2023 Natural Area Practitioner - Urban Forestry (The City Of Surrey)

Employment Status

Union - CUPE Local 402 - Temporary Full-Time.

Scope

The City of Surrey's Urban Forestry - Natural Areas team has a unique full-time temporary job opportunity for someone who is interested in applying their varied experience and skills to meet the challenges of assisting in the management of over 1,600 hectares of forest, shrubland, and grassland.

Responsibilities

In this position, you will be:

• Preparing reports and maintaining records.
• Working on a team or on your own.
• Inventorying assets.
• Field based with limited office work.
• Completing a variety of manual and semi-skilled tasks including but not limited to:
• Supervising and training junior staff.
• Planting native trees and shrubs.
• Planting maintenance (weeding/brushing/mulching).
• Refuse and yard waste removal.
• Tree debris clean-up.
• Invasive plant removal.
• Responding to service requests from the public.
• Completing heavy physical work in all weather conditions, requiring sufficient physical strength, stamina and coordination.
• Trail surface repairs and edge vegetation pruning.
• Completing other related duties as required.

The Successful Applicant

• Is able to work independently as well as in a team environment and must be physically able to carry out the duties as required.
• Is a logical and analytical thinker in problem-solving situations.
• Has superior public relations, interpersonal, communication, organizational and leadership skills.
• Has considerable knowledge of the principles, practices, standards and guidelines used in urban park natural area management.

Qualifications

Applicants Must Have

• Wildlife management.
• Completion of Grade 12, supplemented by successful completion of five additional relevant courses from an approved post-secondary education institution in any of the following course areas:
• Ecology.
• Conservation.
• Biology.
• Urban land management.

Plus a minimum of 2 years of recent experience in the management of natural areas.

• OR Completion of Grade 12 and completion of a diploma program from an approved post-secondary institution, with a minimum of 6 months recent experience in the management of natural areas.
• OR Completion of Grade 12 and a Technical Certificate Program (one year full-time) from an approved post-secondary institution, supplemented by 18 months of recent experience in the management of natural areas.

Applicants Will Meet The Following Requirements

• Experience supervising staff and strong leadership skills.
• Demonstrated ability to identify native and invasive plants.
• Experience with power tools (brush saw, hedge trimmer, backpack blowers) and hand tools (shovels, picks, hand snips, loppers, hand saws).
• Experience performing manual labour.
• Strong public relations, communication and interpersonal skills.
• Strong organizational, time management, record-keeping and computer skills.
• A valid, unrestricted Class 5 BC Driver's license with a safe driving record.

Closing Date

This job will be posted until September 6, 2023.

Our Values

Integrity - Service - Teamwork - Innovation - Community

Value