Woodland Creation Officer

Location

This role is based in North East England (hybrid working, a mixture of homeworking, site visits and days in the office – Tyneside House, Newcastle).

About the Job

Woodlands are a precious resource. Each year they produce over 11 million tonnes of timber across the UK, remove 18 million tonnes of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, and attract 475 million visits from the public. They provide a range of ecosystem services including enhancing biodiversity, removing natural pollutants, natural flood mitigation, and recreation, alongside supporting the rural economy. We are at an important time where woodlands are needed more than ever to help tackle the climate emergency and provide a much-needed sanctuary for people and wildlife. Our Prime Minister and our government are committed to creating 75,000 acres of woodland a year across the UK by the end of this Parliament. This ambition will contribute to meeting the net-zero by 2050 ambitions, and to government’s wider environmental targets.

The Forestry Commission’s Forest Services (FS) are the Government’s forestry experts responsible for enabling land owners and managers, businesses, civil society organisations, and local communities to protect, improve and expand England’s woodlands. It achieves this through regulation, incentives, and advice.

The Yorkshire and North East Area contains over 212,000 hectares of woodland ranging from important habitat networks of Ancient Woodlands through to large productive conifer forests. In the North East the predominant woodland type is conifer (64.5%) whereas in Yorkshire and the Humber broadleaves form the most significant component (41.5%).

This diverse range of woodland types extends over 4 National Parks and 3 Areas of Outstanding National Beauty and through the urban woodland resource is also connected to Leeds, Sheffield and Newcastle.

The Area Team operates from the Defra Office (Kings Pool, Foss House) in York with a further office located with the Environment Agency (Tyneside House) in Newcastle. Our work involves engagement with an enormous range of people and organisations, from small landowners and wood business through to large corporations and other public bodies.

Job Description

The Woodland Creation Officer role represents Forest Services front-line woodlands and forestry expertise. It involves ensuring the delivery of Government forestry policy through the effective use of advice and incentives. The role provides an important interface between Forest Services and landowners and forestry agents, promoting, advising on, and helping to administer diverse woodland creation proposals.

There is currently one role available – a Woodland Creation Officer based in North East England (hybrid working, a mixture of homeworking, site visits and days in the office – Tyneside House, Newcastle). However, we will use the reserve list from this recruitment to fill other Woodland Officer roles that come up in the area before September 2026. Please do apply if you would like to sit on this reserve list.

The post-holder will be expected to focus on woodland creation. They will advocate the benefits of woodland creation and proactively communicate with and advise landowners and investors considering woodland creation. The post-holder will also understand and advise on the regulatory aspects of individual woodland creation applications where required, though the post does not have any direct regulatory remit.

The post-holder will operate as part of the Area Delivery Teams, and also have close working links to the national Incentives Development team and the Promotion and Engagement workforce. They will also work closely with the national Policy and Advice team (PAt) to ensure that proposals meet the requirements of the UK Forestry Standard.

Regular travel across the FS Delivery Area and occasional overnight stays will be required.

Who are you looking for?

Providing front line advice on diverse woodland creation:

• Advising on available funding options;
• Communicating the requirements of the UK Forestry Standard (UKFS)’s woodland design and planning requirements;
• Working with Area teams to proactively identify and engage with landowners/agents with an interest in woodland creation;
• Supporting landowners and forestry agents in identifying consultees, sources of information and relevant contacts to facilitate the preparation of high quality UKFS-compliant woodland creation design plans.
• Liaise with relevant stakeholders (tenants, NGO’s, Government organisations) to ensure plans take into account relevant views and issues;
• Administration of woodland creation proposals and grant scheme applications:
• Acting as the point of contact for Woodland Creation Planning Grant applications and Woodland Carbon Fund applications;
  Liaising with Area teams and colleagues in the Incentives Development Team over the processing of grants;
  Advising the Incentives Development Manager and Admin Officer when applications are complete or need further input from either applicants or PAt colleagues;
• Responding to queries on applications;
• Liaising with statutory consultees and Defra-group colleagues over proposals, as appropriate.
• Playing an active role in the Area team:
• Engaging as part of the Area team in routine activities and discussions including health and safety, team meetings, vision and culture and business change and improvement;
• Communicating and sharing lessons learned and good practice on woodland creation proposals;
• Leading and supporting local targeted initiatives aimed at promoting woodland creation opportunities in the FS Delivery Area.

Developing and managing good working relationships with advisers and stakeholders:

• Cultivating relationships with advisers and consultees, specifically encouraging and facilitating proposals being shared and discussed as early as possible with relevant stakeholders;
• Presenting Government’s forestry policy clearly;
• Requesting support from National Office and Area team colleagues as required.

Person Specification

Essential

• Forestry or land management based degree (or equivalent qualification) and / or significant forestry or land management experience.
• Experience of managing or advising on woodland creation and management.
• Competent IT user with experience of the MS Office suite of applications.
• Proven ability to communicate with clarity, conviction and enthusiasm.

Please clearly demonstrate how the above apply to you throughout your application. Failure to do so will mean that your application is automatically sifted out.

Desirable

• Working knowledge of the UK Forest Standard.
• Experience and knowledge of delivering forestry incentives / regulations.
• Experience of working with a diverse range of stakeholders who may have conflicting views or objectives.
• Experience of working in partnership across delivery organisations
• Experience of supporting integrated land/woodland management
• Membership of (or working towards) a relevant professional institute (e.g. Institute of Chartered Foresters or RICS).
• Evidence of maintaining Continuous Professional Development

Full job details and how to apply