Seed Resources Assistant

Location

Bristol | United Kingdom

Job description

This is a Fixed Term Appointment until 31st March 2025. It is funded by Defra’s Nature for Climate Fund, via the Forestry Commission’s Sector Capacity team. The role will be based within Forestry England’s Plant and Seed Supply unit and will report to the Nature for Climate Fund Seed Supply Working Group. The group’s remit is to increase the quantity, quality and diversity of tree seed available in England.

The role of Seed Resources Assistant will play an important part in helping to deliver this, by providing a comprehensive evaluation of Forestry England’s registered seed stands and seed orchards and producing a management plan for each of them that will ensure they are managed to maximise seed production and provide a sustainable long term seed resource.

Key Work Areas

• To evaluate the current management status and quality of all of Forestry England’s registered source identified and selected seed stands, and, where needed, qualified and tested seed orchards.
• To produce a management plan for each of the seed stands and seed orchards.
• Appraise whether the source identified seed stands have the potential to be improved and brought up to selected seed stand status.
• In addition – time permitting; to identify and register new seed stands on the public forest estate.

To deliver this, it is envisaged that regular, probably weekly, site visits will be required, along with associated overnight stays so that the program may be delivered efficiently, whilst avoiding excessively long days due to travel.

A template will be provided for the evaluations so that consistent data may be obtained for each site. The data will be used to produce a bespoke management plan for each stand / orchard. The plan will include any short-term remedial work that may be required, plus longer-term work schedules, to ensure that the stands / orchards are productive and sustainable in the long term.

Job tags

Salary

£26.54k per annum