Horticulture And Forestry Specialist

Description

**This posting is open until filled.
The Horticulture and Forestry Specialist position is a field-based specialist position with an emphasis on horticulture, urban forestry, landscape vegetation, and community garden management and stewardship. The specialist will be responsible for the coordination of associated operational, maintenance, stewardship, and improvement programs and assigned staff, contractors, and volunteers. This position also serves as a member of the Operations Team supporting general field operations and maintenance of County open spaces, parks, and trails as assigned by the supervisor.

Duties

• Perform horticulture, urban forestry (arboriculture), and landscape maintenance and stewardship activities on parks, open spaces, trailheads, historic sites, and other properties. Supports minor / major maintenance, stewardship, and capital improvement projects.
• Develops and implements industry based horticultural programs, arboricultural programs, and landscape management practices for monitoring, installing, stewarding, and maintaining ornamental plant material, trees, and landscape vegetation.
• Participates in designing and renovating annual, perennial, shrub, or combination beds within parks, open spaces, trailheads, and other properties.
• Familiarity with irrigation system adjustments and operations to ensure plant material and trees receive adequate water. Collaborate with the operations staff to schedule and coordinate irrigation programs for horticultural and arboricultural vegetation resources.
• Water, fertilizes, and steward annuals, perennials, flowers, shrubs, and trees per soil tests, plant diagnostics, or weather patterns indicate or as directed by supervisor.
• Monitor landscapes and trees for pests (weeds, insects, and diseases) and perform cultural, mechanical, or pesticide applications associated with proper Integrated Pest Management. Monitor and coordinate contract work in service of stewarding landscape and tree resources.
• Perform landscape demolition, renovations, or new installations. Review construction documents to mitigate impacts on existing horticultural or arboricultural resources and to ensure new plantings meet departmental standards. Establish proper planting and transplanting specifications for use in manuals, fact sheets and/or construction documents.
• Develop and carry out a tree care program which includes but not limited to planting, pest and disease control, pruning, seasonal watering, winter tree protection, removals, and/or storm damage mitigation.
• Coordinate horticultural work with non-profit partner or municipal agencies and volunteers in maintaining the department’s community gardens and landscapes.
• Operates and maintains parks, horticulture, forestry, and trail maintenance equipment including but not limited to County vehicles, mowers, spray equipment, chainsaws, plows, power tools, tractors, UTVs, dump trucks, trailers, skid steers, front-end loaders, bucket trucks, and mini excavators.
• Maintains and conducts periodic horticultural, arboricultural, and landscape assessments and inventories associated with each site utilizing a maintenance management system, GPS devices, geographic
• information systems and other technologies. Synthesize associated information to develop work plans and
• reports.
• Monitor open spaces, parks, trailheads, and associated landscapes for compliance with County land management standards and policies. Builds and utilizes collaborative relationships with local/state/federal land management agencies, partners, and universities.
• Participates in public outreach, citizen, stakeholder, and volunteer education/engagement efforts and programs to provide information on divisional landscape care, horticultural management, arboricultural management, and other stewardship activities.
• Understands and adheres to safe work practices and procedures. Monitor parks, open spaces, trailheads, and trails for safety issues and compliance with County standards and policies.
• Maintains assorted records and reports utilizing County software applications to track work reporting/monitoring, develop work orders, and ensure ongoing sustainable land management practices.
• Supports the removal of debris and snow from open spaces, parks, trailheads, trails, and sidewalks using sweeping and snow removal equipment. Supports County level snow removal and emergency management operations when necessary.
• Supports the operations and logistics associated with special events occurring at the 17 Mile House Farm Park, Fairgrounds Event Center or through Departmental partnerships.

