Urban Forest Stewardship Specialist (Botanic Specialist II - Forestry)

Job Appointment: Full-Time

Work Schedule: Mon-Fri. 7:00am – 3:30 pm, with some evening and weekend work for events and community engagement activities. 

Work Location: In person at PP&R Urban Forestry, 10910 N. Denver Ave., Portland, OR 97217. There is opportunity for limited telework. Remote work must be performed within Oregon or Washington.

Union Representation: PROTEC17. To view this labor agreement, please click here.

Starting Pay: The City of Portland follows the Oregon Equal Pay Act. Your salary is determined based on the experience listed in your resume that is directly related and equivalent to the position for which you are applying.

Application Material: Please click APPLY to submit your application via the City of Portland’s online portal. You will need to respond to the supplemental questions and attach a resume.

Position Summary

Portland Parks & Recreation Urban Forestry’s Community Stewardship Team is hiring an Urban Forest Stewardship Specialist (job class Botanic Specialist II: Forestry) to serve as technical and field leader in urban forestry and arboriculture, helping Portlanders to plant and care for community trees, and to access Urban Forestry programs and resources. 

The Community Stewardship Team connects Portland’s diverse communities with opportunities to grow and care for the urban forest through free tree programs, community events, volunteer stewardship, education, communications, and partnership development. This team focuses their work on bringing urban forestry resources to spaces and communities where trees and the many environmental and public health services they provide, are needed most.  

The Urban Forest Stewardship Specialist brings strong arboricultural and urban forestry expertise to this work, as a lead technical resource for tree planting, pruning, establishment, and care for volunteers and staff. This position supports outreach and engagement for Urban Forestry’s tree planting programs, which plant 10,000 trees annually. This includes coordinating outreach efforts with a team of seasonal and full-time staff, raising awareness of the importance of urban trees, answering technical questions about tree planting programs and tree care, and finding effective ways to encourage participation across the city. 

The successful Urban Forest Stewardship Specialist has strong project management, communication, collaboration, and organization skills. They have substantial knowledge and practical experience in arboriculture or urban forestry, along with the ability to teach, lead, communicate, and work effectively with people from a wide range of backgrounds. They will be comfortable moving between field work, public events, staff training, community presentations, and program planning. They know how to translate technical tree care concepts into clear, practical guidance and are excited to help others build the skills and confidence to care for Portland’s urban forest.

What You’ll Get to Do

• Serve as a technical leader in urban forestry and arboriculture. Provide practical expertise in tree planting, establishment, pruning, young tree care, tree selection, site conditions, and other aspects of urban tree care. Apply current arboricultural best management practices and ensure that staff, volunteers, and community members have the knowledge to care for trees successfully.
• Lead tree planting and tree care training. Develop and deliver hands-on training for volunteers and members of the public. Demonstrate proper planting, pruning, watering, establishment, and ongoing care practices in the field.
• Lead volunteers in hands-on urban forestry activities. Plan and facilitate volunteer tree planting and stewardship activities, providing clear instruction, demonstrating safe and effective work practices, and creating an experience that leaves participants feeling capable, connected, and excited to care for trees.
• Inspire Portlanders to plant and care for trees. Represent Urban Forestry’s free tree programs at community events, neighborhood meetings, tabling events, canvassing activities, and other public settings. Explain how people can access free trees, help residents identify opportunities to plant, answer tree-related questions, and make participation in planting programs approachable and compelling.
• Serve as a subject matter expert for planting programs. Provide accurate and accessible information about tree planting programs and Urban Forestry. Develop and deliver presentations, respond to questions, and work with community partners to increase awareness and participation.
• Design and coordinate outreach activities. Lead and develop seasonal outreach plans, coordinate events and community presentations, support canvassing and tabling activities, and identify creative ways to reach people who may not otherwise engage with City tree planting programs.
• Provide day-to-day leadership for seasonal staff. Coordinate and assign work, train staff, provide technical and outreach guidance, review work, provide feedback, and contribute to performance evaluations. Help seasonal staff understand both the technical standards of urban forestry work and the importance of respectful, effective public engagement.
• Build relationships through urban forestry work. Work with community organizations, neighborhood groups, schools, businesses, volunteers, and residents to build understanding and support for a healthy and equitable urban forest. Use community engagement as a tool to improve tree planting, tree survival, stewardship, and access to trees.
• Support project planning, implementation, reporting, and evaluation. Help develop work plans, track activities and outcomes, identify opportunities for improvement, document results, and contribute to continuous improvement of Community Stewardship programs.
• Communicate clearly and effectively. Translate technical arboricultural information into practical, understandable guidance for a wide range of audiences. Communicate effectively in the field, at public events, in presentations, and in writing.

