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News

NEW JOB VACANCY - Seasonal Ranger - Uist, Outer Hebrides

18/6/2021

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JOB DESCRIPTION

Seasonal Ranger - Uist, Outer Hebrides

Type of Contract: 37.5 hours per week (some weekend and evening working required). Temporary.  Fixed term until 31st October 2021.
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Salary: £27,300 per annum FTE​ (i.e. £9,100 for 4 months)

With the increase in visitors to Uist over recent years; which is expected to increase as COVID-19 restrictions ease and UK residents are encouraged to stay at home for their holidays; and a unique fragile natural environment including two nature reserves at Balranald and Loch Druidibeg and, with a large proportion of the islands habitats designated as Sites of Special Scientific Interest, Special Protection Areas and National Scenic Areas; the Seasonal Ranger will play a crucial role in ensuring that our communities conservation ambitions go hand in hand with welcoming visitors to this well-loved place.

You will share your enthusiasm for the outdoors and passion for the environment with the walkers, campers, cyclists and sightseers who come to explore our islands during the busy summer season.

You will work outside on walking/cycling routes, in key hotspots for outdoor activities and camping and, at our new Environment Centre in Lochmaddy near the primary ferry port, acting as an ambassador to build awareness of the importance of conserving our fragile environment and support visitor management, conservation and engagement activities. Your working week will be divided between Berneray, North Uist, Benbecula, South Uist and Eriskay (60% Berneray and North Uist, 40% Benbecula, South Uist and Eriskay). You’ll leave those you meet with a desire to respect, protect and enjoy this special natural environment and an understanding of how they can help do this.

You will work on your own and with colleagues, volunteers and other organisations, on a variety of practical visitor infrastructure improvements and conservation tasks to help us achieve the habitat management standards expected of protected destinations such as this. This will take place across the islands of North Uist, Benbecula and South Uist, working in collaboration with our project partners Stòras Uibhist, Comhairle nan Eilean Siar and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds Scotland.

You will contribute to the long-term sustainability of a ranger service through investigating income generating activities inspired by our work, growing our capacity through volunteers and cost-effective use of resources.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES AND ACCOUNTABILITIES

Nature Conservation
  • Be enthusiastic, contributing to the smooth operation and ecological enhancement of the islands.
  • Carry out regular site monitoring checks and record keeping, helping us to evaluate performance and plan our activities, including foot path condition checks and people counter figures.
  • Get involved with practical conservation tasks, including path maintenance and litter clearance.
  • Seek to minimise our environmental impact through sustainable working practices and sensitive use of resources.
Visitor Engagement
  • Participate in a programme of patrols at busy times and locations, including weekends and evenings, to engage with tourists, campers and outdoor activity enthusiasts, championing a “leave no trace” culture; providing practical advice based on the Scottish Outdoor Access Code.
  • Welcome customers in our Environment Centre in a friendly, efficient and knowledgeable manner, answering queries and providing information about the local area.
  • Contribute to the development and delivery of infrastructure and information, including on-site displays, trails, signage, guided walks, talks and/or other hands-on activities.
Working together
  • Recruit, induct and supervise volunteer roles to help grow capacity and assist with leadership of volunteering activities as required.
  • Build positive relationships with our community, including schools, community groups and recreational users.
  • Support a strong health & safety culture, complying with risk management and emergency procedures, to safeguard yourself, colleagues and the public.
  • Additional duties, as necessary, to meet the needs of the Company.
Funding our future
  • Seek and support ways to generate sustainable sources of income, including encouraging donations.
 
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS, SKILLS, EXPERIENCE & KNOWLEDGE

Essential
  • Hold a qualification in a relevant discipline and/or a year’s ranger experience.
  • Experience of engaging the public in nature tourism or working in a busy rural setting.
  • Strong knowledge of natural history and conservation.
  • Ability and desire to work outdoors in a wide range of weather conditions.
  • Confident communication and influencing skills with colleagues, volunteers and the public.
  • Experience of working in a team and working with volunteers.
  • Self-motivated with the ability to work alone or work with minimal supervision.
  • Flexible and adaptive to change and working in a variety of situations.
  • Willingness to work weekends and evenings.
  • IT literate and competent user of Microsoft Office products.
  • Clean driving license and access to own vehicle.
  • First aid certificate.
Desirable
  • Experience in practical conservation work.
  • Experience of developing and delivering events or learning activities.
  • Experience in leading groups of volunteers.
  • PA 1 and PA6 pesticide training
  • Brush-cutter training
  • Basic Disclosure Scotland Check
  • Gaelic (conversational)
Interested in applying but not sure you have all the skills? Please apply anyway, and inform us in your letter of support how your skills and experience can be applied to this role.

