This year has been more than I ever thought it could be and then some serving with the Mount Adams Institute and the Forest Service. Between all the hard work, amazing sights, and just as amazing people to work with, what more could a guy ask for? Continue Reading…
Coming into the Mt Adams Institute Land Stewards Program after fulfilling a previous AmeriCorps Internship I was very excited to see where this position would take me. Not only would I be doing my mainstay of Forest Service work as a Wilderness Ranger, but I would also be learning and honing other skills with Trail Crew, Timber, Front Country Rangers, Botany, and a few other important groups at the Ranger Station.
The ability to go out with these various different sections and crews gave me better knowledge and perspective of the Ranger District. From digging out a hillside for a trail reroute to marking hazard trees/watching them get cut down, to tool maintenance and campsite cleanups. There has always been something new to learn and a skill to develop here.
Development and learning opportunities are always encouraged here too. My supervisor has been very willing to sit down with me and others to discuss anything and everything we might have an interest in doing. Books in person, going out with another team, online training, we can do it all and never feel discouraged from going the extra mile to do something we believe will be beneficial to ourselves and our careers.
Recently I have started taking online courses through the Arthur Carhart Wilderness Training Center. Starting from the history and inception of the Wilderness Act of 1964 all the way to modern management strategies. These valuable skills can be used in many different aspects of my job as a Wilderness Ranger and be used for the future too.
In addition, we had training on how to better navigate and apply for other government jobs, a truly valuable ability to make what would normally seem exceptionally time-consuming things go by with ease.
We have learned a good deal here so far in the Public Land Steward Program, both from Mt Adams Institute, and the Forest Service. I am excited to see where the rest of my Internship takes me and look forward to applying for future Forest Service positions.
The following three haiku are a reflection of my experience so far. They are meant to come one after another, with no more separation than the physical indentation that is between them.
I’ve had the opportunity to do a lot of different jobs in the Forest Service here at Cle Elum. The season began with a lot of trail work. I was also able to shadow the botany team and help them prevent beetle infestation. I worked with the heavy equipment operators, observing them use the excavators and bucking the trees for them to move. Later it transitioned into weekend hitches into the wilderness for log-out and public contact. After that, I have done a lot of front country work maintaining the dispersed campsites, toilets, and educating the public about the many regulations and fire precautions. Continue Reading…
What an incredible three months this has been for me, when I first started this program, I really didn’t
know what to expect, was I going to love it or hate it? Are the other interns and forest service
employees going to be good people? Can I handle living away from my parents? After three months I
can say without a doubt in my mind, that I am grateful for this internship. Continue Reading…
I am so excited to be serving an Americorps internship with the US Forest Service through the Mt. Adams Institute’s Public Lands Stewards program! I have been working as a wilderness ranger at Mt. Adams Ranger District for about 10 weeks now and already have been able to learn so much about wilderness, ranger skills, and the Gifford Pinchot National Forest as a whole. Continue Reading…
I have been an avid outdoorsman my entire life. Hiking and exploring the bountiful forests of Washington State has been a favorite summer pastime for me, but it was never something that I thought I’d actually be paid to do. My AmeriCorps internship with the Entiat Ranger District has allowed me to do just that. Continue Reading…
Every job has its ups and downs. Being a backcountry wilderness ranger is no different.
