POSITION DESCRIPTION
Ministry of Forests, Lands and NAtural Resource
Operations
POSITION TITLE:
Stewardship Forester
DIVISION:
(e.g., Division, Region, Department)
Northern Interior Forest Region
UNIT:
(e.g., Branch, Area, District)
Peace Forest District
SUPERVISOR’S TITLE:
SUPERVISOR’S CLASSIFICATION:
Stewardship Officer
LSO Forester 3
POSITION
NUMBER(S):
LOCATION:
POSITION
NUMBER
PHONE NUMBER:
00087520
Dawson Creek
00005558
250-784-1200
PROGRAM FUNCTION
The Stewardship mandate is to promote forest management strategies and practices that ensure the sustainable use of
British Columbia’s forest and protection of the key environmental values under the Forest and Range Practices Act
(FRPA). The District Stewardship team supports the mandate by assisting with the development, monitoring, and
evaluation of forest management standards, strategies and management practices. The District Stewardship team
provides decision support related to sustainable timber supply and professional advice and opinions related to all
operational and strategic plans that apply to the working forest.
PURPOSE OF POSITION
The primary purpose of the District Stewardship Forester (DS Forester) is to support the development, implementation,
and evaluation of strategic and operational plans and stewardship initiatives in the District. As a member of a multidisciplinary team, the DS Forester assists with the review of strategic and operational plans and other planning
documents as well as development of strategies to meet operational planning goals in keeping with the Forest Act, Forest
and Range Practices Act (FRPA), and other relevant legislation. The DS Forester identifies, obtains, and prepares a wide
range of scientifically-based data related to on-the-ground forest practices required for the development and evaluation of
area-specific standards and management practices. The DS Forester also contributes to the Timber Supply Review
(TSR) process and management of forest health issues for the Stewardship Business Area.
NATURE OF WORK AND POSITION LINKS
The DS Forester reports to the District Stewardship Officer (DS Officer) and collaborates with a community of experts,
licensees, public and private stakeholders and First Nations to define operational plan requirements, to share resource
management data and to encourage cooperative initiatives promoting sustainable forest management. A primary
purpose of the DS Forester is to work with ministry and other resource agency staff collecting and synthesizing data and
information required by the DS Officer for analysis and decision making. The position may direct the work of stewardship
technicians and/or contractors, depending on the district requirements, which also influence how much time the DS
Forester spends on various responsibility areas.
SPECIFIC ACCOUNTABILITIES / DELIVERABLES
PROVIDES PROFESSIONAL OPINION AS WELL AS A WIDE RANGE OF SCIENTIFICALLY-BASED DATA AND
INFORMATION TO SUPPORT STRATEGIC AND OPERATIONAL PLANNING INITIATIVES ( 30 to 50% ):
 Participates as a member of a multi-disciplinary team in the review of operational plans and other planning
documents, including higher level strategic plans.
 Reviews operational planning elements and provides expert opinions for; consideration of site conditions,
ecological information, site assessments (visual impact, pest, etc.), management measures (riparian reserves,
vegetation management, etc.), soil conservation, silviculture systems, stocking requirements and mapping
requirements to ensure the information is complete and accurate.
 Liaises with ministry staff and staff in other resource agencies to keep informed of their resource management
objectives, strategic and planning initiatives and potential impacts on operational plans and other planning
documents.
 Identifies, obtains and analyzes forest stewardship resource management data from a variety of data bases and
other sources required for identifying potential impacts, inter-dependencies, monitoring and review of operational
plans and other planning documents.
 Provides input into contract requirements and technical specifications for recreation and visual landscape
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

inventories, archaeological impact assessments, planting, surveys, and forest health.
Responds to requests for expert advise, guidance and training related to operational plan requirements and
assists with the development and communication of area-specific standards for forest practices.
Assists with the development of local policies used to streamline the approval process for operational plans.