• Extensive knowledge of the principles, practices, methods and techniques of Horticulture and arboriculture practices and associated best management practices.
• Extensive knowledge and skills in the use of materials, tools, and equipment used in Horticulture and arboriculture vegetation, tree, and vegetation maintenance and management.
• Knowledge of the principles, practices, methods and techniques of Horticulture and arboriculture stewardship and asset protection.
• Knowledge of occupational hazards and standard safety practices. Ability to train and educate other staff and volunteers on these practices.
• Thorough knowledge and understanding of Best Management Practices in Horticulture and arboriculture operation and maintenance. Including the use of technologies to monitor and collect data on horticulture beds, urban forests, and landscape areas.
• General knowledge of ornamental landscape plants and trees to include grasses, forbs, shrubs, perennials, trees, including proper plant identification, and associate landscape stewardship techniques.
• Knowledge in the use and application of GPS devices, geographic information systems, and other technologies to collect field data, monitor, and/or manage horticultural assets and arboricultural assets.
• Use of maintenance management and work order software to track time and effort required to manage Horticulture and arboriculture programs and activities.
• Ability to work independently on a regular basis and occasionally lead a team of field staff.
• Ability to apply pesticides/herbicides as part of an integrated pest management program. Inventory weeds and other pests utilizing geographic information systems or global positioning systems.
• Ability to understand and follow oral and written instructions which includes communicating in a clear and concise manner, both orally and in writing. Ability to produce field reports and provide data summaries.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with County officials, general public, internal and external customers.

Requirements

Education and Experience:

• High school diploma or GED
• Four (4) or more years of horticulture, urban forestry, or groundskeeping experience
• Two (2) or more years of experience coordinating a work crew and/or volunteer groups
• Any equivalent combination of education and work experience that satisfy the requirements of the job will be considered.

• Associates degree in Horticulture and/or forestry, natural science, or related field
• Pre-Employment (or within time frames after employment) Additional Requirements:
• Possession of or ability to obtain within six (6) months, a valid First Aid/CPR/AED certification.
• Possession of a valid Colorado Class R Driver’s License (Motor Vehicle Report is required at time of hiring. Maintenance of acceptable driving record is necessary.)
• Possession of or the ability to obtain a Colorado Class A commercial Driver’s License within one (1) year of employment. Must be able to pass Commercial Driver’s License health exam.
• Must pass pre-employment motor vehicle driving record check, physical, background check and drug screening (marijuana is included in this screening).
• Possession of or the ability to obtain within six (6) months of employment a Colorado Certified Operator license in the Turf and Ornamental categories. Ability to obtain a Qualified Supervisor rating in the ornamental category within two years.
• Possession of or ability to obtain within two (2) years of employment the Colorado State University Extension Master Gardener designation or Certified Arborist designation through the International Association of Arboriculture.

Supplemental Information

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

• Employee works indoors and outdoors, most of their time spent in the field often in extreme weather conditions and over rough terrain frequently in remote areas. May occasionally be exposed to various types of heavy equipment or agricultural machinery.
• Employees in this position may be exposed to all the dangers associated with working outside, including but not limited to, pollen, animal dander, peanuts and other allergens, mouse droppings, snakes, insects, bites and stings and similar hazards.
• Available to work on-call hours in rotation, as needed.
• Available to work the County Fair, including preparations and take down as well as other Open Spaces special events.
• Available to work during evenings, weekends, irregular hours, as needed. Serves as County essential personnel.

• Spends 20% of the time sitting and 80% of the time either upright or walking.
• Frequently lifts, carries, pulls or pushes up to 40 lbs.
• Occasionally uses cart, dolly, or other equipment to carry in excess of 40 lbs.
• Frequently climbs, stoops, kneels, balances, reaches, crawls and crouches while performing office or work duties.
• Verbal and auditory capacity enabling constant interpersonal communication through automated devices, such as telephones, radios, and similar; and in public meetings and personal interactions.
• Constant use of eye, hand and finger coordination enabling the use of automated office machinery or equipment.
• Visual capacity enabling constant use of computer or other work-related equipment.
• Heavy manual labor in the outdoors and the need to walk long distances is typical with this position.

As a Regular Full-Time employee at Arapahoe County Government, you are eligible for benefits such as:

• Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance
• Life and Supplemental Life Insurance
• Short and Long Term Disability
• Mandatory Pension Plan
• Deferred Compensation Plan
• Pre-paid Legal Services
• Vacation and Sick Leaves
• Holiday pay
• Training and Educational Reimbursement Opportunities