Urban Forester - Planning 2026-03182

Urban Forester - Planning 2026-03182

Salary

$26.23 - $39.35 Annually

Location

Fayetteville, AR, AR

Job Type

Full Time

Job Number

03182

Department

DEVELOPMENT REVIEW (630)

Opening Date

10/29/2026

Closing Date

11/29/2026 5:00 PM Central

• Description
• Benefits
• Questions

The City of Fayetteville is committed to attracting, engaging and rewarding a multi-generational workforce. By offering a total rewards package including competitive compensation and benefits plans and a purposeful work life, the City is an employer of choice focused on serving our community.

Essential Job Duties

The City of Fayetteville is committed to attracting, engaging and rewarding a multi-generational workforce. By offering a total rewards package including competitive compensation and benefits plans and a purposeful work life, the City is an employer of choice focused on serving our community.

Safety/Security Sensitive Designation:

This is a safety/security sensitive position for purposes of the Arkansas Medical Marijuana Amendment.

• Provide good customer service to both internal and external customers, maintain positive and effective working relationships with other City employees (especially members of their own team), and have regular and reliable attendance that is non-disruptive.
• Administer and interpret Chapter 167 Tree Preservation and Protection and Chapter 177 Landscape Regulations of the Unified Development Code.
• Evaluate trees on public property for condition or hazard rating as needed. Make decisions on pruning or removal and replacement.
• Inspect tree protection fencing, signs and other tree protection devices prior to site work commencing. Conduct periodic inspections to ensure development is occurring in accordance with approved plans and complies with the Tree Preservation and Protection Ordinance. Conduct final inspections at project completion for compliance with the approved tree preservation plan and landscape plan and verify all sureties are in place before issuing final certificate of occupancy.
• Exercise sound judgment and take responsible actions verbally as a City representative when in contact with the public, elected and appointed officials, developers and other City employees.
• Attend meetings such as Urban Forestry Advisory Board, Subdivision Committee, Technical Plat, Planning Commission and City Council as directed. Be prepared to respond to questions and/or present projects.
• Keep complex records and acquire/convert/create special maps or data sets as needed.
• Apply qualitative and quantitative analytical methods and techniques to identify, evaluate and manage the City's urban forest.
• Order trees, design tree planting projects, cyclic tree pruning routines, forest management plans and other urban forestry related projects as needed. Analyze the urban forestry discipline and research new and/or better methods, specifications or trends to identify opportunities to enhance or update the urban forestry program.
• Prepare requests for proposals, bids, contracts and work specifications for Urban Forestry capital projects. Provide project management for ongoing projects including scheduling and record keeping and contract administration. Visit work sites to inspect work in progress and ensure projects and work assignments are completed properly and according to schedule.
• Work with the Urban Forestry Advisory Board and City departments/divisions involved in arboricultural and urban forestry operations in implementing and updating the Urban
• Forestry Management Plan and the Urban Forestry Technical Manual.
• Act as a liaison between the City, citizens and utility companies to resolve conflicts over tree pruning or removal practices.
• Coordinate training activities and train City staff involved in tree related operations in proper methods, procedures and safety.
• Prepare public announcements and press releases. Maintain website with updated information.
• Assist the Urban Forestry Advisory Board in preparing and coordinating public education programs related to the urban forestry program including the tree give-away program.
• Research grants and other federal and/or state funding sources and determine other methods of financing in support of major capital projects and subprojects. Complete grant applications and reports to various state agencies and City offices as required by these funding sources.

Secondary Job Duties

• Perform secondary duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

• High School Diploma with eight years of directly related experience; at least three of the eight years must include project management experience in positions of increasing responsibility. Highly prefer Bachelors degree from a college or university in Urban Forestry, Arboriculture, Forestry, Landscape Architecture, Horticulture or a directly related field wtih at least three years of directly related, increasingly responsible project management experience.
• Knowledge and experience in green infrastructure, low-impact development and landscape design are preferred.
• Must possess a valid Drivers License.
• Must successfully pass criminal background check, including but not limited to convictions, guilty pleas, or no contest pleas to violent offenses, theft offenses, offenses against children, and any offense that would qualify to prevent a person from obtaining an Arkansas teaching certificate (A.C.A. 6-17-410).
• Must be a current Certified Arborist with the International Society of Arboriculture or have the ability to meet requirements and obtain certification within 1 year of hire. Municipal Specialist Certification preferred.
• Must be self-motivated, able to work independently with little supervision and make sound judgments.
• Must have a thorough understanding of construction and grading methods and techniques and determine effect on existing trees.
• Must be proficient in reading and interpreting scaled surveys, grading plans, architectural plans, landscape plans, utility plans, layout plans and construction details.
• Must be knowledgeable of plant material to determine if species are appropriate and meet the landscape ordinance requirements.
• Must be proficient in the use of a computer and software applications such as word processing, spreadsheets, databases, graphic information systems, global positioning systems, tree inventory and permitting systems. Must be able to operate standard office equipment.
• Experience in ArcGIS and/or AutoCAD is preferred.
• Must be proficient in utilizing measuring tape and wheel, digital camera, diameter at breast height tape, hand saw, loppers, pruners and engineering scale. Experience with clinometers, range finders, GPS units, PDAs, tablet PCs and other field devices is preferred.
• While performing the functions of this job, the employee is regularly required to communicate effectively in person, on the phone or in writing. The employee regularly is required to stand, walk, and sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms and occasionally climb or balance; stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee must frequently lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Color vision is required. The employee is frequently required to traverse uneven terrain such as park land, nature trails, undeveloped land or construction sites.
• While performing the functions of this job, the employee is occasionally exposed to moving mechanical parts, fumes or airborne particles, toxic or caustic chemicals and outside weather conditions.

