Job Description: CTUIR Mission Statement
Exercise the Tribe’s sovereign authority to achieve the maximum protection of resources identified in the treaty of 1855, to protect newly acquired lands wherein the Tribe has a vested interest, to protect the lands of all the citizens and residents of the Umatilla Indian Reservation. This position will protect human life, water, land, air, and wildlife by exercising professional skills and abilities in the protection of the resources of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR).

GENERAL STATEMENT OF DUTIES
The Forestry program is responsible for the ecological enhancement, economic development, and sustainable use of forest resources of allotted, Tribal trust and Tribal fee patent lands for the CTUIR. The Supervisory Forester oversees the development and implementation of activities and functions to carry out provisions of 25 Code of Federal Regulations. The Supervisory Forester develops, implements, and continues programs designed to secure optimum conservation and utilization of soil, water, and forestry resources to provide a reasonable income to Indian landowners consistent with other resource values. CTUIR employs the best available science to forward our mission through participation in policy, administrative processes, public outreach and education. The position will be under the supervision of the CTUIR Range, Agriculture and Forestry Program Manager. The Forestry Program is required to:

1. Integrate the protection, conservation, utilization, and enhancement of Tribal fee, trust and/or restricted Indian forestry lands with the desires of the beneficial owners.
2. Ensure that beneficial owners receive fair market value for forestry production; and
3. Accomplish 1 and 2 in conjunction with natural resource management objectives and cultural values of the Tribes.

DEPARTMENT AND PROGRAM BACKGROUND:
The CTUIR Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has adopted a mission statement based on protecting and enhancing culturally recognized foods (“First Foods”), including plant community components for which the Forestry Program is primarily responsible. The DNR Mission Statement is as follows: “To protect, restore, and enhance the First Foods – water, salmon, deer, cous, and huckleberry – for the perpetual cultural, economic, and sovereign benefit of the CTUIR. We will accomplish this utilizing traditional ecological and cultural knowledge and science to inform: 1) population and habitat management goals and actions; and 2) natural resource policies and regulatory mechanisms.”

In support of the DNR Mission, the Range, Agriculture and Forestry Program mission statement is as follows: “To protect, restore and enhance first foods through stewardship of range, agricultural and forested lands to provide cultural, ecological, economic and social benefits for the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation. In accomplishing this mission the Range, Agriculture and Forestry program encourages stakeholders to conserve, develop and use natural resources for long term sustainability. ”

Food plants of cultural importance to the CTUIR include for example below-ground root plants represented in the First Food order for example by cous and above-ground fruiting plants represented by huckleberry. Therefore, the management of forested lands must take into account ecological processes that protect and enhance these and other cultural foods in addition to providing forage and habitat for upland wildlife species, domestic livestock and forest stand development.

Foresters work by developing healthy forest environments by ensuring proper tree selection and stocking for the given environment of each stand, providing specifications for prescribed burning, developing management scenarios for enhancement of big game and culturally sensitive food plants. The Supervisory Forester shall develop forest treatment schemes using ecological principles to determine the effects of current and future impacts to Umatilla Indian Reservation forested lands.

The Supervisory Forester will help inform decision and policy makers at the CTUIR of alternatives for forest land management as they pertain to the overall goals and objectives of the CTUIR on lands within the ceded boundary. Criteria for comparing and assessing management alternatives may include on and off-site environmental effects, cost/benefit analysis, and interrelated social and economic factors.

