Tractor Driver/Forest Craftsperson

What you’ll do…

You will drive a tractor for approximately 30% of your time, carrying out flailing and mowing, post knocking, and light timber forwarding operations. The remaining 70% will involve working as a forest craftsperson, utilizing a range of practical and countryside skills including chainsaw and clearing saw work, grass strimming, fencing, planting, applying herbicides, path maintenance, and basic surveying.

Please see the job description below for more information and details about what we need from you.

Where you’ll work…

These roles will be based in the Chilterns beat, covering Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire, and Berkshire. You will be based from The Forestry Commission office near Wendover Woods, situated in the beautiful surroundings of the Chiltern Hills, Upper Icknield Way, Aylesbury, HP22 5N.

Key responsibilities & accountabilities

Operational

• Operate the district tractor to carry out a range of operations including mowing & flailing of rides and hedgerows, material handling, including front-end loading.
• Restock and establishment work: hand planting, tree guard construction, repairing fences, and controlling vegetation.
• Clearing and maintaining trees: high pruning, cutting back, and felling.
• Tree safety work: surveys, putting up safety signs and safety fencing.
• Tree survey work related to managing potentially hazardous trees.
• Woodland maintenance work such as high pruning operations to maintain access and the management or clearance of trees or other vegetation.
• Make sure work programmes you are responsible for are delivered effectively and efficiently.
• Surveying, including measuring/tariffing, tree safety, stocking density, and a variety of recreation trails.
• When needed, gather operational data accurately and efficiently and maintain appropriate up-to-date records to the standard required.
• Carry out a diverse range of practical woodland maintenance to a high standard meeting health and safety and environmental guidance, including planting trees, felling trees, repairing fences and barriers, maintaining signs, weeding, and cleaning.
• Maintain, restore, and create various habitats for ecological benefit and to improve the landscape. The work will include the felling and planting of trees and shrubs and the management of vegetation, which will include fencing, chainsaw use, and the application of pesticides.
• Monitor and collect data such as general surveying, fence-line and boundary inspections, and assessing tree densities on restocked and newly planted sites.
• Deliver essential plants, materials, consumables, etc., to work sites.

Team Working and Health & Safety:

• Operate and maintain tools and resources to required standards and make sure work on site meets our health and safety standards.
• By effectively liaising with colleagues and stakeholders, plan, implement, and deliver efficient work programmes that help meet Forestry England’s aims and objectives.
• Engage proactively and respond constructively to existing and prospective customers and present the highest standards of professionalism when representing Forestry England in the marketplace.
• Carry out risk assessments working to high health and safety standards which are guided by FISA (Forest Industry Safety Accord).
• Work effectively as part of a small team and respond quickly to unexpected work and issues raised by supervisors and foresters.
• Represent Forestry England well when talking to contractors, customers, visitors, stakeholders, and when working with volunteers.
• Perform any other tasks reasonably requested by your line manager.

Person Specification

Essential Professional & Technical Experience

• Practical experience in forestry or countryside/environmental management.
• General understanding of forestry, arboriculture, nature conservation, outdoor recreation, and countryside-related issues.
• Experience operating and maintaining a tractor and familiarity with a variety of hand tools.
• Competence in using tractor mounted implements such as a side arm flail, front end bucket and forks.
• Awareness of health and safety systems relevant to practical countryside work (e.g., risk assessments, FISA guides, lone working systems).
• NPTC (or equivalent) in safely applying pesticides using handheld applicators.
• Competent IT user with experience in MS Office suite of applications.
• Good interpersonal and communication skills, ability to work effectively alone and as part of a team.

Qualifications

Essential

• City & Guilds NPTC Level 2 Award or equivalent in practical forestry skills (e.g., chainsaw maintenance, cross-cutting, felling and processing trees up to 380mm).
• Full UK driving license.
• GCSE in Maths and English or functional skills equivalent.

Desirable

• Forestry or land management qualification.
• Further NPTC and Lantra qualifications in forestry-based skills.
• Emergency first aid at work + forestry (F).
• NPTC forest machine operator’s certificate in base machine (wheeled ridged).
• NPTC forest machine operator’s certificate in mechanical flails and mulchers.
• NPTC (or equivalent) in safely applying pesticides using handheld applicators.

How to Apply

How to apply…

You will be asked to write a 200 word statement on your relevant experience and career history, along with a personal statement of no more than 500 words. You will be assessed on both during sifting. More details about how to apply are listed on the application form. 

During the interview stage, you will be assessed on technical skills, strengths, and behaviours.

The Behaviours being assessed at interview are –  

Successful candidates will undergo a criminal record check and the government baseline personnel security standard check.

If you require any reasonable adjustments, please email fcrecruitmentteam@forestryengland.uk.

You can learn more about the job and make your application here.