Professional forester (degree)

KSBs

Knowledge

K1: Terminology used in forestry and silviculture. Back to Duty

K2: Survey and assessment techniques for information gathering e.g. techniques for constraints and opportunity mapping, use of LIDAR, remote sensing, satellite imagery. Back to Duty

K3: Legislation, industry guidelines and best practice in Health and Safety for Forestry including Health and Safety at Work Act (1974), FISA guidance e.g. Managing Health and Safety in Forestry. Back to Duty

K4: Forestry legislation and governance including principles of the Forestry Act (1967) and relevant amendments, UK Forestry Standard and UK Woodland Assurance standard. Back to Duty

K5: Sources and use of Woodland Management Plan templates and tools. Back to Duty

K6: The factors affecting tree growth and woodland condition including species selection. Back to Duty

K7: Interpretation of silvicultural data to include analysis and predictive models for example, natural capital assessment, climate change impacts. Back to Duty

K8: Silvicultural techniques for woodland management, for example selective thinning, clearfell. Back to Duty

K9: Manual, digital and remote silvicultural mensuration and survey techniques, for example Blue Book, digital reloscope, satellite imagery. Back to Duty

K10: The forest industry business and market requirements and sector intelligence including timber and land markets & values, grant and incentive regimes, investment forestry, production forecasts. Back to Duty

K11: Woodland creation and forest design principles, including regulatory requirements, effects of land use change, forest resilience, species selection, ecology and use of appropriate decision support tools. Back to Duty

K12: Strategies and techniques for stakeholder engagement for example consultations, public relations, use of media. Back to Duty

K13: Silvicultural systems in relation to carbon modelling and accounting, sequestration and climate change mitigation. Back to Duty

K14: Carbon markets, the Woodland Guarantee, the Woodland Carbon Code and incentives such as the Woodland Carbon Planning Grant. Back to Duty

K15: Techniques for management of own performance. Back to Duty

K16: Principles of relationship management e.g. volunteers, contractors or staff. Back to Duty

K17: Legislation and regulation relating to wider land use for example Public Rights of Way, Countryside Rights of Way, Town and Country Planning Act, use of UAV’s, Countryside and Wildlife Act, European Protected Species, Statutory Plant Health Notices. Back to Duty

K18: Financial management including grant applications, budgeting, contract management, timber tenders and sales. Back to Duty

K19: Planning, resourcing and procurement of forest works, including seasonal and operational implications for working and impact on the environment, in line with UKFS requirements and guidance. Back to Duty

K20: Responsibilities in relation to risk to people including dynamic site / operation risk assessment, lone working, safety software (for example what3words), promoting safety culture, public safety. Back to Duty

K21: Factors affecting the planning, management and mitigation of risk on a forest works site (Forest Works Supervisor role), for example biosecurity, pollution control, environmental factors. Back to Duty

K22: Operational management of establishment, maintenance, harvesting and restock sites, including roles and responsibilities of landowner, works supervisor, contractors and sub-contractors (in line with FISA guidance and industry best practice). Back to Duty

K23: Safe and effective methods for timber handling, storage, haulage and roading. Back to Duty

Skills

S1: Navigate to work sites using tools (e.g. maps, compasses, location apps, GPS) Back to Duty

S2: Create maps to represent forestry / woodland sites using both paper and digital formats. Back to Duty

S3: Identify, classify and prioritise different sources of silvicultural information and data Back to Duty

S4: Use digital technology to conduct desk-based surveys. Back to Duty

S5: Apply accurate mensuration and survey techniques. Back to Duty

S6: Create Woodland Management / Creation Design Plan Back to Duty

S7: Produce and manage silvicultural operational assessments / schemes of work / operational and harvesting plans. Back to Duty

S8: Develop complex silviculture modelling scenarios including carbon balance, land use, landowner objectives, timber and/or other income. Back to Duty

S9: Communicate with others using different methods, for example digital, written, verbal, presentational (maps & sketches). Back to Duty

S10: Establish and manage internal and external relationships, for example contractors, media, stakeholders. Back to Duty

S11: Select and apply appropriate online silvicultural tool or application for task, for example MyForest, Felling Licence Online, Ecological Site Classification Tool, ForestGales Back to Duty

S12: Select and apply appropriate silvicultural systems to achieve management objectives. Back to Duty

S13: Manage risks to the environment including pollution, biosecurity, habitat degradation. Back to Duty

S14: Identify and manage risks to self, employees, public and others using dynamic site and operational risk assessment according to FISA Guidance. Back to Duty

S15: Collate, analyse and interpret silvicultural data and make recommendations. Back to Duty

S16: Develop and maintain effective information networks. Back to Duty

S17: Create and manage financial models and budgets. Back to Duty

S18: Prepare and manage financial and contractual documents (e.g. tenders, sales contracts, grant agreements). Back to Duty

S19: Manage, maintain and record own performance, professional development and currency of silvicultural knowledge. Back to Duty

Behaviours

B1: Act with integrity, for example being open and transparent in dealing with clients and respecting their confidentiality. Take full responsibility for your actions. Back to Duty

B2: Communicates effectively and respectfully towards clients and colleagues and takes into account cultural sensitivities and business practices Back to Duty

B3: Act professionally, providing a high standard of service based on sound business evidence. Back to Duty

B4: Adopt and promote a safety culture within the organisation and acts with regard to health, safety and wellbeing for self and others. Back to Duty

B5: Embed sustainable working practices. Back to Duty