The City of Fayetteville is an equal employment opportunity employer.

Temporary Full Time Employee who meets that definition as set out by the Citys Work Status policy. Not eligible for any City benefits or accruals of paid leave.

01

This position requires a High School Diploma with eight years of directly related experience; at least three of the eight years must include project management experience in positions of increasing responsibility. Highly prefer a Bachelors degree from a college or university in Urban Forestry, Arboriculture, Forestry, Landscape Architecture, Horticulture or a directly related field with at least three years of directly related, increasingly responsible project management experience. Do you meet the either of these education and experience requirements?

• YES
• NO

02

If you answered yes to the previous question, please give a detailed description of the education you have, the directly related experience you have, your project management experience and the length of time for both.

03

Please use the space below if you need more space to complete your answer.

04

Knowledge and experience in green infrastructure, low-impact development and landscape design are preferred. Do you have knowledge and experience in these areas?

• Yes
• No

05

If you answered yes to the previous question, please describe relevant experience you have, work related or other, in which youve utilized the above types of skills.

06

An applicant for this position must possess a valid Drivers License. Do you meet this requirement?

• YES
• NO

07

An applicant for this position must successfully pass criminal background check, including but not limited to convictions, guilty pleas, or no contest pleas to violent offenses, theft offenses, offenses against children, and any offense that would qualify to prevent a person from obtaining an Arkansas teaching certificate (A.C.A. 6-17-410). Would you be able to meet this requirement?

• YES
• NO

08

An applicant for this position must be a current Certified Arborist with the International Society of Arboriculture or have the ability to meet requirements and obtain certification within 1 year of hire. Do you meet this requirement?

• YES
• NO

09

Are you currently a Certified Arborist with the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA)?

• YES
• NO

10

The ISA Certified Arborist Municipal Specialist credential is preferred. Do you possess this certification?

• Yes
• No

11

An applicant for this position must have a thorough understanding of construction and grading methods and techniques and determine effect on existing trees. Please describe your past experience, work related or other that demonstrates your ability to meet this requirement.

12

Please use the space below if you need more space to complete your answer.

13

An applicant for this position must be proficient in reading and interpreting scaled surveys, grading plans, architectural plans, landscape plans, utility plans, layout plans and construction details. Please describe in detail your experience in reading and interpreting these types of documents.

14

Please use the space below if you need more space to complete your answer.

15

An applicant for this position must be knowledgeable of plant material to determine if species are appropriate and meet the landscape ordinance requirements. Please describe any experience (work related or other) that you have in which you have successfully performed the above types of skills

16

An applicant for this position must be proficient in the use of a computer and software applications such as word processing, spreadsheets, databases, graphic information systems, global positioning systems, tree inventory and permitting systems. Do you meet this requirement?

• YES
• NO

17

Please describe the software programs that you are familiar with and have experience in using.

18

An applicant for this position must be able to operate standard office equipment (fax, printer, copier, scanner, etc.). Do you meet this requirement?

• YES
• NO

19

Experience in ArcGIS and/or AutoCAD is preferred. Please describe any experience that you may have with these as well as the length of time for this experience.

20

Experience with i-Tree software is preferred. Please describe any experience you may have with this software and the length of time for this experience.

21

An applicant for this position must be proficient in utilizing measuring tape and wheel, digital camera, diameter at breast height tape, hand saw, loppers, pruners and engineering scale. Please describe relevant experience you have, work related or other, in which youve utilized the above types of skills.

22

Experience with clinometers, range finders, GPS units, PDAs, tablet PCs and other field devices is preferred. Please describe any experience you may have with these and the length of time for this experience.

23

While performing the functions of this job, the employee is regularly required to communicate effectively in person, on the phone or in writing. The employee regularly is required to stand, walk, and sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms and occasionally climb or balance; stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee must frequently lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Color vision is required. The employee is frequently required to traverse uneven terrain such as park land, nature trails, undeveloped land or construction sites. Would you be able to meet these requirements?

• YES
• NO

24

While performing the functions of this job, the employee is occasionally exposed to moving mechanical parts, fumes or airborne particles, toxic or caustic chemicals and outside weather conditions. Would you be able to work in these conditions?

• YES
• NO

25

Please feel free to use the space below to describe any additional skills, education, or other traits you possess which you believe qualify you for this position.

Required Question

Employer City of Fayetteville, Arkansas

Address 113 W Mountain St

Fayetteville, Arkansas, 72701

Phone 479-575-8278

Website http://www.fayetteville-ar.gov