Arborist, Senior

Parks & Recreation 

Senior Arborist 

Posting Expires: November 14, 2024

Salary: $65,000/annually 

 

Summary

The Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) is seeking a Senior Arborist to join our Arborist Division in the Office of Natural Resources. The Senior Arborist position acts as a project manager for various forestry services and contracts including tree planting, tree maintenance, and urban forest management. 

Additional duties include, but are not limited to, educating others about the City of Atlanta Tree Protection Ordinance and the importance of trees and the urban forest, responding to requests for inspections of trees on City property, performing tree risk and health assessments on City property according to industry standard BMPs, scheduling any necessary tree work with DPR’s Forestry Division or contractors, reviewing requests for permits to perform tree work on trees on City property, ad reviewing construction documents submitted to the Office of Natural Resources for compliance with the City of Atlanta’s Tree Protection Ordinance.

 

Supervision Received

Reports to the Arboricultural Manager - Operations, Arborist Division, Office of Natural Resources, Department of Parks and Recreation. Works under very general supervision. May work independently or with other skilled or semi-skilled workers with responsibility for completion of assigned tasks.

 

Essential Duties & Responsibilities These are typical responsibilities for this position and should not be construed as exclusive or all inclusive. May perform other duties as assigned.

The following duties are typical for this job. These duties are not exclusive or all-inclusive. Other duties may be required and assigned. 

• Manages urban forestry contracts including tree planting plan development, tree planting, tree pruning, stump grinding, and tree inventories.
• Tracks and audits contracted forestry services in work order and tree inventory systems. Completes site visits to approve of plans and verify for contract compliance and performance standards. 
• Review, analyze, and update tree inventory data to prioritize urban forestry services and track completed work.
• Prepares for future urban forestry projects by writing Scopes of Work, Requisitions for Proposals, drafting authorizing legislation, and evaluating proposals. Works with Department of Procurement, Department of Law, and other agencies to execute contract agreements and submit legislation as needed.
• Develops and researches, specifications, Best Management Practices, and Standard Operating Procedures for urban forestry services. 
• Inspects and evaluates individual trees for health, condition, and risk assessment. Completes both Level 1 and Level 2 tree risk assessments. Evaluates tree health and risk to determine whether trees are dead, dying, hazardous, invasive, or undesirable per City code. Issues tree removal permits. 
• Exhibits excellent customer service and human relations skills. Communicates clearly via letter, telephone, and e-mail with the public and other external or internal stakeholders regarding tree installation, tree care, and other forestry-related issues. Collaborates with Office of Natural Resources staff members and other City Departments to ensure high quality customer service.
• Ensures forestry contracts meet objectives in City of Atlanta’s City Design: Nature, Urban Forest Master Plan, DPR’s Activate ATL Master Plan, and DPR’s Natural Resource Management Plan as applicable.
• Utilizes Atlanta’s Urban Tree Canopy Assessment data, Atlanta’s Heat + Flood Risk Assessment data, and other related data to identify priority areas and species for tree planting.
• Contributes to the development of the Urban Forest Master Plan as needed. Assists in the development and implementation of long-term goals for the Department.
• Issues citations for code violations by serving as an A.P.D. sworn Code Enforcement Agent for Sections 158 (Tree Protection Ordinance) of the Atlanta Municipal Code. Provide testimony at tree appeal hearings as needed. May attend Municipal Court with City Solicitor when the Tree Protection Ordinances have been violated. May act as an expert witness on behalf of the City.
• Provides expert knowledge for urban forestry, parks, and greenspaces. Addresses civic groups, schools, garden clubs, and neighborhood groups regarding the urban forestry. Responds knowledgably to questions regarding municipal arboriculture and urban forestry.
• Completes maintenance tasks as needed including planting trees, pruning trees, removing invasive vines from trees, removing piled soil/mulch from trunk/root flare, removing watering bags/arbor