A Park Ranger's Life

More Details on the Death Of Park Ranger Margaret Anderson

2012-01-23T08:25:00.003-05:00

In a recent article in the Komo News some more details are given about the day of Park Ranger Margaret Anderson's death.

http://www.komonews.com/news/local/New-details-emerge-about-Ranger-Andersons-sacrifice-137832659.html

Park Ranger Margaret Anderson's Memorial Service

2012-01-11T14:03:00.002-05:00

You can go to this web site to view video excerpts from yesterday's Memorial Service for National Park Ranger Margaret Anderson who was killed in the line of duty on New Year's Day. I viewed these with a large lump in my throat and tears in my eyes.

May Margaret rest in peace with the knowledge that she did her duty saving the lives of others. Let us never forget her sacrifice nor that of her family.

http://www.nwcn.com/video?id=137057633&sec=551977

Fund for Margaret Anderson's Family Now Set Up

2012-01-06T06:55:00.003-05:00

A fund has been established for individuals to provide financial assistance for the family of slain National Park Ranger Margaret Anderson. Her family has requested that donations be made to this fund rather than the purchase of flowers.

Below is taken from the National Park Service's Morning Report;

 The family asks that donations be made in lieu of flowers. They will be used to help Eric
raise their two girls. Donations should be sent to KeyBank, P.O. Box 159,
Eatonville, WA 98328. Checks should be made out to the Margaret Anderson
Donation Account.

Following Murder of National Park Ranger Media Focuses On Dangers Of The Job

2012-01-05T08:28:00.000-05:00

The murder of National Park Ranger Margaret Anderson has sparked a sudden interest from the media on the dangers of the job. Numerous articles are appearing in national newspapers, websites, and on TV. Here is one of the better ones I have perused from the Washington Post.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/park-rangers-death-highlights-the-risks-in-federal-law-enforcement/2012/01/04/gIQAEJLTbP_story.html

I find this of interest since the most common remark I here from non-park rangers who have read my book is that they had no idea of how dangerous the job was.

It is tragic and sad that it takes another death of a National Park Ranger to bring these facts to nationwide attention. I am concerned that with impending additional budget cuts to come decisions will be made that will further place in harms way the Park Rangers serving today. In the past cutting of budgets normally resulted in reduced staffing, failure to replace worn out equipment such as vehicles and radio systems, cuts to training, and limited access to new and improved technology to safely do the job.

I do not argue that our Government spends more than it should and cuts need to be made. I just hope that politicians and managers consider the safety of people working in dangerous situations before making blanket reductions.

Sense Of Loss Of A National Park Ranger

2012-01-04T14:43:00.000-05:00

I can never know the pain and sorrow that is now inflictedon the family of Margaret Anderson. Herclose friends and co-workers are sharing in this grief filled emotional rollercoaster.

Although I no longer wear the green and gray of a NationalPark Ranger, those colors still run strong in my blood and Margaret’s deathtakes one more piece of my sense of sanity in the world. I believe I speak for every present and pastPark Ranger when I say that the loss of Margaret Anderson has reverberatedthrough us all and left an indelible mark on our hearts.

Eventually there will be opportunities for contributions tobe made to aid Margaret’s family in caring for her husband and two youngdaughters she has left behind. I willpass this information on when it becomes available. I hope many of you can find a way to helpout. In the mean time, let us not forgetthe ultimate sacrifice made by Margaret Anderson doing what she dedicated herlife to that was for the benefit of every one of us.

After working in law enforcement as a National Park Rangerfor more than thirty two years I have developed a patina of cynicism and do notnormally find sympathy for anyone who would kill another human let alone a lawenforcement officer. In this case I dofind myself reflecting on the second edge of this blade stabbed into society’sheart in that the suspected shooter, Benjamin Colton Barnes, appears to have been ayoung, troubled, military veteran of the war in Iraq. This is another tragic story in itself.

When such appalling events occur in National Parks many feela deep concern as if it happened in their own back yard for the National Parksdo belong to all Americans.

My thoughts here are rambling, but I find that being acondition of my grief. Today and everyday may we all say a prayer of support for MargaretAnderson’s family.

US Park Ranger Margaret Anderson

Suspected Killer of National Park Ranger Margaret Anderson Found Dead

2012-01-03T14:38:00.004-05:00

A body of a man now identified as the suspected killer of National Park Ranger Margaret Anderson has been found in Mount Rainier National Park.

http://video.msnbc.msn.com/nightly-news/45850689#45850689

National Park Ranger Murdered In The Line Of Duty

2012-01-02T10:06:00.000-05:00

National Park Ranger Margaret Anderson was shot and killed in the line of duty yesterday morning at Mount Rainier National Park. This senseless murder happened when a vehicle was stopped after running through a tire chain check point.

This is taken from this National Park Service Morning Report:

Mount Rainier NP
Ranger Shot And Killed By Assailant

Ranger Margaret Anderson, 34, was shot and killed on the road to Paradise
at Mount Rainier National Park on Sunday morning.  As of this time (early
on Monday), the assailant is still at large and a manhunt is underway.

The incident began when a car failed to stop at a required tire chain
checkpoint. A ranger tried to pull the car over, and, when it failed to
stop, Anderson established a road block with her vehicle.  The assailant
jumped from his car and opened fire with a shotgun, fatally wounding her.
He then fled on foot into the woods. Rangers and law enforcement officers
from various agencies responded.  The Pierce County SWAT team arrived on
scene and they, too, were fired upon while rendering aid to Anderson.

Law enforcement officers closed the park road, evacuated park visitors from
Longmire, and locked down Paradise, with all visitors in the area taking
refuge in the Jackson Visitor Center.  There were 125 park visitors and 17
park staff in the visitor center as of late on Sunday.  The visitor center
has a restaurant to provide food, restrooms and water, and law enforcement
officers are on hand to provide protection.

The search for the murderer continued into the night, with fixed wing
aircraft using forward looking infrared to scan the ground.  There are a
more than 100 officers from a variety of agencies assisting with the
manhunt for the shooter, including National Park Service, Pierce County
Sheriff, FBI, Washington State Patrol, US Forest Service, City of Enumclaw,
and Lewis County Sheriff.

Mount Rainier National Park will remain closed today.

Anderson served at Mount Rainier for four years.  She is survived by her
husband, also a park ranger at Mount Rainier, and by two young children.

Director Jarvis issued this statement early today:

“Yesterday morning, Park Ranger Margaret Anderson was shot and killed while
making a traffic stop at Mount Rainier National Park.  As I write this late
Sunday night, the murderer is still at large in the park, which has been
closed.  We are working closely with the FBI and local law enforcement to
protect visitors and staff and to track down Margaret’s killer and bring
him to justice.

“This is a heartbreaking, senseless tragedy.  Margaret was just 34 years
old. She and her husband Eric, who is also a park ranger at Mount Rainier,
have two young children.  Margaret was killed while doing her job –
protecting the visiting public on one of the park’s busiest days of the
year.

“Last week, we mourned the death of U.S. Park Police Officer Mike Boehm,
who suffered a heart attack while responding to a serious incident in
Washington, DC.  Mike left behind a wife and a son.

“Our hearts go out to both families, and I ask you to keep them in your
thoughts and prayers in the hard days ahead.

“As updates from Rainier are available we will share them with all
employees through InsideNPS.  These losses are painful reminders of the
risks faced by National Park Service employees every day. Please be careful
out there and watch out for each other.”

