Technician, Forestry

Responsible for providing technical expertise and support in the field and office to support the ongoing management of forestry assets. This includes responding to service requests, assessing the health and condition of forestry assets, determining and prioritizing any required work, monitoring and providing direction to contractors, and supporting contract management activities on streets, parks, and City property.

• Completes tree assessments, resolves service requests, generates work orders to mitigate hazards, creates asset inspections, updates tree inventory.
• Responsible for administering multiple Forestry related contracts and related budget monitoring.
• Provides proactive communication to inform Councillors, Communications (311), Division Staff and City residents with consistent and concise information.
• Provides supervision, direction and assigns work orders to appropriate staff/contractors. Monitors daily work through site inspections and completes daily logs. Conducts final inspections to ensure work has been completed to required specifications.
• Performs necessary on-site inspections to confirm contractors/staff have required tools and equipment to complete work in a safe manner as per all relevant Health and Safety guidelines.
• Performs arboricultural tasks and assists the Forestry Maintenance and Operations team in organizing and planning work to be carried out
• Responds to internal and external client requests and inquiries relating to roadside vegetation (trees, shrubs and turf) and has the ability to identify site specific problems.
• Research property ownership using available software tools.
• Support the Supervisor(s) and/or Forestry Coordinator(s) with coordinating and administering the complete contract lifecycle, including preparation, procurement, execution, monitoring and closure.
• Provide input into the preparation of effective specifications for tree maintenance, tree planting, and/or vegetation management contracts including analyzing bids and making recommendations
• Ensure contracts adhere to applicable legislation, regulations, policies, and requirements.
• Ensure contractor performance aligns with contract specifications and service level agreements (SLAs).
• Performs administrative work and record keeping, including inspection reports and daily logs.
• Maybe required to provide after-hours emergency response for tree-related incidents, including triaging and prioritizing work during major storms and critical events.

• Post-secondary degree or diploma in urban forestry, forestry, arboriculture, or related discipline;
• Current ISA Arborist/Tree Worker or equivalent;
• Tree Risk Assessment Qualification (TRAQ) would be an asset;
• Minimum of 2 years relevant experience in urban forestry;
• Knowledge of urban forestry, arboriculture, and landscape construction principles and practices;
• Experience with tree planting and establishment, or tree maintenance, or boulevard vegetation management on streets, parks, and City property, on hardscape and softscape;
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills to interact with residents, stakeholders and elected officials effectively;
• Sound knowledge of applicable legislation, regulations, and policies (i.e. Occupational Health and Safety Act);
• Must hold a valid Ontario G Driver's License or higher with an acceptable driving record.