Green Jobs Ontario - The Land Between - Forest Health Research Coordinator

Disclaimer: This posting is not an opportunity to work for Clean Foundation. Clean Foundation is supporting the hiring process for Green Jobs Internship Programs. The organization participating in Green Jobs Internship is The Land Between located in Haliburton, ON. Clean Foundation will be collecting resumes then submiting them to The Land Between to complete the interview and onboarding process. The Land Between Website can be found here: www.thelandbetween.ca Organization: The Land Between / Turtle Guardians Program Location: Ontario Highlands and surrounding field regions Reports To: Research Leadership Team and Senior Management Collaborates With: Leora Berman, Founder, Dr. David Lean, field staff, volunteers, research advisors, and community partners About The Land Between The Land Between is a grassroots Canadian charity dedicated to understanding and conserving the unique landscape known as The Land Between; an ecological transition zone, or ecotone, between the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence forests and the Canadian Shield. This region supports an exceptional diversity of plants, animals, waters, and cultures, making it one of Ontario's most important landscapes for conservation and stewardship. Our work combines scientific research with local, community, and First Nation knowledge to better understand the character, function, and health of this landscape. Guided by a Council that is led by First Nation representatives, local knowledge holders, and scientists, we believe the strongest conservation solutions emerge when multiple ways of knowing are brought together with respect and humility. Through research, monitoring, education, habitat stewardship, and community partnerships, we work to characterize the ecological processes that make this region unique while helping to conserve nature's capacity for renewal. Our projects range from freshwater and wetland research to species-at-risk recovery, road ecology, IK and local knowledge initiatives, and community-based environmental stewardship. At its heart, The Land Between is committed to practical conservation rooted in science, community, and a shared responsibility to leave the land and waters healthy for future generations. Position Overview The Forest Health Research Coordinator will support and help lead forest ecology and forest health research initiatives focused on old growth forest structure, biodiversity, forest disturbance history, wetland forest interactions, and emerging forest diseases across The Land Between region. This position will coordinate forest health assessments and ecological monitoring activities related to old growth forest characteristics, beech bark disease, forest composition, disturbance regimes, wildlife indicators, and long term ecosystem change. The role will involve conducting forest stand assessments, measuring tree diameter at breast height (DBH), identifying and mapping disease affected and unaffected trees, collecting ecological data, and assisting with forest core sampling to assess regional forest fire history and long term environmental change. The role may also support observational research examining relationships between wildlife behaviour, wetland dynamics, biodiversity, and forest ecosystem condition using bioindicator species and ecological disturbance indicators. This may include assessing beaver activity relative to tree species composition and wetland structure, as well as documenting bird diversity and species presence or absence in relation to forest condition, forest age, disturbance, and habitat integrity. The Coordinator will work closely with research partners from University of Toronto and Haliburton Forest and Wildlife Reserve, including Dr. Adam Gorgolewski, while also building relationships with private landowners to support access to ecologically significant forest sites. Data generated through this work may contribute to broader forest health and climate research initiatives, including collaboration with Environment and Climate Change Canada. This role combines field coordination, scientific monitoring, partnership development, logistics, data management, and collaborative applied research. This is a one year position with the goal of building long term forest monitoring and ecological research capacity. Requirements Required • Degree or diploma in forestry, ecology, environmental science, biology, geography, or related field • Experience conducting ecological fieldwork and environmental monitoring • Familiarity with forest ecosystems and tree identification • Strong organizational and documentation skills • Ability to work independently in remote outdoor settings • Comfortable engaging with landowners and research partners • Valid driver’s licence and ability to travel to field locations Assets • Experience with forest health monitoring or dendrochronology • Familiarity with beech bark disease or forest pathology • Experience using GPS, GIS, or ecological mapping tools • Experience conducting DBH measurements and forest inventory assessments • Familiarity with bird surveys, wildlife monitoring, or bioindicator research • Experience working with academic or government research partnerships Working Conditions • Extensive outdoor fieldwork in varying terrain and weather conditions • Hiking, lifting equipment, and travel to remote forest sites required • Combination of fieldwork, data management, and coordination activities • Occasional evening or weekend work during peak field season Responsibilities Forest Health Monitoring and Ecological Assessments • Conduct forest stand assessments across old growth and mixed forest ecosystems • Measure and record diameter at breast height (DBH), species composition, canopy structure, regeneration, and forest condition • Support assessments of old growth forest characteristics and ecosystem integrity • Identify, document, and map beech bark disease affected and unaffected trees • Assist in assessing spread and proliferation of forest diseases and stressors across the landscape • Support collection of forest core samples for dendrochronology and regional forest fire history analysis • Assist with ecological mapping and long term monitoring initiatives • Support ecological monitoring related to biodiversity indicators and ecosystem function, including assessing beaver activity in relation to tree species composition, wetland characteristics, hydrology, and forest condition • Document bird diversity and species presence or absence as indicators of forest structure, habitat quality, disturbance, and ecosystem health • Observe and document additional bioindicator species and wildlife behaviours associated with ecological condition and environmental change Research Coordination and Field Logistics • Coordinate field schedules, site visits, equipment preparation, and ecological sampling activities • Work collaboratively with private landowners to secure and maintain access to forest monitoring sites • Support implementation of scientifically rigorous field protocols and quality assurance procedures • Ensure accurate field documentation, metadata collection, and data organization • Maintain chain of custody and sample tracking procedures where required Partnership and Collaboration Support • Work collaboratively with researchers, conservation partners, and academic institutions • Support partnership initiatives with University of Toronto and Haliburton Forest and Wildlife Reserve • Assist with preparation of summaries, reports, presentations, and scientific communications • Support data sharing and collaborative research initiatives with external partners including Environment and Climate Change Canada Staff Training