My family's heartfell condolences go out to Margaret's family, friends, and co-workers

For more news coverage go to:
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/authorities-hunt-gunman-suspected-killing-mount-rainier-ranger-margaret-anderson-article-1.999759

http://www.cnn.com/2012/01/01/justice/washington-ranger-killed/index.html

http://www.cnn.com/2012/01/02/justice/washington-ranger-killed/index.html

More On Utah State Park Ranger Brody Young

2011-12-19T02:24:00.001-05:00

Here is more information on Park Ranger Brody Young who has returned to duty after being shot nine times.

http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/news/53140228-78/shooting-ranger-shot-utah.html.csp

Bikes On The Blue Ridge Parkway

2011-12-14T12:01:00.001-05:00

The Blue Ridge Parkway is presently attempting to completethe six or more year process of developing a General Management Plan (GMP). This document is essential for establishing the managementdirection and policy development for any National Park area. Although theBlue Ridge Parkway is the most visited unit in the National Park Service andwas first established in 1936, it has never had a GMP.

This lack of a GMP has at times resulted in a publicly perceivedflip flopping of management on priorities and at times a dearth of directionfor supervisors in making decisions on controversial topics of civic interest. The lack of a GMP has also hindered the Parkin justifying additional funding for preservation programs and staffing.

The GMP process has been started several times during thehistory of the Blue Ridge Parkway only to die before it can be completed due tolack of funding and the complexity of developing a single plan that covers allthe resources, communities, and special interests along a 469 mile park. During my career I served on two GMP planningteams. The first was part of a dyingeffort. The second was the beginning ofthe process now coming to fruition.

When the current process started the public was asked forcomments to determine their highest priority of issues facing the Blue RidgeParkway. The number one issue, far aheadof any other, concerned the use of bicycles on the Parkway. This surprised park staff and planners. What was even more surprising was that thesecomments were split right down the middle. Half were in favor of cycling and the other half against even allowingbicycles in the park. This level ofinterest prompted the planning team to contract with David Evans and Associatesto conduct a Bicycling Feasibility study for the park. The report examined present use patterns andlooked at the practicality of infrastructure improvements to accommodate bicyclesin high use areas. The final report wasvery much in favor of encouraging the use of bikes in the park.

Now that the GMP is reaching its final stage of publicreview and comment some cyclist are reading into the plan’s reference to thepark’s original enabling legislation’s wording establishing a “motor road” and predictingthat bikes could be banned from the Blue Ridge Parkway. I would call this a bit reactionary and basedon my experience working with management of the park I can say with certaintythat there is no intent or thought to put an end to cycling on the Blue RidgeParkway. As a cyclist myself, I have everyconfidence that people will be able to enjoy bicycling on the Blue RidgeParkway for generations to come. Afterall, that is what our National Parks and the National Park Service that managesthem are all about.

See what Blue Ridge Parkway Superintendent Phil Francis hadto say on this topic at:

http://www.mountainx.com/article/38395/No-We-like-cyclists-declares-Parkway-superintendent-who-says-draft-plan-doesnt-snub-peddalers

Utah State Park Ranger Brody Young Returns to Work

2011-12-14T11:27:00.001-05:00

Those of you who have been following this blog and the news should remember the shock when on November 19, 2010 Utah State Park Ranger Brody Young was shot three times in a gun battle that resulted when he stopped a vehicle at a trail head. After a year of fighting against life threatening injuries Brody has been able to fight his way back and be able to return to full time work.

Congratulations go out to Brody for winning his fight and I wish him the very best in and his family's future.

Utah State Park Ranger Brody Young

Your can learn more about Brody at:

http://www.rangerbrody.org/

"A Park Ranger's Life" Reader Review

2011-12-10T10:17:00.001-05:00

This reader review appeared recently at Amazon.com:

I finished Mr. Bytnar's book a few weeks ago. I found it to be very interesting as well as educational. Being married to a man who was also 'on call', brought back some memories of how most dinners went cold waiting for him to have the time to sit down and dine with his family. I found the story about the lady who was outraged at Mr. Bytnar not being able to give her an accurate weather report at 2 a.m. in the morning quite appalling. I wish you could have named her and sent a copy of your book to her, as well as other morons who felt they had been disrespected, when they were the ones who owed you an apology. There are many more stories I chuckled at and will have your book in my library shelves for house guests to devour while staying at our lake house. I'll also recommend they buy a book for their own library! Thank you Mr. Bytnar for your sacrifices and wonderful service to our parks and to our country. (Has your wife ever forgiven you?) A reader in Franklin County, Virginia.

Seasonal Park Ranger Application Season Opening

2011-12-10T08:43:00.001-05:00

For those who might be interested in pursuing a life as a National Park Ranger, the time for applying for seasonal jobs this coming summer is fast upon us. These positions are generally available from some time in this coming May and run through October. It all depends on which park you apply to. Anyone interested in this exciting opportunity should now be keeping a close watch for open job listings at:

http://www.usajobs.gov/JobSearch/Search/GetResults?keyword=park%20ranger

Most positions will be announced in January, but it appears that some parks are getting the jump on everyone else and announcing jobs early.

So keep your options open and start updating those resumes and reading announcements to tailor your applications to what qualifications fit each job.

For more information on applying for seasonal park ranger jobs go to the search window in the right hand column and type in "jobs." This will bring up several past blog posts that explain this application system.

Good luck.

Looking For A Christmas Present?

2011-12-05T07:45:00.001-05:00

Looking for a great Christmas Present for that person who is planning to work as a National Park Ranger or had that dream years ago? Or maybe a gift for someone who loves our National Parks.

A Park Ranger's Life: Thirty Two Years Protecting Our National Parks would make the perfect gift.

A Park Ranger's Life is now being used as required reading in universities across the country for students studying to be a park ranger. The book has been praised as one of the best honest behind the scenes look at what it is like to work in our National Parks.

You can find A Park Ranger;s Life available on Amazon and Barnes and Noble and many other online sources. You can also find the book available for the Amazon Kindle.

Conviction for Plant Theft From the Blue Ridge Parkway

2011-12-05T07:30:00.001-05:00

As our economy continues to struggle, pressure on the resources within our National Parks will

Increase.  Those with the proclivity toward stepping over the line for financial gain will be tempted by the international markets for plants, animals, insects, and minerals.

As an example three men were recently convicted of stealing plants from the Blue Ridge Parkway.

With the impending budget cuts facing our National Parks, it will become more of a challenge to  prevent, enforce, and prosecute criminals that degrade our natural and cultural heritage.

Below is taken from  the National Park Service's Morning Report.

Blue Ridge Parkway
Three Men Convicted In Separate Ginseng Poaching Cases

Three people were arrested separately in September for digging ginseng
along the parkway. On December 1st, Thomas Jones pled guilty to possessing
12 roots and was sentenced to five days in jail, Jason Hughes pled guilty
to possessing 167 roots and was sentenced to 30 days in jail, and Delmar
Hughes pled guilty to possessing 103 roots and was sentenced to 50 days in
jail. Hughes was arrested with 138 ginseng roots in his possession in 2009
by the same ranger involved in this case. He served 30 days in jail for
that offense. [Tim Francis, Pisgah District Ranger]

Park Ranger Job Advice

2011-11-23T07:01:00.001-05:00

I recently received the below questions from a reader:

I am desperately seeking employment with the NPS. I hold a bachelor's degree in history and wish to become an interpretation ranger. I am also eligible for a 5-point veterans preference in the hiring process. I have applied to as many jobs as I can through USA jobs. Some of them I get rated eligible on, but never hear anything in return. My professor advised me to start volunteering to make my resume more attractive. I have been volunteering at Horseshoe Bend National Military Park for the last several months. Do you have any advice or inside information on how to get hired quicker by the NPS?

