Knoydart

Well at least the midge, ticks and keds cant bite or sting trough your clothes! Sold, when can I start! Yes, apprecieate the craic, but there were some wild posts going up under the advert, so it's been an odd experience

It's not the midges you need to watch out for, it's the ticks! Good to see that the job application is generating cross thread discussion. Believe it or not there are folk crazy enough to want it. It's where I started in scotland and I'll probably die still cracking away at clearing rhodie from the jungle out in 2m of rain per year, howling conditions. I have made a point of saying it's not for everyone and you need to want this job, not a job. It's ok that it's not for you, I expect France is far easier in the skin.

Yup, midge, keds, tics. You need to know how to look after yourself and your kit and as I say want this job, not a job. Fine if not for you, but others crave the challenge because of the achievement, experience and how important the work is.

Well good to see this advert continuing to generate discussion. I would urge anyone reading this to check out the actual job description via the webpage advert for the essential and desirable criteria. We hope that with the right person leading, the squad will be a self sustaining enterprise and as the experience within the team develops and matures,start intake on the broad range of nature focussed forestry activity in the pipeline I would also give this a look https://www.act-now.org.uk/act-rainforest-restoration-package which is a live research project looking to plug the knowledge gaps around why we dont see the full range of vegetation we expect to see naturally regenerate post clearance. The squad will be delivering this into post clearance sites. When restoring rainforest habitat, I can assure you that one of the very last methodologies on the prioritised list is to "slosh glyphosate around". Knapsack spraying only plays a role in small regrowth bushes during follow up and even then, far more effective to spend the time destroying the rootball down to below nodule level You are absolutely right. Its brutal and especially so in the crags, gorges and rough bounds of the west coast of Scotland. It needs a special type of person to lead and motivate a squad of trainees in this task and environment. The rewards and experiences are life changing though and burn themselves into your memory. You have to want to do this job, not just want a job. Thanks all for your interest in scotlands rainforest and the changing landscape of priorities that we are currently journeying through, it is a wild ride for sure!

Yes debate is fine and good to keep the thread up the list. Just seems an odd place to hang that particular argument. I understand that the polarisation ou there jn the landowner/land management sectors is real. I work with and have to try and navigate around it daily, but broadly speaking, even those real world individuals that bandy around phrases like subsidy junkies etc... dont object to job creation and view it as a good use of public money. Particularly if it is seed fuding to get something developed and operating on it's own feet. Like I said earlier, the negativity is misguided. It's a big challenge that the public purse will not muster. Est. 500 million to effectively clear rhodo from Scotlands rainforest.

Funded until 2026. Rhodie still needs cutting after 2026. With the right person, this stands on it's own. That's the whole point and exactly why I thought of arbtalk as an amazing place to advertise this job. Generally active arb and foresters, many with business nouse alongside ecologically astute. Shame that what I had hoped would be a positive place to advertise, led to such outright negativity from folk like yourself. Hopefully there are some switched on, hard working cutters checking this thread and we get some applications even with this quite frankly misdirected and poorly thought through negativity.

Rhododendron infestation into temperate rainforest habitat is the end for that woodland and all of the globally rare epiphyte diversity that lives there. This is not fashionable or part of a trend and the insinuation that it is shows a complete lack of understanding about the natural world. It is critical work to save native woodland and the associated rainforest biodiversity in this part of the world. It's a race against the clock and hugely important work. Get on board or get out of way.

Yes its temperate rainforest, not tropical. The epiphyte diversity, predominantly the lichen and bryophyte diversity is the best in Europe and up there globally.

Probably better that you take this up with the government. It's made avaliable for nature restoration. A paltry ammount. An embarrassing ammount considering the scale of the challenge. Like I say, I'm sorry that you feel the need to be so combative over a job advert for a squad lead cutting rhodies, but as I say its directed at the wrong folk. Go petition your government if you dont lime the tax regime as having a pop at a small environmental charity helping folk in argyll where none else is seems a bit like a waste of your energy. Thanks for stopping by tho.

Since the ice retreated, hyperoceanicity developed and Woodlands emerged. https://savingscotlandsrainforest.org.uk/

Being put to good use employing folk and restoring globally rare temperate rainforest habitat. We are a small social and environmental charity, scratching around trying to deliver good work, employ people and build resilience in our small remote and disadvantaged communities. Orgs like ours are not your enemy.

I'm just here to try and give someone who has been on the saw a wee while, a crack at leading a team of trainees in mainly, cutting rhodies innthe rainforest. I'm really not sure about all the ire here. I think you've got the wrong impression fella. Noone is getting displaced here and I'm really not sure why anyone would think otherwise.

Hi. Mix of methodologies, but prioritised as 1) Stem injection or lever & mulch (uprooting). 2) cut and stump treatment. Glyphosate is the chemical of choice. All need a comprehensive follow up program using multiple techniques including knapsack spraying, seedling removal and lever & mulch. There is a whole pile of IRATA spec in this part of the world also.

Focus and current contract commitments are clearing rhododendron from rainforest habitat and ongoing maintenance of new planting. Hope is that as the team develops and gains experience they will take on a broader range of forestry and habitat restoration work.

Hi, this is available for anyone to apply. This is about boosting employment and entry level positions in a remote and often disadvantaged part of the UK. Not sure what livelihoods will be disrupted by clearing rhododendron from rainforest habitat, but happy to discuss.