CONTRIBUTES TO TIMBER SUPPLY REVIEW PROCESSES AND MANAGEMENT OF LOCAL FOREST HEALTH
ISSUES (30%):
 Prepares and assists with analysis of data and information necessary for Timber Supply Review (TSR) decisions
related to treaty negotiations, tenure administration, Allowable Annual Cut (AAC) rationales, silviculture
strategies, forest practices policy, Timber Supply Areas (TSAs) Tree Farm Licenses (TFLs) Innovation Forest
Practices Agreements (IFPAs), Code Pilots, Woodlots, and Community Forests.
 Maintains area-specific knowledge of conditions related to TSR and forest health.
 Conducts forest health inventories at the timber supply unit level.
 Co-operates with other agencies in co-ordinating and participating in aerial overview surveys to detect and
monitor damage by forest pests for amalgamation at the provincial level.
 Reviews technical reports and surveys and assesses potential impact of forest health issues.
 Oversees and monitors a full range of treatments and provides input into treatment regimes.
PARTICIPATES IN REVEIWS AND ASSESSMENTS OF FOREST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES (20 %):
 Participates in the development and implementation of Quality Assurance (QA) initiatives and Effectiveness
Evaluations (EE) that support non-regulatory approaches to setting standards, such as Sustainable Forest
Management Planning (SFMP), Forest and Range Evaluation Program (FREP), Forest Investment Account (FIA),
initiatives and various forest certification schemes, as permissible within resource constraints.
 Assesses a diversity of project referrals ranging from commercial recreation tenures, applications for fee simple
land disposition, long term leases for industrial use, Ungulate Winter Range (UWR), and Wildlife Habitat Area
(WHA) for their known impact on the forest stewardship values and resources at the land level, to lessen liability
to the Crown for potential hazards, consider licensing requirements and identify issues and concerns to decisionmakers.
 Supports compliance and enforcement (C&E) activities, when specifically requested, including assessing forest
operator’s practices, collecting evidence for C&E case files, and testifying as an expert witness.
 Acts as a resource person on Stewardship objectives and values during public review and comment, First Nations
consultation and referral processes.
OTHER RELATED DUTIES (10 %):
 Signs and seals various documents as a Professional Forester.
 Assists with the delivery of Ministry Service Plan performance targets.
 May negotiate, manage, monitor, and evaluate contracts for professional services and certifies release of
payment on satisfactory performance.
DIRECT SUPERVISION (i.e., responsibility for signing the employee appraisal form)
# of Regular FTE’s
# of Auxiliary FTE’s
Directly supervises staff
0
0
Supervises staff through subordinate supervisors
0
0
Role
PROJECT /TEAM LEADERSHIP OR TRAINING (Check the appropriate boxes)
Role
# of FTE’s
Role
Supervises students or volunteers
Provides formal training to other staff
Lead project teams
Assigns, monitors and examines the work of staff
# of FTE’s
WORKING CONDITIONS
May be required to work outdoors in unfavourable weather conditions.
PREPARED BY
NAME:
DATE:
Elizabeth A. Hunt
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EXCLUDED MANAGER AUTHORIZATION
I confirm that:
1. the accountabilities / deliverables were assigned to this position effective: October 10, 2008.
2. the information in this position description reflects the actual work performed.
3. a copy has / will be provided to the incumbent(s).
NAME:
SIGNATURE:
DATE:
October 10, 2008
ORGANIZATION CHART
District Manager, Strategic Leadership, Position Number 1625
Resource Manager, Business Leadership, Position Number 2768
Stewardship Officer, LSO Forester 3, Position number 5558
Stewardship Forester, LSO Forester 2, Position Number 87520
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STAFFING CRITERIA
1. Professional Certification and Education
 Bachelor of Science in Forestry or Natural Resource Management and 3 years of current (gained over the
last five years and directly related experience or equivalent combination of education and experience.
 registration as a Registered Professional Forester (RPF) or eligible for registration as an RPF with the
Association of BC Forest Professionals (ABCFP) within two years.