Thank you,

It sounds like you are on your way to checking all the boxes to start your career.

Your professor has given you sound advise to get some volunteer experience. It will greatly enhance your resume, show your dedicated intent, and aid in making contacts and getting yourself know to Park Service employees.

If it is permanent jobs you are applying for, it is very difficult to start there. You are most likely competing with people with similar qualifications with the addition of seasonal or temporary employment experience on their record. So keep those applications going, but consider seasonal employment opportunities to get a foot in the door.

Also look at locations that may not be on the top of your list. Parks such as Independence in Philadelphia, The Statue of Liberty in New York, The National Capital Parks in DC, and Jefferson Expansion (more commonly referred to as "The Arch") in St. Louis all have larger staffs and constant turn over. These locations do more frequent hiring. Many of the park rangers I worked with during my career started in these urban areas since that was where jobs were available. Once your foot is in the door and you gain experience you can transfer to other areas that may be more appealing to your expectations.

The key to the whole process is getting started with your first job.

Best of luck in the pursuit of your career aspirations.

Bruce W. Bytnar

Blue Ridge Parkway May Not Open Facilities Next Year

2011-11-17T12:52:00.001-05:00

I have written several times about the constant cutting of National Park Budgets. An article in the Times Citizen from Asheville, North Carolina gives some specifics of what additional cuts will mean to the Blue Ridge Parkway, the most visited unit in our National Park System.

During my thirty two year career the parks never had enough funds to do the job as expectations from politicians, managers, and the visiting public increased. I know that Superintendent Phil Francis is being accurate and sincere in his statement that the Park is already down to a bear bones operation.

Read more at:

http://www.citizen-times.com/article/20111116/OPINION01/311160007/Budget-ax-could-close-Parkway-sites?odyssey=nav%7Chead

The Most Dangerous Park Ranger Job In The World

2011-11-16T06:07:00.001-05:00

Check out this site for information on the most dangerous Park Ranger Job in the world. Nothing in our National Parks can compare.

http://boingboing.net/2011/11/15/the-most-dangerous-place-to-be.html

http://gorillacd.org/team/FieldTeam/

National Park Funding Threatened Again

2011-11-11T07:21:00.001-05:00

A new report by the National Parks and ConservationAssociation highlights how the budget cuts being considered by the Super Committeein Congress will impact our National Parks.

Some interesting facts include:

Funding for National Park Budget accounts for 1/13 of onepercent of the Federal budget

The existing appropriation for National Parks is already$400 million or 13% less than it was ten years ago.

In FY 2011 the operations budget for our parks was reducedby $11.5 million. They are now facingmore cuts.

You can learn more about this report by going to:

http://www.npca.org/park_policy/made-in-america.html

A Park Ranger Ghostly Expereince

2011-10-28T22:43:00.001-04:00

In my book A Park Ranger's Life I told the story of my experience with some unexplained phenomena at Hampton House in Towson, Maryland. A recent article in the Towson Patch references this adventure. Check it out at:

http://towson.patch.com/articles/unearthing-the-hampton-house-s-haunting-history

Hampton House in Towson, Maryland

Park Ranger To Be Executed In Iran

2011-10-18T08:01:00.004-04:00

It is often difficult for us as Westerners to understandMuslim law and how it works. A primeexample is now unfolding in Iran.

A park ranger who was working in the remote province of Denaconfronted five illegal poachers who had killed a protected wild goat. In the ensuing confrontation the poachersshot at the park ranger attempting to escape. Reacting to protect himself the park ranger returned fire apparently killingone of the poachers. This incident that occurredin 2007 has now resulted in park ranger Asad Taghizadeh being convicted ofmanslaughter and condemned to death, a sentence that is to be carried outwithin two weeks.

According to the Iranian Mehr News Agency:

Following the shooting,Taghizadeh was condemned to a retributive death sentence (Qesas), something thefamily of the deceased hunter have been demanding insistently

The sentence of death has now been affirmed by the IranianSupreme Court.

In Iran more than one hundred park rangers have been killedon the job in the past thirty years. Iranian park rangers are looked down on as lower members of society dueto their poor economic compensation. This contributes to their treatment by fellow Iranians and disregard fortheir mission of protecting natural and cultural resources.

For more information you can go to the following links. The second includes an online petition shouldyou wish to take some action.

http://en.irangreenvoice.com/content/3299

http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/stop-execution-of-assad-taghizadeh/sign.html#se

Newspaper Following Up On Plant Poachers

2011-10-08T10:22:00.001-04:00

Check out this link.......

http://www.wyff4.com/news/29417496/detail.html

Park Rangers Catch More Plant Thieves On The Blue Ridge Parkway

2011-10-07T09:04:00.000-04:00

Park Rangers made another arrest of individuals steelingnative plants on the Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina. As you read this entry from today's NationalPark Service Morning Report, note that this was not the first time at least oneof these individuals has been caught thieving plants and that the other twoshare additional criminal histories.

I found the connection of criminal activity between naturalresource thieves and other violations to be a common thread. Most poachers that we charged had criminalhistories ranging from attempted murder, assault, and drug trafficking, to badchecks and fraud. In a number of instanceswe uncovered evidence of these other crimes while investigating individuals forresource law violations in the park.

Someone who is uninhibited enough to commit crimes againstothers will often look to the presumed easy dollar to be made in the illegal wildlife and plant trade.

Blue Ridge Parkway

Three Arrested For Ginseng Poaching

On the afternoon of September 29th, rangers saw asuspicious vehicle and three individuals in an area known for ginsengpoaching. As the rangers approached,they began throwing items into the woods and into their vehicle. Uponinvestigation, the rangers found that the trio had collectively dug up 350ginseng roots. All three were arrested and taken before the federal magistrate,with a pending court date in December. One of them had been arrested two yearspreviously by one of the same rangers for the same offense. One of the othersis presently on probation and also had outstanding warrants on him. The third,although not wanted, also had a criminal history. [Tim Francis, DistrictRanger]

Employees in our National Parks deal with these careercriminals regularly. For me it became justanother part of a Park Ranger's Life.

A Park Ranger's Fall Color Season Travel Tips

2011-10-06T09:45:00.003-04:00

I posted these tips a while back, but they still apply;

If you are planning a trip to the Southern Appalachians for the fall color season and want to stay in hotel or lodge accommodations, have reservations in advance. Many times I have seen travelers on the Blue Ridge Parkway in October thinking that they would just take a leisurely drive and find a motel room at the end of the day. In many cases they would find no room at the inn. I have seen people drive seventy five miles or more away from the park to find a vacant room.

October is the peak visitation season for this region of the country and a pretty weekend can see huge crowds in the parks.

October is also college football season. Colleges also sponsor their family and alumni weekends durng the beautiful fall weather. Such events can fill hotels for miles. You can check college web sites for their schedules. Some of the key colleges that may affect hotel availability are:

The University of Virginia
Virginia Military Institute
Washington and Lee University
Virginia Tech
Appalachian State University
University of North Carolina At Asheville

Fall festivals in specific communities can be a great attraction to visit, but also fill hotels.

Traffic in prime viewing areas may also become congested which will result in slow downs and delays. So make your plans for the distances you travel are reasonable and attainable. Come the end of the day you do not want to be hundreds of miles away from your planned stop for the night.

When ever possible travel during the week. Weekends are always the peak traffic times. Hotels rooms are also more easily obtainable on weekday nights.

