Forest Technician

About the Duke Forest:

The Office of the Duke Forest (ODF) is the university department responsible for the management and stewardship of the Duke Forest Teaching and Research Laboratory. The mission of the Duke Forest is to facilitate research that addresses fundamental and applied questions across a variety of disciplines and to aid in the instruction of all students in their pursuit of knowledge, especially regarding the stewardship of our natural resources.

In total, the Duke Forest is approximately 7,100 acres in Durham, Orange, and Alamance counties. Management of the Duke Forest is guided by a comprehensive plan that promotes the Forest's academic mission while ensuring the protection of its natural resources. More information is available at http://www.dukeforest.duke.edu

Occupational Summary:

The Forest Technician (FT) performs a variety of forest management and maintenance activities on Duke Forest, a 7,100-acre teaching and research laboratory with an active timber management program. The FT is primarily a field-based position that will lead on several management and stewardship programs and will work closely with the Duke Forest Supervisor and Maintenance & Infrastructure Manager on a daily basis to support their efforts.

Work Performed:

• planning and execution of intermediate treatments, including pre-commercial and commercial thinnings, while providing support for all aspects of the timber management program, including cruising, harvest planning, layout and marking, regeneration and survival counts, harvest administration and monitoring, and harvest clean-up work. 
• the invasive plant species management program, including planning and executing treatments, monitoring, and tracking chemical use.
• the natural heritage area monitoring program and monitoring of other high conservation value areas (as needed), including planning and executing monitoring visits, completing documentation, and implementing follow-up activities. 
• trail maintenance activities including planning, scheduling, and implementing hazard monitoring and remediation, trail trimming, water bar maintenance, etc.; provide primary response to issues identified by Forest Steward volunteers.
• Coordinate training and mentorship of summer interns.
• Coordinate volunteer workdays in collaboration with Sr. Program Coordinator.
• Support maintenance of the Duke Forest’s GIS database, including GPS data collection, producing spatially explicit management records, and performing basic cartography and spatial analysis tasks.
• Assist in prescribed burns, wildfire control, and storm response.
• Assist in annual boundary line maintenance.
• Assist in the occasional construction, maintenance, and retirement of research installations.
• Assist in implementation of the Deer Herd Reduction program.
• Assist in implementation of special projects.