EXAMPLES OF ESSENTIAL JOB DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Supervisory Controls: Directly oversees both the technical and administrative aspects of managing the forested areas under the jurisdiction of the CTUIR. This includes comprehensive supervision and management duties covering inventory, planning, coordination, and execution of forest management activities within the Range, Agriculture, and Forestry Program.
2. Forest Management: Executes the CTUIR Forest Management Plan, ensuring its effective implementation. Takes a leading role in formulating updates and adaptations to the Forest Management Plan as necessary to address evolving needs and circumstances.
3. Forest Evaluation: Leads the evaluation of the CTUIR Forest throughout NE Oregon and SW Washington through conducting thorough field inspections and assessments of forest stands. Identifies areas requiring short or long-term cultural treatment in alignment with the overarching First Food Mission framework. Reviews and approves project proposals for specialized investigations into silvicultural practices, including planting, seeding, timber stand enhancement, and tree and shrub enhancement activities. Collaborates in determination of contributory timber values for land appraisals that support negotiated land sales and probate settlements.
4. Forest Vegetation Treatment: Plans, coordinates, and evaluates the timber stand improvement program, considering both commercial and pre-commercial aspects. Prescribes cutting practices based on thorough analysis of stand conditions and resource requirements. Provides technical leadership and evaluation for proposed and ongoing timber sale programs to ensure sustainable forest productivity and environmental protection. Conducts inspections throughout all phases of reforestation and forest improvement projects, recommending corrective actions as necessary. Coordinates silvicultural needs with principal resource management assistants and pursues funding for forestry resource conservation.
5. Forest Regulatory Compliance and Interagency Coordination: Evaluates forestry plans and operations in terms of compliance with the CTUIR Forest Management Plan, 25 CFR and the CTUIR Land Development Code. Maintains liaison with employees of Federal and State governments, local officials, and private organizations or landowners who are affected by, or otherwise have a shared interest in, the forest land management practices and problems in the forest area; provides technical assistance on mutual reforestation problems. Participates in the preparation and review of environmental analysis reports, environmental impact statements and internal or external reports. Insures collection of Trust Funds consistent with regulations and mandates of the Trust Asset and Accounting Management System (T AAMS).
6. Outreach: Plans, coordinates, and conducts training on forestry principles and practices, including planting and seeding procedures, ground and seedbed preparation techniques, timber stand improvement techniques, effects of silvicultural treatments on other resources and control of animals, insects, or diseases affecting reforestation and regeneration programs.
7. Collateral Duty: Provides support to staff of the program and other Tribal programs as time and funding allow. Acquire membership and participate in professional organizations that work to maintain and enhance ecosystem function on the Umatilla Indian Reservation and ceded lands where necessary.
8. Fire/Fuels Program: Provides technical input to Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) Fire Program concerning hazardous fuels treatments in terms of silvicultural and Prescribed Fire prescriptions. Participation in the BIA Fire Program is extended to each Range, Agriculture and Forestry Program member. Employees working in forested environments are strongly encouraged to participate in fire suppression and prescribed fire programs. Must be able to meet National Wildland Fire Coordinating Group requirements at the arduous level prior to participation fire suppression and prescribed fire.

This position is estimated to be 50% in the office and 50% in the field reviewing and applying forest management activities.

Service Objectives:

Responsibilities to Tribal Community

1. Responsive to community goals and Tribal treaty rights for natural resource protection and restoration for the purpose of maintaining an active Tribal culture.
2. Performs job in a professional and ethical manner.
3. Courteous and respectful to community members.

Supportive Work Environment

1. Support a positive work environment.
2. Communications:
   1. Keep others informed of work issues and programs by maintaining quality communications.
   2. Work at the most direct and immediate level to resolve issues of conflicting personalities and needs.
3. Develop and maintain proactive working relationships with funding agency contract officer technical representatives.

Organization Improvement

1. Commitment to a philosophy of quality.
2. Display proactive view initiative and creativity to resolve problems, capitalize on opportunities in the job and assist co-workers when possible.
3. Cost-effective use of CTUIR’s resources.

SUPERVISORY AUTHORITY:
Supervises 3 to 6 employees within the Forestry Program not including Seasonal and internship employees.

SIGNATORY AUTHORITY:
Completes and signs Forestry Staff 1) Time Sheets, 2) Travel Authorizations, 3) Leave Requests, 4) Evaluations and 5) Personnel Performance Actions.

ACCESS TO SENSITIVE AREAS: Supervisory Forester will be responsible for overseeing, creating and maintaining trust documents containing sensitive information covered by the Privacy Act 1974 as amended. Supervisory Forester must be able to pass a DOI BIA Background check to access the Trust Asset Accounting System.