About Portland Parks & Recreation Urban Forestry

Urban Forestry cares for our vibrant and diverse urban forest—the 1.2 million trees in parks and natural areas, 333,000 street trees, and 2.9 million trees on private property.  

Valued at $9.5 billion, Portland's trees are critical city infrastructure. Urban Forestry protects and grows this shared asset through tree planting and care, education, volunteer stewardship, and community partnerships—with research, data, and community feedback guiding our programs and services. Our work is informed by the Portland Urban Forest Plan, Portland's Citywide Tree Planting Strategy, and the Portland Clean Energy Community Benefits Fund (PCEF). 

We are proud of our long history protecting this vital asset, reflected in the City’s nearly 50-year recognition as a Tree City USA, our designation as a Tree City of the World, and our accreditation for urban forestry excellence by the Urban and Community Forestry Society. 

About Portland Parks & Recreation:

Portland Parks & Recreation (PP&R) is committed to the overall Citywide vision that race will have no detrimental effect on people of color, refugee and immigrant communities in accessing our parks and natural areas, or from the benefit of our services. We recognize, understand, and encourage celebration of the differences that surround us. Diversity and equity are vital to PP&R’s ideals and values. The City of Portland, Oregon is a growing and diverse city of 650,000 residents, nearly 20% of whom speak languages other than English at home. PP&R values a diverse workforce and seeks ways to promote equity and inclusion within the organization and with the public. PP&R encourages applications from candidates with knowledge, ability and experience working with a broad range of individuals and communities with diverse racial, ethnic, and socio-economic backgrounds. Although not required, PP&R encourages candidates that can fluently speak another language to include that information in their application materials. Multilingual candidates are encouraged to apply.

Virtual Zoom Meet & Greet Opportunity 

Come meet the hiring manager and the senior recruiter! We'll be talking about the position duties and responsibilities, day to day life in the role, review the announcement, discuss how to apply, and answer questions you may have about the position.

Date: September 09, 2026 

12:00pm Pacific Time (US and Canada)

Zoom Meeting Link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/87202241201

Meeting ID: 872 0224 1201

*Please note: AI Notetaking apps will not be allowed into virtual sessions hosted by the Bureau of Human Resources Recruitment Team. If you need accommodations as defined by the American Disabilities Act, then please contact the Recruiter for assistance.

Applicants must describe in their supplemental question responses and resume how their education, training, work experience and/or lived experience meets each of the following minimum qualifications: 

1. Experience with site selection, planting, pruning, establishing, and caring for young trees, following arboricultural best management practices.
2. Experience teaching or demonstrating tree care practices to others.
3. Experience leading, training, mentoring, or coordinating volunteers, seasonal employees, interns, or entry-level staff.
4. Experience managing community outreach and engagement projects, building trust and partnerships with diverse communities and audiences. 
5. Experience in urban forestry project planning, implementation, management, and evaluation. 

Applicants must also possess:

• A valid state driver’s license and acceptable driving record.
• The ability to perform both office and outdoor work in all weather conditions.
• The ability to sit, stand, and walk over uneven terrain.
• The ability to stoop or bend.
• The ability to lift up to 25 pounds.

Preferred:

• International Society of Arboriculture Arborist Certification.

How to Apply:

• Submit your resume and respond to the supplemental questions by the closing date.
• (Optional) Submit Veterans’ Preference documents, if applicable. 
   If this is your first time applying with the City of Portland, or if you haven’t requested veteran preference before (and would like to now), please attach your DD214-Member 4 and/or VA Benefit Letter to your application. Once we verify your eligibility, we’ll record your veteran preference in our system, so it automatically applies to your future applications.
• Click here for application tips for resume, supplemental question response and/or cover letter.

What to Expect:

1. Application Review - (Week of September 7th): We'll review your application materials to ensure you meet the minimum qualifications listed above. 
2. Notice/Feedback - (Week of September 14th): You will receive an email when the minimum qualification review is complete. If you disagree with the evaluation results, you may request a review within 14 days of the email notice, per City Administrative Rule 3.01.
3. Selection Process - (October): The hiring manager will review qualified applications, conduct interviews, and check references. 
4. Conditional Job Offer - (November): Final candidates may undergo a background or driving record check, depending on the position.

Learn More About:

• How to Apply Videos and Workshops
• City of Portland Core Values
• HRAR-3.01 - Recruitment Processes
• Veteran Preference Information
• Total Compensation and Benefits
• Language Pay Differential Eligibility

We’re committed to providing a fair, inclusive, and accessible hiring process. If you need assistance with your application or would like to request a reasonable accommodation due to a disability, pregnancy, or religious belief, please contact the recruiter listed below.

Questions? We're here to help!
If you have questions about this recruitment or need assistance, contact:

Loan Tran Polanco, Senior Recruiter
[email protected] 
Bureau of Human Resources