POSITION TITLE: Forester (Inventory/Monitoring)
SALARY: Pay Range: 9
$50,681.40 to $91,236.12 annual
DOE/DOQ
DEPARTMENT: Department of Natural Resources: Range, Agriculture and Forestry Program
LOCATION: Position located at Nixyáawii Governance Center, Mission, Oregon, Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation
EMPLOYMENT STATUS: Full Time with benefits package
Exempt
SUPERVISED BY: Supervisory Forester
OPENING DATE: November 14, 2023
CLOSING DATE: Open until Filled with review of complete packets on November 30, 2023
CTUIR MISSION STATEMENT
Exercise the Tribe’s sovereign authority to achieve the maximum protection of resources identified in the Treaty of 1855, to protect newly acquired lands wherein the Tribe has a vested interest, to protect the lands of all the citizens and residents of the Umatilla Indian Reservation. This position will protect human life, water, land, air, and wildlife by exercising professional skills and abilities in the protection of the resources of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation.
DNR Mission Statement
To protect, restore, and enhance the First Foods - water, salmon, deer, cous, and huckleberry - for the perpetual cultural, economic, and sovereign benefit of the CTUIR. We will accomplish this utilizing traditional ecological and cultural knowledge and science to inform: 1) population and habitat management goals and actions; and 2) natural resource policies and regulatory mechanisms.
DNR- Range, Ag and Forestry (RAF) Program Mission Statement
In support of the DNR Mission, the Range, Ag, and Forestry Program mission statement is as follows:
To protect, restore and enhance first foods through stewardship of range, agricultural and forested lands to provide cultural, ecological, economic and social benefits for the Confederated Tribes of Umatilla Indian Reservation. In accomplishing this mission the Range, Agriculture and Forestry program encourages stakeholders to conserve, develop and use natural resources for long term sustainability.
Food plants of cultural importance to the CTUIR and under direct management of the Range, Ag. & Forestry Program include several roots species generally distributed in rangelands, and huckleberry and other fruits in shrub and forested environments. Therefore, the management of forested lands must take into account ecological processes that protect and enhance these foods in addition to providing forage and habitat for upland wildlife species while retaining healthy and resilient forests.
The Forestry program designs and implements vegetation management activities to carry out provisions of CTUIR’s First Foods Mission and Forest Management Plan in a manner consistent with Federal codes and regulations. The Forestry program is responsible for the ecological enhancement, economic development and sustainable use of forest resources of allotted, Tribal trust and Tribal fee patent lands for the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation. The forester develops, implements, and continues programs designed to secure optimum conservation and utilization of soil, water, and forestry resources to provide a fair and reasonable income to Indian landowners consistent with other resource values.
Forestry staff work to develop healthy forest environments, ensure proper tree selection and stocking for the given environment of each stand, provide specifications for prescribed burning and develop management scenarios for enhancement of big game and culturally sensitive food plants. The CTUIR employs the best available science to forward our mission through participation in policy, administrative processes, public outreach and education
GENERAL STATEMENT OF DUTIES
The Forester (Inventory/Monitoring) supports the CTUIR Range, Ag. & Forestry Program by developing and maintaining forest vegetation inventories that inform the overall goals and objectives of the CTUIR. The core responsibilities of the Forester (Inventory/Monitoring) shall be to collect, maintain, and report the necessary data to support forest treatment schemes using ecological principles to evaluate the effects of current and future impacts to Umatilla Indian Reservation forested lands. The position will also be involved in refining and implementing monitoring protocols related to considerations within the Forest Management Plan and First Foods Mission/Upland Vision that are not otherwise addressed within a growth and yield forest inventory framework. This information will be utilized to support an adaptive management approach for active and proposed forest treatments and support forest management planning and project reporting.
EXAMPLES OF ESSENTIAL JOB DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES
Forest Biometrics: Serves as a staff specialist in forestland survey, statistical design, data storage and summary to obtain information on volume, growth rates, age class, species, distribution, fuel loading reproduction of trees in developed stands and metrics that relate to wildlife habitat (e.g. big game, upland birds, cavity nesters, accipiters) and cultural food plants on the Umatilla Indian Reservation. Utilizes and maintains data within Forest Projection and Planning System (FPS) and/or Forest Vegetation Simulator (FVS) to evaluate forest conditions and treatment outcomes.
Forest Evaluations: Conducts examinations of forest stands and evaluates the conditions found. Develops sampling intensity and inventory procedures to adequately sample forest stands to meet reporting needs. Conducts or supervises completion of cruises of forest stands and prepares reports of current timber volumes necessary for appraisal of land values. Integrates results into Reservation inventory records (FPS or FVS).
Treatment Monitoring: Supports adaptive management through developing, administering, and analyzing monitoring protocols to assess treatment effects at various phases of implementation. Assesses whether alterations to fuels, ground cover, shrub, and tree cover are consistent with management objectives. Develops or recommends monitoring approaches to evaluate whether key goals and objectives within the CTUIR Forest Management Plan and First Foods Mission are being met on Tribal lands. Collaborates with external agency partners (USFS, ODF, OSU, etc.) to support forest monitoring and research across land jurisdictions.
Geographical Information Systems: Works closely with the CTUIR GIS Program to store, map and display forest management information on the UIR. Independently utilizes ArcMap/ArcPro program to produce project maps and maintain current forest stand layer.
Forest Vegetation Treatment: In an inter-disciplinary environment, assists with development of silvicultural prescriptions and/or actions for treatment of forest stands to maintain healthy yet fully stocked conditions.
Timber Sale: Utilizes the forest inventory to assist with implementing the sale of forest products on the UIR according to policies and procedures outlined by the USDOI, BIA and CTUIR. Maintains database of trends in local log and lumber prices.
Environmental Law Compliance: Assists in the preparation of environmental analysis reports and biological evaluations necessary to comply with provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act and the Endangered Species Act.
Collateral Duty/Professional Development: Provides program and project support to department staff as time and funding allows. Acquires membership and participates in professional organizations that work to maintain and enhance ecosystem function on the Umatilla Indian Reservation.
Fire/Fuels Program: Participation in the Bureau of Indian Affairs Fire/Fuels Program is extended to each Range, Agriculture and Forestry Program member. Employees working in forested environment are strongly encouraged to participate in fire suppression and prescribed fire/ fuels management projects.
Service Objectives
Responsibilities to Tribal Community
Responsive to community goals and Tribal treaty rights for natural resource protection and restoration for the purpose of maintaining an active Tribal culture.
Performs job in a professional and ethical manner.
Courteous and respectful to community members.
Supportive Work Environment
Support a positive work environment.
Communications.
Keep others informed of work issues and programs by maintaining quality communications.
Work at the most direct and immediate level to resolve issues of conflicting personalities and needs.
Develop and maintain proactive working relationships with funding agency contract officer technical representatives.
Organization Improvement
Commitment to a philosophy of quality.
Display proactive view initiative and creativity to resolve problems, capitalize on opportunities in the job and assist co-workers when possible.
3. Cost-effective use of CTUIR’s resources.
Forestry chain of command:
The position will be under the direct supervision of the Supervisory Forester
SUPERVISORY AUTHORITY:
None. May occasionally supervise seasonal technicians, college interns, or external technician teams.
SIGNATORY AUTHORITY:
None
ACCESS TO SENSITIVE AREAS:
Forester will be responsible for overseeing, creating and maintaining trust documents containing sensitive information covered by the Privacy Act 1974.