Park Rangers -You Should'a Been In Pictures

2011-10-03T08:16:00.000-04:00

With the advent of compact video and audio recorders thatare now part of most cellular telephones, the public has in many cases becomenews cameramen. If their film footage does not reach the level ofnewsworthiness for the visual image hungry 24 hour media outlets, they canalways self-broadcast on services such as YouTube or blogs. Of course thesevideo clips are like the political sound bites we see every day, theyare edited and expanded on to show an often uncomplimentary or partial view.

I used to tell other Park Rangers that whenever in publicyou should consider yourself to be on camera and to make decisions, act, andtalk as if you are. The intent is not to be false or less efficient butas a reminder to always remain calm, professional, and to do the right thing.

Here are some examples of recent views of Park Rangersplaced out in cyberspace for anyone to see.....

http://www.epolitics.com/2011/10/01/the-great-park-ranger-photo-kerfuffle/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+epolitics+%28e.politics%3A+dissecting+the+craft+of+online+politics+and+online+advocacy%29

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_cyE1q7ZUw0

Be sure to listen to the audio in this filming of an arrestat Cape Hatteras. You may note that the producers left out anyinformation as to why the Park Rangers were contacting this suspect.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qvtveexHCg8&feature=related

This public fascination with video recording of Park Rangersin the performance of their duty makes the use of In Car Video and Security Cameras byRangers exceptionally relevant. Iremember when we first started to purchase car camera units for field ParkRangers on the Blue Ridge Parkway. The initial resistance to have theminstalled was predictable. Once thevideo recordings were applied to answering frivolous complaints and to substantiatereasonable suspicion for stopping vehicles, the application of cameras becamepart of the everyday operations of Park Rangers. It got to the point that when I received aletter or telephone call complaint about how a person we treated by a Ranger,all I had to do was say that I would review the video and in almost every casethe plaintiff withdrew their accusation.

The use of In Car Cameras also served as a valuable tool of self-evaluation for Park Rangers to improve on their officer safety andinformation gathering skills.

So whether it is a by stander to an incident or their ownequipment, National Park Rangers are becoming screen stars. My advice is to keep this information in theback of your mind and use that thought to your advantage remaining professionaland focused. Get used to being filmedand do not let the presence of cameras intimidate your decision makingprocesses.

ProRanger Program With The National Parks

2011-10-03T06:32:00.003-04:00

In the past I wrote about the implementation of the ProRanger Program. This partnership with Temple University was developed to meet the challenge to our National Parks of up to 55% of the present Park Rangers retiring over the next three to five years.

Check out this link to find out more about this program and meet two students who will be starting their careers with the National Park Service this month.

http://www.temple.edu/newsroom/2011_2012/09/stories/Park_Rangers.htm

OPM Job Search Site To Be Down For A Week

2011-10-03T06:12:00.001-04:00

The Office Of Personnel Management has announced that they are revamping their Federal Job announcement site known as USA Jobs. In order to complete this change over the site will be closed from this coming Thursday until the following Thursday.

Park Rangers Get Convictions On More Plant Thieves

2011-09-30T16:42:00.002-04:00

This morning's National Park Service Report has the story of two men convicted in Federal Court for stealing ginseng of the Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina.

Blue Ridge Parkway
Two Men Plead Guilty To Ginseng Poaching In Separate Cases

Rangers conducting surveillance on August 27th near an area known for
ginseng poaching saw a man dressed in camouflage in the woods. The man,
identified as Brian Witherel of Fletcher, North Carolina, admitted to
digging ginseng and was found to have 21 roots in his possession. A second
surveillance operation at another site known for ginseng poaching, this one
on September 17th, led to a contact with Gregory Grycki of Asheville, North
Carolina, who had 79 ginseng roots in his possession. Both were arrested.
Last week, each man appeared before a federal magistrate and entered a
guilty plea. Witherel was sentenced to 11 days in jail and Grycki received
25 days in jail. The current price for ginseng in western North Carolina
ranges from $410 to $425 for dry ginseng and $110 for green ginseng.
Rangers also determined that Witherel had sold 16.6 pounds of dry ginseng
and 3.5 pounds of green ginseng in 2008 for an estimated return, based on
the market at the time, of over $10,000. [Tim Francis, Pisgah District
Ranger]

The theft of native plants from our National Parks for personal monetary gain remains a serious threat to our natural

heritage.

More On Deaths In National Parks

2011-09-23T07:51:00.001-04:00

Once again deathsin National Parks are in the news. Seethis article:

http://blog.budgettravel.com/budgettravel/2011/09/deaths_at_national_parks_soar.html

Recentdeaths in Yosemite and Yellowstone National Parks seem to be the focus of mediacoverage. The fact is that an average of155 deaths per year are the result of accidents in National Parks.

In manycases fatalities and serious injuries to park visitors are the result of takingunnecessary risks. Is this caused bya feeling of invincibility or a false sense of security generated by what many inthe media are deeming a “nanny state?” During my career as a National Park Ranger I saw many instances wherepeople took risks well beyond their capabilities because they knew someonewould rescue them. Technology such as cell phones providinginstant communications and GPS units showing you where you are can contribute to anover confidence in one’s ability to deal with the unknown

This number ofaccidental deaths does not include fatalities as the result of medicalconditions such as heart attacks, homicides, and suicides. It was just last year that the Center for DiseaseControl (CDC) released a report on the significant number of suicides inNational Parks. According to the reportbetween the years of 2006 and 2009 there were 286 reported suicide attemptsresulting in 194 fatalities.

In a recentconversation I learned that in the Ridge District of the Blue Ridge Parkway (a106 mile section of the Park) there have been seven fatalities already thisyear. The causes of these deaths arefrom a fall, motor vehicle accidents, and suicides.

I havewritten in this blog on the topic of suicides and deaths in our parks before. To access these posts you can use the searchwindow to the right.

The fact is thatpeople do die in National Parks just as they do anywhere else. The American people have a rightful sense ofownership of our Parks that is often times amplified by the media. When fatalities occur in these special placesfor many, although they may live a thousand miles away, it feels like it occurredin their own backyard.

For NationalPark Rangers and their fellow staff members dealing with the death in ourNational Parks and the potential emotional turmoil that can linger for years isanother challenge faced all too often.

For moreinformation you can go to the following links:

http://travel.usatoday.com/destinations/dispatches/post/2011/07/national-park-deaths-random-or-reckless/178043/1

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2011-08-07-national-parks-accidental-deaths_n.htm

I also havewritten on this topic more extensively in my book A Park Ranger’s Life:Thirty Two Years Protecting Our National Parks. You can find a copy on Amazon and other online sources.

The Impact Of Your Writing

2011-09-22T07:33:00.001-04:00

When a person sits down and starts to write that book that has been rolling around in their head for years it is hard to predict the impact that final product may have on others. I received this message through Facebook and am humbled and a bit flabbergasted.

Just wanted to say thanks for everything. Read your book a while back and decided to give it my all to become an LE ranger. Got to go to the academy and meet your friend Chief Garrison last fall, and promptly got tased and pepper sprayed. I have yet to find any employment beyond an internship with the SCA. Seems this is probably the worst time ever to try and become an LE ranger, or anything in the government for that matter. I do not have a degree and would need to get hired under STEP or SCEP. I'm still hopeful though and keeping some peoples e-mail boxes full and phones ringing. Looks like I might join the military to stay competitive in the changing government job landscape.

Any who, you helped turn my life around for the better. I hope all is going well in retirement. Thank you for keeping America's wide open spaces safe. I hope to return the favor in the future
.

