Wabanaki Acadian Forest Restoration Project Coordinator

The Knowlesville Art and Nature School is seeking an experienced individual with a passion for forest restoration and tree planting to fill the role of Coordinator for our Wabanaki/Acadian Forest Restoration Project.

Job responsibilities

Care & development of project nursery sites: Main sites include nurseries established in South Knowlesville (at the KAN Centre, kid’s garden, 125 South Knowlesville) and the Hemphill Corner Nursery site in Knowlesville.  

Care & outreach at the community nurseries at partner locations along the Upper Wolastoq River Valley (Medutic to Tobique/Neqotkuk). This includes meeting with partners and co-caring for the nursery beds by offering locally gathered seeds &seedlings, helping to weed & mulch, updating species signage and collaboration on community outreach & education events.

Planning & Implementation of Restoration Plantings at the community level – recognizing that each site is at different levels of planting readiness at this time:

• HEMPHILL CORNER SITE: Document existing landscape level features of the 5 acre site and map out a long-term restoration plan for the site. From this plan, a detailed planting plan will be developed and implemented for the next two years. 
•  GIBSON CREEK SITE: Gather existing maps from landowner, long term restoration vision and co-develop at least one community planting event each year based on the restoration plan.
• SOUTH KNOWLESVILLE NEIGHBOURHOOD: Document & map out past plantings from individual households and co-create a community wide restoration goals and vision. 
• WOODSTOCK FIRST NATION: Meet with community promoter(s) and identify restoration goals and vision.  Co-develop at least one community planting event each year based on the restoration plan.
• TOWN of HARTLAND: Identify the location of the community restoration planting site. Map features and develop a restoration plan that meets the community goals & vision. Co-develop at least one community planting event each year based on the restoration plan.
• DISTRICT of CARLETON NORTH (including Carleton North High School): Identify the location of the community restoration planting site. Map features and develop a restoration plan that meets the community goals & vision. Co-develop at least one community planting event based on the restoration plan.
• NEQOTKUK FIRST NATION: Meet with community promoter(s) and identify restoration goals and vision.  Co-develop at least one community planting event based on the restoration plan.

Public Engagement & Education: Creating opportunities for residents of this Upper Wolastoq region to learn about the diversity of the Wabanaki Acadian Forest Ecosystem and to participate in the planting of native trees & shrubs through participation in the above community restoration planting events and also the opportunity to plant on private lands through limited subsidized native tree bundle packages. Summer outreach includes; attending local farmers markets and community events, which may involve working evenings and weekends.

Data Collection, Monitoring & Mapping: The coordinator will maintain detailed, specie specific records of all nursery inventories as well as final out planting locations.  For the small plantings on private lands, this will include follow up calls / emails to determine the success rate of plantings over time and maintaining a database of all the out-plantings for the duration of the project.

Quarterly Reporting:  The coordinator will prepare quarterly reports of results for the KANC board and complete all the reporting requirements of donors. This includes preparing annual geographic data on all planting sites using (KML) files on Google Earth or equivalent mapping application.

Mentoring & directing other staff working on the project in various roles with a collaborative, inclusive manner consistent with the mission, vision and values of the organization.