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.