There is not much more that a writer can ask for than to know that their efforts positively influenced their readers. He sounds determined and I wish this young man the very best in his future and a successful ending in the pursuit of his chosen career.

Park Rangers Catch Plant Poachers

2011-09-21T06:44:00.001-04:00

As I have written before in this blog, the theft of plants from our National Parks is a serious threat to our fragile habitats. In the National Park Service Morning Report today there is a report of Park Rangers on the Blue Ridge Parkway catching criminals taking over 30,000 galax plants from within the park.

Blue Ridge Parkway
Three Arrested For Galax Poaching

An operation to interdict galax poaching was conducted near the Mt.
Mitchell area of the parkway over a two-day period last week. The operation
involved two teams conducting surveillance at two access points where
violators were either accessing and/or being dropped off to harvest the
plants. The first day was unsuccessful, but three individuals were arrested
on the second day.  The three were in possession of more than 30,000 galax
leaves. On Thursday, September 15th, the three appeared before a U.S.
magistrate and pled guilty to illegally harvesting galax and commercial
operations, with two receiving 30 days in jail and the third receiving 90
days (second offense). This area has historically seen a high amount of
such activity and is closely monitored by both rangers and members of the
Appalachians Highlands Inventory and Monitoring Network. This particular
type of galax has a very large leaf and is a target for poachers because it
can bring five cents a leaf for floral arrangements. It only grows in areas
along the parkway. [Tim Francis, Pisgah District Ranger]

A Well Done to the Park Ranger staff of the Pisgah District of the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Thanks for keeping watch over our precious heritage.

Bears In The News

2011-09-20T09:34:00.002-04:00

As I was fixing breakfast this morning I was watching WDBJ Channel 7 news out of Roanoke, Virginia when they showed a video of a black bear walking right up to a father and son fishing at a nearby pond. The bear after observing them for some time came out and eventually sniffed the father and mouthed (as a apposed to bit) the father on the foot.

You can view the video at:

http://www.wdbj7.com/news/wdbj7-bear-shows-up-during-father-and-son-fishing-outing-20110919,0,7177693.story

Although the bear appears to be young, he is close to full size and this is not normal bear behavior. These two guys were extremely lucky. Apparently this bear is acclimated to being around humans and is most likely used to being fed or eating out of human trash. The problem as I used to describe to children while doing school programs is that "bears don't share." If these men had food that the bear wanted, he would have taken it by force if necessary. Watch the entire video you will get some good advice from State Biologist Jim Bowman about keeping a distance between yourself and any wild animal. The number one source of human vs. wildlife conflicts and injuries in parks is from people getting to close to take photos.

In my book "A Park Ranger's Life" you can read about my encounter with a bear that was acclimated to considering humans a source of food and transportation.

Photographed following his eventual capture, the acclimated bear that you can learn more about in the chapter "Close Encounters of the Bear Kind" in A Park Ranger's Life.

Do not let what appears to be domestic behavior of a wild animal lure you into a fool-hearty decision.

If you are still not convinced of the seriousness of bear encounters, check out this site for information on bear attacks in North America;

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_fatal_bear_attacks_in_North_America

"A Park Ranger's Life" at the Mountain Spirits Festival October 1

2011-09-20T09:04:00.004-04:00

I am looking forward to being at the Mountain Spirits Festival in Rocky Mount, Virginia on October 1. I will be in the authors tent from 10am to 4pm with copies of my book and ready to talk and answer questions about park rangers, National Parks, and life.

http://mountainspiritsartsfestival.blogspot.com/

Remembering 9-11

2011-09-11T09:49:00.001-04:00

Watching the 9-11 Commemorations this morning has brought out strong emotions. I responded to Washington DC the next day to work on an Incident Command Team out of the Dept. of the Interior Building. The hotel we stayed at looked directly down on the still fresh hole in the Pentagon. I remember seeing fear and disbelief in the faces of those few people walking around the deserted ghost town of the Mall. We have to remember that at that time no one knew that more attacks would not occur. During that time I also witnessed the strength and resilience of our Nation and its people. Today let us remember those heroes that we lost during these attacks and those who have paid the price since, both our brave military and the first responders who continue to deal with health issues and the loss of their comrades as the consequence of doing their duty.

Affects of Further Cuts to National Park Budgets

2011-09-04T12:37:00.002-04:00

Check out this article from the Great Falls Tribune on the affects of budget cuts on our National Parks.

http://www.greatfallstribune.com/article/20110904/BUSINESS/109040305/Funding-staff-shortages-threaten-national-parks?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|Frontpage

This article is of interest since it outlines some of the ideas of how to reduce the number of National Parks in our system including turning some over to states and others to non-profit organizations. I have quite a few concerns about such proposals. But here are some of my key ones.

National Park areas are created by Congress and in some cases by the President (National Monuments) because they have been determined to have some cultural or natural significance to our Nation and its people. So how would it be determined which of these areas now do not have this level of significance.

What states have the funding available to take over a park. From what I am hearing in the news most states are in dire financial situations unable to fund schools, infrastructure, and public safety. Most states would most likely apply for Federal funding to care for such an area anyway. Putting a park under the responsibility of a state government at this time could spell its demise or death.

I have recently entered the world of non-profits. As managing director of a nature center and arboretum I am attempting to deal with the lack of funding available from grants and donations, the life blood of any non-profit. Between the down turn in the economy and cuts to Federal programs there is more competition than ever between many worthy causes for limited dollars. Individual contributors and foundations are cutting back on established grants and not accepting new applications due to losses in the stock market and their donor base. Federal grant programs are being shut down. Grants and donations from private industry are being vastly reduced as profits and investments drop. Families with the increases in gas and grocery prices can ill afford to support local non-profits.

If you were to look back at the history of some historic sites within the National Park System you would find quite a few that were formally state parks or run by non-profits. These sites were transferred to the National Park Service because they could no longer be financially sustained, were sites of National significance, and could contribute to boosting local economies.

With our current economic conditions I see these quick fix politically motivated solutions contributing to the fall of one of our Country's best ideas and the best park system in the world.

The Great Falls Tribune article quotes Tom Kiernan, President of the National Parks and Conservation Association as saying, "Every $1 invested in them (National Parks), ..... generates $4 of economic activity in return." Yes we all have to tighten out belts, but removing parks from a system that feeds local economies may prove destructive in the end.

Illegal Trails On the Blue Ridge Parkway

2011-09-02T11:50:00.003-04:00

The Blue Ridge Parkway winds through over 469 miles ofmountain scenery and habitats in Virginia and North Carolina. When originally built this road was in whatmany would consider the middle of nowhere providing access for new populationsto experience Southern Appalachian natural and cultural environments. In many cases visitors fell in love with theregion and its charms. As a result the numberof homes and communities along the edges of the Park has grown. Over time many adjacent home and propertyowners have wanted their own piece of the Blue Ridge Parkway. The National Park Service has identifiedapproximately 400 illegally built trails within the park providing access tothe Parkway road. More than 40 of thesetrails exist in the Roanoke area alone and are being used by pedestrians andbicyclists.

Most users of these trails do not see any problem withcutting trees and brush and in some cases constructing steps on park landssince it makes it personally convenient for them to gain access to the parkfrom their home. In some other areastrees have been topped and even removed within the park to open up views for homeowners. I have even seen these accessesand views used as an enticement for real estate sales.

Approximately five years ago the Park Service attempted toclose off several of the illegally cut trails in the Roanoke area. People immediately started contacting theirCongressional representatives, local politicians, and the news media to paint adark picture of evil park rangers stopping their fun. As a result the Blue Ridge Parkway has spentseveral years studying the situation and developing a proposed trail managementplan for the Roanoke area of the Park. A lot of time, expense, and effort have beenspent by the Park Service just in planning to deal with this problem.