The Key Responsibilities, Scope of Job, and Required Qualifications, Skills, Experience & Knowledge reflect the requirements of the job at the time of issue. The North Uist Development Company (NUDC) reserves the right to amend these with appropriate consultation and/or request the post-holder to undertake any activities that it believes to be reasonable within the broad scope of the job or his/her general abilities. This vacancy is being funded by NatureScot and subject to receipt of final approval documents.

APPLICATIONS

Interested applicants should forward a CV and letter of support by email to nudc@isleofnorthuist.com by 12 noon on Monday the 28th of June 2021.

NUDC supports flexible working and will consider part-time applications as a job-share.

Applications will be reviewed from the 28th to the 30th of June, and selected candidates will be sent invitations to interview on the 30th of June. Interviews will be held via Zoom on Thursday the 1st of July and Friday the 2nd of July 2021. 

​Candidates must be able to start immediately.

​Download the job description here.
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Launching new project to drive a low carbon future for our islands: Uist Local Energy Plan

15/6/2021

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Community Energy Fortnight started yesterday on June 14 2021 to celebrate community energy across the UK, and this week also marks the launch of a new exciting project in Uist to plan and design energy projects to deliver a low carbon future for our islands – the Uist Local Energy Plan.

A community-led Local Energy Plan enables the local community to look at its existing and future energy needs (in terms of power, heat and transport) and state where it sees priorities for action.
The Local Energy Plan (LEP) will set out the aspirations and priorities of the local community for the future development of energy from Berneray to Eriskay.  The LEP will be delivered by a partnership between North Uist Development Company, Community Energy Scotland and Coimhearsnachd Bharraigh agus Bhatarsaidh, using a wealth of local island expertise in community energy. 

The project will be supported and driven by a Steering Group and an Advisory Group with members across the community to represent the area in which they live and the sector they are skilled in, such as energy efficiency, transport, fisheries, the environment, education, and crofting.

Janet Foggie, Chief Executive Officer of Community Energy Scotland said “Communities across Scotland are turning their attention to our need for a fair and equal transition to Net Zero, for the people who live in Uist the Uist Local Energy plan gives people an excellent opportunity to be part of the shaping for the future of the island. Community Energy Scotland are proud to play their part in including everyone in the Energy Plan and in working to ensure that building a sustainable future for Uist is given the headstart it needs.”

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Uist Wind’s two 900kW turbines in North Uist and, old car meets new EV at the South Uist games as part of Uist Energy in Motion.
The Uist LEP builds on from a Scottish pilot project - Delivering COmmunity BENefits of Civic Energy (COBEN); which included Barra as one of the pilot areas. 

Community based plans empower the community to collectively take ownership of their local energy needs and so communities can actively shape their own future.  The Scottish Government has a target of 2GW of community and locally owned renewable energy by 2030; part of the wider target of ambitious targets of achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2045 and a 75% reduction by 2030.

Similar plans are being developed across Europe, in both mainland and island settings.  The Clean Energy for EU Islands Secretariat supported pioneering islands on the development of their Clean Energy Transition Agendas (CETAs): strategic roadmaps for the transition process towards clean energy; including a combined CETA for the islands of Eigg, Muck, Rum, Canna, Fair Isle, Foula, and the peninsula of Knoydart in Scotland. 

Norman MacAskill, Chair of South Uist Renewable Energy Ltd (Stòras Uibhist) said “With Glasgow soon hosting the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26), now is the perfect time for communities across Uist to work together to deliver a local energy plan that drives forward the energy transition.  We look forward to working with all involved in the project over the coming months, and sharing the findings with the wider community in early 2022.” 
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Stewart Wilson, Chief Executive Officer of Tighean Innse Gall (TIG) said “TIGs role is to help ensure that we sew the thread from your house in Ceannaridh to COP 26 linking in all the policies and programmes of delivery in between. People expect a just transition and TIG believe the Uist Local Energy Plan will be a key driver for this, we applaud the true Uist style of boldness of vision and determination to succeed.”
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