Letter, Resume

Contact Name: Stacey Gabrio | Contact Email: stacey.gabrio@mt.gov | Contact Phone: 4064443309