Granted my opinion is tainted by more than 32 years as apark ranger dealing with many similar issues. I guess the points I keep coming back to are these:

The trails were built illegally in violation of federal regulationswithout permission from the Park Service. Were the park staff to build such a trail there are numerousrequirements for cultural and natural resource impact studies to be completedand approved to ensure such construction does not damage valuable or irreplaceableplants, habitats, or archeological sites. Considerations are required as to the safety of the trail and its accesspoint into the roadway. None of thebuilders of these trails went through this process or even considered suchimpacts on public lands.

The construction of the trails impacted resources that thePark Service is charged with protecting. Cutting limbs, trees, and shrubbery are all violations of regulationswithin National Parks. Many of thesetrails also cause eventual issues with erosion of sparse and valuable soils inmountain areas. This erosion furtherdamages root systems of other plants and trees adjacent to the trails.

The placing of these trails and the reaction of the publicto attempts to close them are examples of how many have become more interestedin what can benefit them as an individual than on how their actions will affectothers.

It would be interesting to see what the reaction would befrom these neighboring land owners if someone came onto their property without permissionand started cutting vegetation to open a short cut to another house.

http://www.wdbj7.com/news/wdbj7-dozens-worry-their-favorite-trails-leading-to-the-blue-ridge-parkway-could-be-closed-20110901,0,1185373.story#tugs_story_display

Happy Birthday National Park Service

2011-08-25T07:05:00.002-04:00

Today, August 25, is the birthday for the National Park Service. Although the first National Park, Yellowstone, was established in 1872 it was not until 1916 that the National Park Service was established to manage the growing park system.

2016 will mark the 100th Anniversary of the National Park Service with planning starting to celebrate this milestone.

http://www.nationalparkservice.org/

A Park Ranger Comes Out Of Retirement

2011-08-21T14:32:00.003-04:00

As many of you who follow this blog may have noted, my postshave slowed down significantly during the past two months. I have not lost interest or inspiration toshare my thoughts and experiences. Since retiring from the National Park Service I have at times felt asense of loss not waking up in the morning being a part of an organization witha mission that I felt passionate about. I have found a source to help fill that need while allowing me to giveback to our community.

Since retirement I have been volunteering at the BoxerwoodNature Center and Woodland Garden in Lexington, Virginia. For more than two years I helped withfacilitating environmental education programs for elementary and middle schoolstudents. I was impressed with theorganization and content of these lessons which are tied directly to the Stateof Virginia’s Standards of Learning (SOL’s) and the experiential presentationsthat allowed students to connect their classroom learning with the real worldof nature. During these two years I haveseen the magic and the direct link of young students becoming interested inscience and the outdoors. I hope somedaythat this seed of curiosity and awareness develop into support of our parksystems. The pay off for me was thefeeling of connection to the interests and enthusiasm that led me to the startof my National Park Service career so many years ago.

A year ago I advanced my involvement at Boxerwood by becoming a memberof their Board of Trustees. More recentlyI have stepped up that commitment again by accepting the job as ManagingDirector for the Boxerwood Education Association. In this position I am responsible for theadministrative and financial health of the organization in addition to themanagement of the facilities and grounds including a woodland garden. You can learn more about Boxerwood if youvisit the web site at;

www.boxerwood.org

You can also view an article about my new job in the Rockbridge Weekly newspaper at:

http://www.rockbridgeweekly.com/rw_article.php?ndx=20999

My time dedicated to writing may be challenged for at leasta while, but I hope to keep this blog going with points of interest as to thecareer of being a Park Ranger, our National Parks, and answering any questionsposed by readers. If you should have a question or topic of interest you wish to hear about, I can be reached at:

bwbytnar@gmail.com

And if ever in the area of Lexington, Virginia stop by at Boxerwood Nature Center and say hi.

More On Risk Takers And The Risks in the NY Times

2011-08-21T13:52:00.002-04:00

Check out this article in the New York Times about theincrease in deaths this year at Yosemite National Park. So far sixteen people have died in the parksince January.

I am confident that this increase in injuries and deaths is inpart due to visitors’ false sense of security that someone, in most cases apark ranger, will bail them out before a situation becomes too dangerous. As we can see that does not always work andpeople need to realize, as we used to teach in Wildland fire training, theindividual is ultimately responsible for their own safety. The challenge is how to get this message totake hold in the populace that visits our parks from all over the world.

http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/08/20/nature-without-the-nanny-state/

Waivers for Risk Takers In National Parks

2011-08-03T06:52:00.003-04:00

From areader:

I enjoy your blog and would like toread your take on an issue. I just read an opinion piece in the LA Timeswhich posed the question "Should hikers be required to sign a waiver formin National Parks". ( http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2011/08/14th-death-in-yosemite-this-year-prompts-concerns-from-rangers.html)

For context of the opining piece: there have been14 death in Yosemite this year. I would add that in my local news therewere 2 hikers stranded on Angel's Landing (I know there have been a number offatal falls in recent years) in Zion this past week and every year people getinjured and killed in the slot canyons due to flash floods. I'm sure thatyou know of other NP's were people have made poor choices on dangerous hikeswhich have cost them their live.

Personally I think it's a great idea - or at leasta good idea for certain hiking/climbing trails. People don't read thesigns and climb over railings, but I think if they have to sign a legaldocument they might curb their stupidity and/or be more cautious in theiractivities in the park.

Since I started my career with the National Park Servicein 1975 this issue has come up numerous times. This dialog is often generated by facts such as; in 2008 there were morethan 3,500 search and rescue operations in National Parks at a cost of $4.8million dollars (http://www.nationalparkstraveler.com/2010/08/search-and-rescue-ops-cost-national-park-service-48-million-20086495).

It has been my experience that visitors to National Parkshave a false sense of security because they believe that when they get introuble a Park Ranger will miraculously arrive at the scene to rescuethem. This sense of euphoria contributesto poor decision making when facing challenging situations. The consequences can result in being lost,injured, and in extreme cases death.

In addition to the obvious monetary and time cost ofsearch and rescue operations, there are also the risks taken byresponders. Park employees, cooperatingagency personnel, and volunteers often risk serious injury and death to savethe lives of victims of their own dangerous decision making.

Exhausted searchers from another all night operation on the Blue Ridge Parkway

Suggestions have been made to have people involved inhigh risk activities, hiking in dangerous areas of a park, and even persons whoare at risk due to violating regulations pay for search and rescue operationsresulting from their actions. It has beenfurther proposed to have individuals planning high risk activities sign legalwaivers so the National Park Service would not have to initiate search andrescue operations should they get in trouble.

In my opinion and experience there are several factorsthat would not make this practice affective.

An individual cannot release the National Park Servicefrom its legal responsibility to protect persons visiting parks. This is one of the main reasons that Congressand the courts have not been a supporter of the Park Service recovering costsfor search, rescue, emergency medical, and investigative costs.

On a practical level;, even if an individual signs awaiver that states the Park Service does not have to come find them if they getlost or injured, their parents, family, and loved ones did not. Many times emergency operations are initiatedat the frantic demanding requests of family members or friends. I would not want to be the parksuperintendent that has to answer to a crying mother on the 24 hour newsnetwork about why the Park Rangers are not going to save their son or daughter.

Another influence that may prevent such waivers couldcome from the outdoor equipment and supply industry. This segment of our economy would not want toreduce the customer interest in higher risk outdoor activities.

When I get a chance I will write on this blog about someof my own experiences with such search and rescue situations.

