Natural Heritage Locality Liaison

Title: Natural Heritage Locality Liaison

State Role Title: Environmental Specialist I

Hiring Range: $50,000 - $60,000

Pay Band: 4

Agency: Dept Conservation & Recreation

Location: MAIN STREET CENTRE

Agency Website: www.dcr.virginia.gov

Recruitment Type: General Public - G

Job Duties

The Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) is the state’s lead conservation agency, and it takes a diverse agency to conserve resources for a diverse commonwealth.

The Natural Heritage Program's mission is conserving Virginia's biodiversity through inventory, protection, and stewardship. The Virginia Natural Area Preserves Act, 10.1-209 through 217 of the Code of Virginia, was passed in 1989 and codified DCR's powers and duties related to statewide biological inventory: maintaining a statewide database for conservation planning and project review, land protection for the conservation of biodiversity, and the protection and ecological management of natural heritage resources (the habitats of rare, threatened, and endangered species, significant natural communities, geologic sites, and other natural features).

The Locality Liaison works with localities, Planning District Commissions, and Non-Governmental Organizations to help protect natural heritage resources by providing access to biodiversity information and DCR-DNH consultative services. A key service is review of projects to identify and recommend mitigation for potential impacts to natural heritage resources. The locality liaison position is located in Richmond, Virginia and is a part of the Natural Heritage Environmental Review Team working in a fast-paced multi-tasking environment.

The Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation offers paid leave; 13 paid holidays; medical, dental, vision, and life insurance; retirement plans (including 401a Cash Match and 457 Deferred Compensation Plan for classified positions, and VaLORS for law enforcement positions); and is a federally recognized Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) employer.

DCR’s Mission is to conserve the natural, scenic, historic, and cultural resources of the Commonwealth. We invite you to learn more about DCR’s efforts to CONSERVE.

This position is responsible for:

Evaluating permit applications, environmental impacts statements, environmental assessments and other information requests for potential impacts to natural heritage resources in the coastal zone as defined by the Department of Environmental Quality (https://www.deq.virginia.gov/our-programs/coastal-zone-management/about-czm/czm-boundaries#!/).

Based on personal research, review of Natural Heritage data, and technical expertise of Division staff providing concisely written responses with recommendations and technical assistance meeting internal and external project deadlines.

Maintaining and updating electronic project records in an Access database and assisting in the management of projects.

Developing and maintaining contacts for local, regional and state partners and assist them in incorporating natural heritage data and services into local land-use planning and decisions making through presentations, trainings, meetings, and direct contact.

Planning and conducting every other month virtual trainings for the Natural Heritage Data Explorer (vanhde.org) online application and other customized trainings.

Working with the environmental review coordinator to develop grant proposals and to deliver locality liaison grant deliverables including species highlights, semi-annual reports, and final reports per established deadlines.

Assist in managing requests for natural heritage digital data and updating an Access license agreement database.

Minimum Qualifications

• Knowledge of general principles of conservation biology, geography and landscape ecology.
• Knowledge of state and federal agency policies, regulations, and standards regarding environmental practices and demonstrated ability to interpret applicable federal and state policy and regulations.
• Demonstrated skills in PC operation, Microsoft Office including Access, virtual platforms and ArcGIS Pro.
• Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing through trainings, presentations, and written correspondence.
• Demonstrate ability to successfully multi-task in a fast-paced environment.
• Experience in