The Development Woodland Officer role is a new and exciting career pathway into the Forestry Commission for people from all backgrounds and abilities looking to start or continue their journey to becoming a professional Forester. We are seeking ambitious, driven individuals who are eager to support our ambitious tree planting plans and protect and enhance our current woods and forests.

As part of Forest Services, Development Woodland Officers will build the skills and experience needed to be carry out incentives and regulation work, provide guidance to woodland owners and managers in Areas and promote sustainable woodland management in England. They will be playing a key role in helping to deliver of the Government’s current priorities for forestry in addition to the England Tree Planting Programme.

The role is development focused which will see Development Woodland Officers engaged on a formal learning programme supported by Area staff and a central programme delivery team. Development Woodland Officers will spend 20% of their normal working hours engaged in off-the-job learning lead by the National School of Forestry at the University of Cumbria, This off-the-job learning will consist of bi-monthly residual blocks delivered at one of the University Campuses within Cumbria or at the Forestry Commission training Centre at Cannock Chase. The remaining 80% of the time will be spent consolidating skills in a real-life working environment including up to 9 months of wider sector work placements to further build on the consolidation and expansion of skills and experiences.

On completion of the programme, successful graduates will earn a Professional Forester Apprenticeship (equivalent to Level 6), a BSc (hons) in Professional Forester and the potential to gain Chartered Forester status with the Institute of Chartered Foresters (ICF), in addition to gaining 3 years valuable work experience. This programme will provide the building blocks to continue a career in the forestry sector as a professional forester, planning, advising, managing, and supervising forestry activities and/or operations.

• To develop a sound understanding of the Incentive and Forest Regulatory work carried out by a Woodland Officer in Forest Services by supporting and assisting Woodland Officers with their work within your host Forest Services Area Team. Development Woodland Officers would not be directly responsible for the processing of grant and regulatory applicants or investigations but will gain experience with all the required steps. Where appropriate as individuals’ skills and experience develop in each area of work, Development Woodland Officers may take a more active role in leading the processing while always having the support of Local Area Team colleagues.

The Incentive and Regulatory work of Woodland Officers covers the following areas of work:

1) Expanding woodland cover:
• Champion the multiple benefits of new woodland as business opportunities for landowners and as natural capital (including biodiversity, water quality, flood management, carbon sequestration, etc) for the wider environment and society;
• Facilitate the design and delivery of new woodlands optimising the benefits they can deliver to the owner and as natural capital;
• Administer the forestry Regulations relating to woodland creation (Environmental Impact Assessment); and
• Administer/process applications for grants.

2) Protecting our existing trees and woodlands:
Administer Forestry Regulations to include:
• Forestry Act – Felling Licences, to ensure that tree felling is carried out in accordance with the principles of the UK Forestry Standard;
• Environmental Impact Assessments – deforestation, forest roads and forest quarries; and
• Habitats Regulations – regarding forest operations within Special Protection Areas and Special Areas of Conservation;
• Advise on the links with other legislation such as those pertaining to European Protected Species; and
• Provide specialist advice to planning authorities regarding the impact of proposals on existing woodland and how new trees and woodland, as well as locally sourced timber and wood, could be used to enhance new developments.

3) Improving the condition and resilience of our existing woodlands and wider treescape:
• Champion the benefits of actively managed woodland;
• Support woodland owners and managers in responding to key challenges of pests and diseases including Chalara ash dieback, oak processionary moth, deer and grey squirrels;
• Work to increase resilience within woodlands to the challenges of a changing climate; and
• Facilitate closer working across the forestry sector – for instance between markets, contractors, managers, etc.

Engaging partners, stakeholders and the public:
• Encourage, enthuse and support key partners and stakeholders to help facilitate the expansion, protection and improvement of our woodlands and treescape; and
• Champion the many values of trees and woodland to the wider public helping them understand and appreciate the importance and values of active management.