World Park Ranger Day

2011-07-27T22:22:00.002-04:00

Sunday July 31st will be World Ranger Day. This annual date is set aside to remind us all to pay tribute to the work around the world done by rangers to protect our earth's natural and cultural heritage. And let us not forget those rangers and other employees of parks who have given their lives in the line of duty.

What is World Ranger Day?

World Ranger Day is observed on the 31st of July each year.
It is the day to commemorate the many Rangers killed or injured in the line of duty.
It is also the day to celebrate Rangers and the work they do to protect the world’s natural and cultural treasures.
World Ranger Day is promoted by the 54 member associations of the International Ranger Federation (IRF), by our partner the Thin Green Line Foundation, and by individuals who support the work of Rangers and the IRF.
The first World Ranger Day was observed in 2007 on the 15th anniversary of the founding of the IRF.

http://www.int-ranger.net/whatsnew.html

Many Other Career Paths Available In Our National Parks

2011-07-03T08:27:00.000-04:00

Another reader wrote asking for advice on pursuing a career as a park ranger. This reader's concern was that they were starting this course at the age of 39.

I understand your frustration over age requirements for National Park Ranger jobs. Unfortunately your age does prohibit you from qualifying for law enforcement or firefighting jobs with the NPS. If that is the organization or resource you really dream to work for, I would recommend that you look at the myriad of other jobs in National Parks. You could still work in resource management, as an interpretive park ranger, in maintenance, or administration. Protection park rangers are actually a small percentage of the people who work in our parks. To get a flavor of what types of jobs are available in parks, go to

http://www.usajobs.gov/

In the search window put type in "National Park Service" and you will most likely see a lot more than park ranger positions advertised.

If you are more interested in doing the work of a law enforcement park ranger or firefighter, then I would suggest the route you are following by looking at local and state agencies with the same or similar mission but different age requirements. I know there are many outstanding state and local park agencies in this country that provide professional training and service in protecting the resources and people under their responsibly.

No matter who you are applying to work for, here are a few tips to keep you viable for employment as a park ranger:

Get all the related training you can on your own. Look for emergency medical, incident command, and leadership training. Much of this can be found on local levels with fire and rescue departments or colleges.

Get all the related experience you can on your own. Look for opportunities through local public service organizations.

Maintain your physical fitness. Even if the agency you are applying to does not have requirements, the job will demand immediate physical responses to a variety of situations.

Be as flexible as possible in your availability and choice of locations to work. Many times you may get a foot in the door offer that may not be your first choice or one you ever considered.

Park Ranger Advice Request

2011-07-03T08:19:00.001-04:00

This reader is concerned that his college degree is in engineering and that it would not qualify him for protection park ranger jobs.

The main qualifying point is that you have a college degree. As long as you meet the minimum course requirements you should be fine. During my career I have worked with fellow park rangers with degrees in nuclear physics, Russian Studies, Business Management, Communications, Hotel Motel Management, Education, Physical Education, Criminal Justice, English, Spanish, and many more majors that are not specifically related. Now if you were applying for a specific job as an interpretive ranger or researcher in say a civil war park, they would definitely be looking for a history degree. So I do not believe that your degree field will hamper you in any way. In would think that your military and previous law enforcement experience will highly benefit you in the selection process far out weighing any concerns about your college major.

I am considering rescheduling my (seasonal law enforcement) training dates, meaning to go one semester later. My reasoning is because I was recently hired on as an engineer for the Department of the Interior. I am working for the Bureau of Reclamations. I want to give this job at least a year before I head off to do something different. I figure it would look back to take a job and then only six months later leave it. Would it be wise to hold off for this non-related job? And does prior work experience within the federal, especially the Dept. of Interior, help when applying to future seasonal LEO Park Ranger positions?

As to the job offer you have, is it a permanent status job? If so, I think you are wise to pursue the course you have laid out. Many times people will work for years as a seasonal park ranger never able to get into a permanent position. With the Federal Government once you are permanent you are in for all agencies. As an example, should you take the job offer you can transfer directly into a job with another agency without going through the Office of Personnel Management. The application process is much easier. You can also develop rehire status for any government jobs even if you leave the position. I would recommend you check on the current standards, but when I was working if you worked one year in a permanent position you could still apply for any government job for one year after leaving. If you worked three years, you had status for life. The one drawback is that you may be competing with people having more direct park experience. Some thoughts for you to consider.

I am older than what many would be when they go into Park Ranger training. I am 31. Does my age hamper me in any way and would it be unwise to start a career as a seasonal officer at my age? I know that the federal government has an age cut off of 37 for law enforcement careers.

At 31 years of age you still have a pretty good window of opportunity to meet your plans. The key for a law enforcement park ranger job is that you have to be hired and get to the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center before you turn 37. If you are a viable candidate with the prior experience, any manager that knows they can get you into training before your birth date will not hesitate to seriously consider you.

Suicides In Out National Parks Update

2011-06-14T07:47:00.001-04:00

In response to a report from the Center For Disease Control and several reader questions I wrote several posts on suicides in National Parks. In today's National Park Morning Report there is a brief accounting of three such incidents that occurred in Shenandoah National Park just this month. Kudos and a well done go out to the Ranger Staff at Shenandoah for their intervention and saving of two lives while handling these incidents.

Taken from the June 14, 2011 NPS Morning Report

Shenandoah NP

Rangers Investigate One Suicide, Intervene In Two Others

Rangers successfully intervened in two suicide attempts this spring and

investigated a third in which a woman succeeded in her efforts by driving

her car off Skyline Drive and crashing several hundred feet below:

On April 29th, a police dispatcher in Harrisonburg received a call from

a man who said that he was camping on Turk Mountain and was going to

shoot himself. Park dispatch was contacted and rangers helped the

Harrisonburg dispatcher talk the man into leaving his weapon at his

campsite and hiking to Skyline Drive to meet them. They took the man

into protective custody at the trailhead and transported him to the

Augusta Medical Center. They then recovered his weapon and all the items

from his campsite. The man had been hiking the Appalachian Trail in the

park for a week when he made the call.

On May 17th, park dispatch was contacted by the sheriff’s office in

Jefferson County, West Virginia, and advised that a man had called his

wife and told her that he’d taken enough medication to be dead within 15

minutes. Rangers determined that the 53-year-old man had registered at

Skyland Lodge. When they reached his room, several hours after he’d

called his wife, they found him unconscious in his room and suffering

from severe respiratory distress. Basic and advanced life support

measures employed by rangers and Page County rescue personnel greatly

aided in keeping him alive.

On June 2nd, a park maintenance crew working at Horsehead Overlook on

Skyline Drive noticed that vegetation was laid down at the edge of the

overlook and discovered a vehicle 300 to 400 feet below. Rangers found

that the sole occupant had not survived the crash and that she had been

listed as missing and suicidal by police in Farmville the day before. A

suicide note was found inside along with notes indicating that she’d

scouted other Shenandoah overlooks that night.

Man Convicted Of Murder On The Blue Ridge Parkway Sentenced To Life In Prison

2011-06-11T11:13:00.000-04:00

Fifty-seven-year-old Ralph Leon Jackson was found guilty of the murder of Timothy Davis on the Blue Ridge Parkway in April of 2010. Jackson will spend the rest of his life in prison.

http://www.whsv.com/home/headlines/Jackson_Sentenced_for_Blue_Ridge_Parkway_Shooting_123562209.html

Speed Kills Wildlife In National Parks

2011-06-09T10:33:00.000-04:00

Here is a link to an interesting article about wildlife vs. vehicle collisions in National Parks.

