Asplundh Careers

Description

Job Title: Urban Forestry Foreperson

The Urban Forestry Foreperson leads and supervises a field crew performing urban forestry work focused on public street trees and rights?of?way. This role is responsible for ensuring safe, efficient, and high?quality completion of tree maintenance activities such as pruning, removals, planting, and storm response in accordance with municipal standards, arboricultural best practices, and safety regulations.
 

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Supervise and direct daily activities of an urban forestry crew performing street tree maintenance.
• Perform and oversee tree pruning, removals, planting, and stump grinding in public rights?of?way.
• Ensure work complies with municipal specifications, ANSI A300 standards, and industry best practices.
• Conduct daily job briefings and ensure all crew members understand work plans, hazards, and safety controls.
• Operate and oversee operation of equipment such as bucket trucks, chippers, chainsaws, loaders, and other forestry equipment.
• Drive and maintain CDL?required vehicles in accordance with DOT and company policies.
• Inspect work sites to ensure traffic control, pedestrian safety, and property protection measures are properly in place.
• Coordinate with municipal representatives, inspectors, and the public as needed while work is being performed.
• Identify hazardous trees and conditions and take appropriate corrective action.
• Ensure proper care, inspection, and maintenance of tools, vehicles, and equipment.
• Train and mentor crew members on safe work practices and proper arboricultural techniques.
• Complete required documentation, including job reports, safety forms, and equipment inspections.
• Respond to storm events and emergency tree situations as required.

Required Qualifications

• Must be 18 years or older
• High school diploma or GED required.
• Minimum 3–5 years of experience in urban forestry, municipal tree care, or arboriculture.
• Prior experience leading or supervising a field crew preferred.
• Demonstrated knowledge of tree pruning and removal techniques for street and urban environments.
• Ability to safely operate forestry equipment and heavy trucks.
• Strong understanding of job?site safety, traffic control, and public?facing work environments.

License and Certifications: 

• Valid Class A or Class B Commercial Driver’s License (CDL)

• Ability to obtain ISA Certified Arborist within first 6 months
• ISA Tree Worker Climber or Aerial Lift Specialist
• Ability to obtain First Aid / CPR within first 3 months
• Traffic Control or Work Zone Safety Training

Pre-Screen

Physical Requirements:

• RARE (less than 10%): crawling, climbing, gripping, lifting up to 50 lbs.
• OCCASIONAL (up to 33%): standing, stooping, kneeling, squatting, body-twisting, sense of touch, manual dexterity, lifting over 10 lbs. to 50 lbs., reaching, range-of-motion, lifting, carrying, pushing, pulling, climbing ladders, climbing stairs, balancing.
• FREQUENT (up to 66%): walking, sitting, climbing on/off truck, reading, lifting up to 10 lbs.
• CONTINUOUS (up to 100%): speaking clearly, seeing distant, seeing, hearing-speech-range, depth-perception, color vision.

Safety

Due to the inherently dangerous nature of the industry and requirements to work with or around hazardous equipment, employees must have sufficient eyesight to judge distance/coordination of equipment and tools, be able to maintain attention and concentration for extended periods of time, be able to withstand exposure to all kinds of weather while completing work assignments, be able to wear personal protective equipment as necessary, be able to enter and exit a vehicle numerous times a day, have the endurance necessary to traverse various terrain, be capable of performing job duties throughout a standard 8- or 10-hour day, be able to communicate with others, read, write, and comprehend written/verbal job instructions and information, and communicate and handle conflict professionally.

• Works around excessive noise from machines, chain saw, woodchipper and other equipment with hearing protection.
• Works in all temperatures and weather and will be exposed to nature, i.e., irritating plants and biting or stinging insects, dust, etc.
• Works at varying heights above ground and on unlevel terrain.
• Must be able to walk, climb, and work from ladders, or at various heights, on uneven and slippery surfaces, performing mentally/physically demanding work under unfavorable weather conditions while handling equipment or material.