Arborist

Wildwood Biological Consulting, a California-based environmental consulting firm, is seeking a motivated and experienced Arborist for a 3-year duration road construction project in Sequoia National Park, CA. The project is scheduled to begin in late February or March of 2025 and will run through 2027. The Arborist is needed in an on-call capacity for 2025. In 2026, the Arborist will be needed in an on-call capacity for a portion of the year and for daily monitoring activities for the rest of the year. In 2027, the Arborist will be needed for daily monitoring activities for the majority of the year. The successful applicant may be kept on to work additional projects, as available, upon completion of this project.

Responsibilities

Arborist responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• monitoring construction activities while work is performed in Sequoia mitigation zones and while excavation occurs around sensitive trees to ensure compliance with environmental regulations and project-specific mitigation measures;
• communicating effectively with project stakeholders, including construction crews and agency representatives.

Qualifications

• International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) certified arborist or equivalent knowledge, skills, and abilities as evidenced by documented education and/or experience;
• Knowledge of tree anatomy/biology, species identification, and construction impacts/ mitigations;
• Knowledge of species-specific resilience/vulnerability to construction and overall construction techniques;
• Knowledge of construction activity’s impact on tree root systems (e.g., soil compaction, root severing, drainage changes, and water stress);
• Knowledge of construction activity’s impact on tree trunk and branches (e.g., wounding, scald, mechanical damage);
• Knowledge of construction activity’s impact on tree health and stability (e.g., destabilization, secondary pests/infection, cultural and environmental changes);
• Knowledge of and experience in applying accepted industry standards related to trees and construction (e.g., ANSI A300 Construction Management Standard – Part 5 and accompanying ISA Best Management Practices, BSI/BS 5837 – Trees in Relation to Design, Demolition and Construction);
• Skill in utilizing the site plan to aid in implementing the tree protection plan;
• Knowledge of methods for soil and root protection;
• Knowledge of tree protection measures (e.g., trunk/root protection, limiting ingress/egress, fences, and signage);
• Skill in recommending measures to protect trees from damage before and during construction;
• Knowledge of and ability to apply concepts such as Critical Root Zone (CRZ) and TreeProtection Zone (TPZ);
• Skill in coordinating tree protection activities with contractors;
• Knowledge of accepted industry standards for tree pruning (e.g., ANSI A300 PruningStandard – Part 1 and accompanying ISA Best Management Practices, BSI/BS 3998 TreeWork – Recommendations);
• Skill in determining where the pruning cut should be located according to branch union anatomy and industry-accepted best management practices;
• Skill in performing pruning cuts; and
• Skill in communicating proper pruning techniques to contractors.

Additional Requirements:

• must be able to hike long distances over varying terrain under varying weather conditions;
• must be capable of working full days in the field;
• valid CA driver’s license with clean driving record for past 3 years and possession of a reliable 4×4 vehicle or capable AWD vehicle;
• comfortability driving on uneven surfaces in mountainous terrain; and
• experience working around heavy machinery and communicating with construction crews.

Preferred Experience:

• Local Hire Preference: Preference will be given to applicants local to or willing to relocate to Three Rivers, CA, Visalia, CA, or the surrounding area. A local applicant that meets all job requirements may receive a higher rate.

Job Type: On-call

Pay: $35.00 – $50.00 per hour

Expected hours: No more than 40 per week

Schedule:

• 8 hour shift
• Monday to Friday
• On call

Work Location: In person