WSU to U.S. Forest Service Ranger

     The cool thing about the Forest Service is that there are so many options and ways to move around. I started out on a seasonal Fuels Crew on the Wasatch Cache National Forest. We installed vegetation plots and measured fuel loading to feed models that help us to plan prescribed burns. We also formed an initial attack squad that would help fight fires.  

     From there I took a term position on the Black Hills National Forest as the vegetation specialist on an Integrated Resource Inventory Crew, essentially working with soil scientists and correlating vegetation types to soil types. I then received my first permanent position on the Caribou Targhee National Forest as a Conservation Botanist. My main duties were to help maintain compliance with the Forest Service Sensitive Species Manual Direction and the Endangered Species Act. That was fun – using GIS and mapping I would identify potential habitat for rare plants and go find them. It was always a blast when we found new populations. Like a treasure hunt!

     I went on to obtain my Journey Level Botanist position and moved back to the Wasatch Cache National Forest. As the botanist I worked with all other resource areas helping to plan projects from prescribed burns, trails, ski areas and rehabilitation projects.  

     Finally, I took a temporary detail on the Coconino National Forest,  out of Happy Jack, Arizona, as a District Ranger. I had the opportunity to work with every resource area and was able to use my position to help remove hurdles to allow people to get work done. I ended up with a permeant position as the Montpelier District Ranger back on the Caribou Targhee National Forest.

     In every position I tried to learn and experience as much as I possibly could in as many resource areas as I could.  Knowing those resources helped me relate and understand how botany and plant ecology is intertwined with all the other resources.  

Tips for students:

• Get a summer job, work seasonally in the summer and school in the winter - with any natural resource agency!  
• Volunteer! Whatever you can do to build your resume.  
• Learn as much as you can about as many resources as possible.  
• Put it all on the resume! Government resumes are not like what they tell you in the private sector.

Dr. Stephen Clark once said, “Somewhere out there – there is someone who is keying out plants and studying until the plant keys are tattered, torn and black! And they are going to kick your butt in an interview!”  It’s true!

What did I learn at WSU?  

     I survived Organic Chemistry, I took Plant Physiology and Genetics from Dr. Sue Harley and survived…I can do anything! Dr. Wachocki made me do a second thesis presentation telling me the speaking experience would be good for me. I argued that, “I will NEVER be getting up in front of people to talk!”  Now I can’t even begin to count how many times I’ve stood in front of groups of people to explain science and what we do. Finally, Dr. Al Winward who was the Region Four Ecologist for the Forest Service (I did volunteer work for him to get experience) said, “We desperately need people who know plants! More importantly, we need people who know plants….and can talk to other people!” Listen to your professors and seek out their advice- they’ve been around and seen a thing or two. You won’t get rich working for the Forest Service, but the places you’ll go, sites you’ll see and the people you work with absolutely can’t be beat!

I would be happy to field any questions that any one might have, michael.duncan@usda.gov.