Rainforest Adviser

You only need to set foot in Scotland's lush, verdant and atmospheric rainforests to understand their enchantment. Bursting with biodiversity, these woodlands are one of the world's rarest habitats. But Scotland's Rainforest is in trouble and urgent action is needed to save it.

The Morvern peninsula contains some of Scotland's finest remaining rainforest, and there is huge potential to restore and expand this habitat for the benefit of people and wildlife. Through the RSPB-led Saving Morvern's Rainforest project, we hope to support landowners, managers, and the local community in realising their vision of a thriving, healthy rainforest.

We are seeking a Rainforest Adviser to enthuse a network of landowners, managers and the local community on the action required for rainforest restoration.

The Rainforest Adviser will work closely with the Project Manager and Rainforest Restoration Team to support all elements of Saving Morvern’s Rainforest project.

Key work areas:

• Increase local awareness and understanding of the significance, value and management requirements of rainforest habitat, particularly to landowners and land managers.
• Provide advice, training and information to landowners, land managers, land use advisers and the local community on favourable management of rainforest habitat, including for internationally rare species of lichens, bryophytes and ferns.
• Build and maintain positive working relationships with landowners, land managers, land use advisers, specialist contractors, members of Morvern Deer Management Group, the local community, project partners and Alliance for Scotland’s Rainforest members to ensure integrated, effective and efficient delivery of project objectives.
• Delivery of demonstration events to showcase best practice rainforest management.
• Provide conservation information and specialist knowledge to RSPB project staff to support decision-making on the project, including assisting with the development and planning of practical works.
• Carry out relevant survey and monitoring activities across the project area.
• Manage electronic data, mapping and reporting systems.

Essential skills, knowledge and experience:

1. Excellent knowledge of the ecology and species of Scotland’s rainforest, the management practices we are seeking to influence, and the pressures on land use within the project area.
2. Experience of providing effective woodland management advice and training to landowners and managers, with the ability to be influential, persuasive and negotiate desired outcomes.
3. Experience surveying woodland sites, including using Herbivore Impact Assessments as a tool to assess habitat condition.
4. Sufficient knowledge and working experience of Forestry Grant Schemes and their application.
5. Experience of writing woodland management prescriptions and plans.
6. Ability to collect and analyse data as part of a monitoring programme and write relevant reports.
7. Good botanical field identification skills, including that of lichens and bryophytes.
8. Excellent inter-personal and communication skills, with an open, collaborative, networking approach.
9. A full, manual driving licence that is valid in the UK. Given the remote location of sites and limited public transport, the ability to drive is essential for this role.

Desirable skills, knowledge and experience:

1. Experience of woodland management delivery, including supervision and oversight of practical woodland management operations.
2. Knowledge of (or willingness to learn about) novel green financing investment models.
3. Effective project management skills.
4. Competency in use of mapping software, GIS or Merlin.
5. Competent user of core MS Office programmes.

Additional Information:

This is a Fixed-Term role for 30 months, Full-Time for 37.5 hours per week. The RSPB reserves the right to extend or make this role permanent without further advertising dependent on business needs at the end of the contract term.

We are looking to conduct interviews for this position on 19 March 2024. For further information please contact Ellen.Bird@RSPB.org.uk.

As part of this application process you will be asked to provide a copy of your CV and complete an application form including evidence on how you meet the skills, knowledge, and experience listed above.

We are committed to developing an inclusive and diverse RSPB, in which everyone feels supported, valued, and able to be their full selves. To achieve our vision of creating a world richer in nature, we need more people, and more diverse people, on nature’s side. People of colour and disabled people are currently underrepresented across the environment, climate, sustainability, and conservation sector. If you identify as a person of colour and/or disabled, we are particularly interested in receiving your application. Contact us to discuss any additional support you may need to complete your application.

The RSPB is an equal opportunities employer. This role is covered by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974.

This role is not eligible for UK Visa Sponsorship - the successful applicant will need to have a pre-existing Right to Work in the UK in order to be offered an employment contract.