We are constantly being told about various land conservation and sustainable development drives being carried, and famous land management consultants being called in to give their opinion. Have you ever wondered what exactly IS a Land Management Consultant, and what precise role they play? Since I was curious, I decided to dig deeper, and met with the folks over at Land Management Systems in Ringwood to see how they could enlighten me.
The first question I had was – what is a Land Management Consultant? While the job title seems pretty self-explanatory, it involves a lot more than just looking at a plot of land and deciding what you can and can’t do with it. Whether it’s a piece of land being considered for protection or a long-held parcel in need of a management plan, a Land Management Consultant needs to develop a thorough understanding of flora and fauna to offer detailed recommendations for maximizing its potential in a sustainable way.
It’s a career path that suits those who shudder at the idea of spending time in an office. If you prefer fields to filing, you meet one of the criteria for a career in land management.
What Does the Job Involve?
The main focus is to help landowners, farmers and construction contractors maintain and manage their plots of land in the most environmentally friendly manner. You’re likely to be working with a wide range of clients on any given day too. One moment, you could be devising a plan to help Famer McDonald get the most out of his land, the next, you’re working with the local council and using your expert knowledge of environmental and sustainability issues to help preserve the wildlife in national parks and conservation areas, whilst making them accessible for all kinds of people. You could also use the same knowledge to review development plans and help a construction firm obtain their environmental impact assessment report. Like we said, this is not a career path for those who don’t like getting their hands dirty.
What do I Need to Work in Land Management?
If you want to work in this area, it is highly important that you have a passion for the environment. That’s not to say that you should have been implementing land management schemes in your local area since the age of eight, but when applying for these roles you need to demonstrate the fact that this career path genuinely means something to you.
This is where work experience, volunteer work and internships come into play. This will give you a great insight into the industry, help you build up the key skills that you need and show that you care about the environment too.
Some people choose to specialise in one area of land management. For instance, some people might focus their efforts on agricultural land use. Other people decide to focus on the management of forests and woodland areas.
The other important thing you need to make a successful career out of Land Management is people skills. It’s all well and good being passionate about the environment, and you could be a real analytical prodigy, but if you can’t communicate effectively, you won’t get very far. Experience matters a great deal too. Experience helps each consultant understand the job and helps build a network of professionals who may play a role in the management work. A good consultant will know the right loggers, the best seed and plant distributors, and the most reliable labour sources for each job.
I’m sure we can infer that a Land Management Consultant plays a bigger role in conservation and sustainability than a lot of us give them credit for. How about you? Do you feel like Land Management might be something you are interested in? Leave a comment below and share your views!