Arborist I or II

About the Central Park Conservancy: 

Central Park is one of the world's most famous and beloved urban public spaces. Designed by Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux in 1858, the 843-acre Park was the country's first purpose-built public park and is a National Historic Landmark and a New York Scenic Landmark. The Central Park Conservancy, a private, not-for-profit organization, was founded in 1980 to rescue the Park which had fallen into serious disrepair. Since then, the Conservancy has overseen the investment of close to $2 billion in the restoration and management of the Park which now hosts over 40 million visitors a year. 

The Conservancy’s mission is to preserve and celebrate Central Park as a sanctuary from urban life. The City of New York has formally entrusted the care of the Park to the Conservancy which is responsible for every aspect of its care, including landscape maintenance, capital improvements, and the visitor experience. The Conservancy employs roughly 400 people and has an annual operating budget of $120 million. 

Position Summary 

Working under the general supervision of the Tree Care Manager, the primary responsibilities of the Arborist include conducting tree assessments, prescribing tree work, coordinating tree service requests, supervising contractors, responding to emergency and storm-related events, monitoring pest and disease issues (IPM), and carrying out arboricultural best management practices and techniques to conserve and maintain a healthy and expanding tree population. 

Other responsibilities include digital record keeping of tree-related work tasks, collaborative management and implementation of tree care work programs, and adherence to all initiatives and policies set by the Tree Care Manager. It is expected that the Arborist will work across departments and with other staff of the Central Park Conservancy, to support the overall goals of the organization’s inter-departmental work, and to work as part of the team with the Parks Operation department to facilitate daily routine park management. 

Summary of Essential Job Functions: 

Daily Technical Operation 

• Working as part of a team to inspect, plan, prioritize, and review all daily tree care operations and programs. 

• Respond to internal and external tree service requests, including assessing tree sites, prescribing and carrying out any necessary mitigation or follow-up work. 

• Carry out arboricultural work operations such as tree climbing, operating aerial lift, brush chipper and chainsaw for pruning, removals, cabling and other necessary tree related work tasks as assigned.   

• Ensure all arboricultural work operations comply to industry, organizational, and governmental safety and other established standards. 

• Provide technical service and advice to inter-departmental staff as needed. 

• Visually identify tree conditions requiring more detailed assessment and perform tree inspections using advanced diagnostic tools. 

• Identify and monitor trees for pests and diseases, participate in developing strategies for implementation of Integrated Pest Management treatments for related pest and disease issues. 

• Choose and prepare sites for tree plantings, including participating in tree species selections, supervising tree planting operations and conducting necessary follow up to ensure successful establishment. 

• Monitor and inspect the health of trees and perform or prescribe any necessary mechanical or chemical applications for plant health care needs.   

• Conduct periodic surveys or re-surveys of Central Park’s urban forest, identifying and recording tree species, site information, and any measurements and updates related to maintaining a tree inventory utilizing associated technologies and software. 

• Use computer to maintain digital records of daily work tasks and written reports. 

• Work with Manager to develop, plan and review annual work plans, tree care policies and procedural documents.  

Contract Supervision 

• The organization of and implementation of all contracted work schedules to meet daily and weekly workloads and projects based on evaluation, prioritization, and selection of tasks from tree care database. 

• Guides and provides technical assistance and follow-up with tree care contractors. 

• Monitors and ensures contractor engagement, productivity, compliance, and status of work assignments. 

Collaboration & Communication 

• Assist in the preparation of special events as needed. 

• Cooperate with other staff within the department and other department personnel in completing assigned tasks. 

• Displays the necessary initiative and dependability to work alone or in groups. 

• Adhere to all organizational standards and requirements.   

• Interact with Park patrons in a professional manner.  

Related Work 

• Respond to emergency situations, including, but not limited to, storm and snow events. 

• May be called upon to work shifts including nights, Saturdays, Sundays and holidays. 

• Maintains the inventory and proper care of all tools, equipment, materials, supplies and staff uniforms in good working order and report items that require repair. 

• Participates in all training sessions and seminars. 

• Daily reports of malfunctioning infrastructure, furnishings, safety hazards, quality of life issues 

• Perform related work as assigned.   

Minimum Requirements: 

-Associate or bachelor's degree from accredited colleges in Urban Forestry, Arboriculture, or related field; 1 year of increasingly responsible experience in the field of tree care maintenance. 

-Education and/or experience equivalent to “1” above. However, all candidates must have demonstrated the ability to work well and collaborate with others. 

-Valid Driver License. A Class B Commercial Driver License valid in the State of New York within one year of being appointed to this position and maintained for the duration of employment. 

-ISA Certified Arborist and TRAQ Qualified. 

-Possess a fundamental understanding and knowledge of tree physiology using modern arboriculture practices. Experience in urban tree care maintenance is desirable. 

-MUST be skilled in harnessed tree-climbing. 

Additional Requirements for Assignment to Arborist II 

-A satisfactory combination of education and/or experience as described above that is equivalent to 5 years’ experience. 

-Demonstrated competency of essential job functions. 

-CPC Internal Candidates - A satisfactory performance evaluation during each year of employment. 

Abilities Required 

• Ability to work overtime, weekends and holidays as part of regularly scheduled shifts and ability to work overtime as needed. 

• Ability to lift 50 lbs. and perform heavy physical labor on a daily basis in all weather conditions. 

• Ability to provide both oral and written communication that is easily understood and direct in content. 

• Ability to engage in critical thinking skills that allow for prioritizing issues, coordinating multiple projects and problem solving. 

• Knowledge of computer equipment and Microsoft Office applications. 

Salary range:   

Arborist I: $65K to $83,400 (based on level of experience) 

Arborist II: $83,400 to $100K (based on level of experience) 

Note: This is an on-site position. 

DIVERSITY, EQUITY & INCLUSION 

The Central Park Conservancy’s work is guided by the belief that Central Park, and all public parks, must be managed and actively protected as an inclusive and democratic space for all.  

Working closely with our New York City partners, we will always strive towards creating and sustaining a sense of belonging for all visitors and advocating for equitable and accessible public use of the Park. 

In service of this belief, we are committed to fostering a workforce and organizational culture that is as diverse as Central Park itself and the dynamic city it serves. 

Safety Requirements 

Establishment and maintenance of a safe work environment is the shared responsibility of this organization and employees at every level. The Conservancy will make every effort to assure a safe environment and follow federal, state, and local safety regulations. Employees are expected to obey safety rules and to exercise caution in all their work activities. Accordingly, employees should be aware of any hazards which could cause an injury or accident (e.g., spills, obstacles in walkways, etc.). If an employee discovers a potentially dangerous condition, he/she/they should alert other employees and notify his/her/their supervisor immediately.  

Disclaimer 

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this classification. They are not to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of personnel so classified. All personnel may be required to perform duties outside of their normal responsibilities from time to time, as needed.