2. Technical Knowledge
 working knowledge of forest and range resource management practices, particularly in the field of wildlife
habitat management;
 working knowledge of regulatory and legislative framework, and how this applies to the review of operational
plans, prescriptions, etc. and to issuance and administration of timber tenures;
 working knowledge of strategic and operational planning processes, including: establishing goals, targets,
indicators, field reconnaissance, drafting plans, implementation, monitoring and evaluation;
 working knowledge of project/contract administration, quality control monitoring concepts and activities;
 basic knowledge of a broad range of forest and range practices related to stewardship of resource values
including: wildlife, biodiversity, recreation, water, soils, cultural heritage resource features, hydrology,
silviculture systems, wildlife, forest health, timber supply, and visual resource management;
 basic knowledge of timber supply review process, apportionment to tenures, and delivery through timber
tenure issuance and administration;
 basic knowledge of compliance and enforcement, rules of evidence, rule of law, investigation techniques and
procedures.
3. Technical Skills
demonstrated ability to:
 collect, understand, interpret and analyze indicators of the effectiveness of on-the-ground forest practices to
determine whether forest practices are achieving results;
 gather facts, consider complex issues, recommend creative solutions and make decisions based on
professional judgment;
 prepare a wide variety of written documents such as technical reports and letters in a clear and concise
manner, appropriate to the audience;
 participate in the development, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of operational and management
plans, analyses and reports;
 work in a highly computerized environment to collect, synthesize and analyze resource management data
and assist with development and maintenance of databases.
4. Interpersonal and Communication Skills
demonstrated ability to:
 establish and maintain respectful, productive and cooperative working relationships with staff , public and
private stakeholders;
 work as an effective, productive member of a team;
 communicate information of a complex and technical nature in a manner appropriate to the audience;
 assist, coordinate and where applicable, monitor individuals who you may or may not supervise, but on
whose output you depend;
 establish and maintain effective working relationships and consult with licensees, First Nations, multiple users
and special interest groups;
 build agreement between people or groups with disparate interests;
 manage conflict, influence and persuade clients to comply with policies, procedures and timelines; • supervise
staff as required.
 effectively communicate Peace District specific issues in briefing note format to Region & Branch staff
5. Organizational Skills
demonstrated ability to:
 independently manage workload, set priorities, meet deadlines, work under pressure, adjust to change and
advise manager of significant issues and successes;
 co-ordinate and organize concurrent projects and the activities of work teams.
6. Working Conditions
 ability to withstand the rigours of field work;
 valid class 5 BC Driver’s License
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COMPETENCIES
Regional/District Field Operations
Licensed Science Officers
Recommended Behavioural Competencies
Types of Competencies
1. Core Organizational Competencies are based on the BC Public Service key values and organizational drivers that
support successful performance in all the BC Public Service jobs. These competencies are necessary for the BC Public
Service to meet its strategic goals and priorities, and are included in every competency profile.
2. Job-Specific Behavioural Competencies refer to the key interpersonal and personal skills and abilities that assist
individuals in being highly effective in their roles.
3. Threshold Competencies are those competencies that are essential for solid performance.
4. Technical Competencies are those critical skills and knowledge required for successful on the job performance.
The competencies have been grouped into the following four clusters: Thinking Capabilities, Leadership Effectiveness,
Self-Management and Social Awareness. Each cluster covers a broad range of behaviours and provides an overall
picture of the focus of the different behaviours. Not all positions necessitate development in all of the clusters.
� Self Management Cluster
• Flexibility, Level 3
• Improving Operations, Level 2
• Initiative, Level 2
• Self Confidence, Level 4
� Social Awareness Cluster
• Conflict Management, Level 3
• Impact and Influence, Level 4
• Information Seeking, Level 4
• Listening, Understanding and Responding, Level 4
• Teamwork and Co-operation, Level 3
� Thinking Capabilities Cluster
• Problem Solving and Judgement, Level 3
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