I know I spent a considerable amount of time conducting investigations and doing the paperwork resulting from such incidents. All such collisions did not just affect park visitors. We had quite a bit of damage done to government vehicles when they met deer on the road. I had several years when my operating budget was depleted by body shop repair bills. On the Blue Ridge Parkway it was not uncommon for deer to run into moving vehicles. So it was not always the driver's fault.

Lower speeds do allow for more driver recognition and reaction time to brake and or avoid collisions with animals in the roadway. These concepts apply to any driving route obstruction.

In many instances visitors would loose control of their vehicle attempting to dodge an animal in the road. If their speed was high the ability to regain control of the vehicle is more challenging and may result in hitting another object such as a tree, retaining wall, or side of a mountain.

Many years ago I sat in on a meeting at Shenandoah National Park. Apparently there had been several vehicle collisions resulting from employees swerving to miss deer on the Skyline Drive. The Chief Ranger was addressing the gathering of park rangers about this and in frustation stated, "The next time a ranger has a wreck because of a deer, I want that damn deer's body brought in." I always wondered if they ever found that one deer that was causing all that mayhem.

http://www.care2.com/greenliving/speeders-kill-animals-in-national-parks.html

Should Visitors Take Action When They Observe Violations In National Parks?

2011-06-08T15:33:00.002-04:00

The National Park Traveler Blog posed the question as to whether park visitors should confront people they see committing violations of regulations in our National Parks. You can see the full story at:

http://www.nationalparkstraveler.com/2011/06/reader-participation-day-what-do-you-do-when-you-see-visitor-doing-something-inappropriate-national-8246?nocache=1#comment-31239

Here is my opinion on this question:

Making the decision as to whether or not to intercede when one observes violations in National Parks is a personal decision that should be made after fully assessing your situation. Ask yourself some of these questions;

· Is correcting the person worth placing yourself in possible danger?

· Do you have communications to call for help?

· Do you have an escape route so you can get out of the area in case the situation goes sour?

· How many people are with the person committing the offense?

· What is the demeanor of the offender and any companions – are they acting aggressive?

Do the offenders appear to be under the influence of alcohol or drugs?

More than thirty two years as a National Park Ranger taught me that people are one of the most unpredictable of creatures in our parks. You may be confident in yourself and abilities, but you know nothing about the person you are about to confront. In the course of my career I found that people are increasingly becoming more volatile when their actions are questioned.

As soon as the person you have chosen to say something to presents any signs of defiance or aggressiveness, I would highly recommend leaving the area immediately.

Another alternative to taking action would be to make detailed observations of the offenders such as:

§ Complete and accurate description of what you observed

§ Physical descriptions of offenders

§ Clothing and outdoor gear that they have

§ Number and descriptions of companions

§ Specific location of where the offense occurred

§ Time of the offense

§ Descriptions including tag numbers of vehicle if involved

§ Direction of travel of the offenders if they left the area

As soon as possible report this information to a Park Ranger or other authorized person.

Park Rangers are few and far between and they always appreciate the assistance of additional eyes to protect our resources and your fellow visitors. Most Park Rangers would also agree that they never want a park visitor to endanger themselves in this process.

Factors That Determine Tools Used By National Park Rangers

2011-06-06T11:09:00.000-04:00

Although the core mission of all National Park Rangers is to protect park resources and visitors, the tools utilized to do the job may vary between parks. I break down the factors that impact the types of duties performed by protection rangers in to several categories; Location, Size, Sensitivity of Resources, Staffing, and Visitation.

Location and Surrounding Environment

National Park areas that are located in or near centers of population require park rangers to concentrate their efforts on people more than resources. National Parks in many ways are reflections of the communities that border them. If you are working at Independence NHP in Philly you will be dealing with typical urban problems and threats including crowd control, large scale special events, possible terrorist attack, etc. If you are working along the Mexican Border such as Organ Pipe Cactus NM you will be confronted by all the challenges and issues that accompany illegal aliens entering the country for a variety of reasons.

The types and frequency of crimes in the communities surrounding the parks also directly affect what happens within National Parks. It was my experience that the crimes committed within the park were often an extension of the local area. When dealing with violators within the park it was very common to find that these individuals also had past dealings with other local agencies.

Size

Smaller historic sites in rural settings tend to be deceptively quiet and unthreatening. The challenge for protection rangers in these areas may be to keep their skills sharp for those perhaps infrequent times when a serious incident can occur. In very large areas such as in Alaska park rangers may not make as frequent or numerous contacts with visitors, but they are often alone without many options for back up.

Sensitivity and Value of Resources

The intensity and importance of the resource to be protected can offset the expected intensity of the job. A park ranger may be working in a small urban park but be responsible for the protection of some of our most important National Symbols such as the Liberty Bell or the Statue of Liberty. Both of these sites are among those managed by the National Park Service that appears on the lists of potential terrorist targets. Working in a park area that includes a nationally or internationally endangered species also raises the bar when looking at where a park ranger will concentrate their efforts and skills.

Staffing

A park with a small protection staff will be limiting in the variety of law enforcement activities that a ranger can safely get involved in. Time for conducting more complex or long term investigations will be hampered in areas with inadequate staffing. This condition exists in most National Park areas.

Visitation

A park that receives high levels of visitation normally pulls park rangers to dealing with more human related protection activities. An example would be the Blue Ridge Parkway that receives the highest number of visitors per year. Most of these visitors are concentrated on the main motor road that flows for 469 miles through the Southern Appalachians. Park rangers there are often spending their time on traffic enforcement, drunk drivers, drug violations, and other people generated crime. These at times life threatening situations make it difficult for park rangers to spend time in backcountry areas protecting natural and cultural resources. A more remote area with lower visitation may allow for park rangers to concentrate more time on resource violations such as poachers, pot and relic hunters.

What duties and tools a park ranger will use to accomplish the job of protecting resources and visitors are much more complex than this simplification. The conclusion is that the specific techniques and duties that park rangers perform can be diverse from park to park.

Park Ranger vs. Other Federal Law Enforcement Job Offer

2011-06-06T10:25:00.002-04:00

I received an email from a reader facing a job choice dilemma. He wants to be a Protection National Park Ranger and has signed up for a Seasonal Law Enforcement Training Program (SLETP) course. He has also received a conditional offer of a law enforcement job from another Federal Agency. He would prefer to be a Park Ranger and is seeking some advice to aid him in his decision making process.

I formulated a reply with several points he may want to consider when making a decision.

I can see your dilemma in the decision you may need to make. I cannot say which way to go on this would be best for you, only you can determine that, but here are a few points to consider in your decision making process.

· One of the most difficult aspects of getting a full time park ranger job is getting “Permanent Status” as a Federal employee. Many people work for years as a seasonal employees with no benefits or job security trying to obtain that status. Once you can achieve a permanent job, many doors will be open to you and pay and benefits will be more secure.

· Permanent Status applies across the board with Federal Agencies. Many people have worked as a seasonal employee with the National Park Service but then taken permanent jobs with other agencies just to get started on the permanent track. Then once you are in you can later transfer to permanent positions within the National Park Service.

· Transferring into the National Park Service from another agency would be enhanced if you have previous park ranger experience as a seasonal. Any type of resource protection experience would improve your chances of competing for a park ranger job at a later date.

· I do not know what agency has made you an offer, but you will want to know if it is a law enforcement position that is covered under Enhanced Law Enforcement Retirement or what is commonly referred to as 6 (c ) retirement. This would place the position in the same category as a protection National Park Ranger and once again make you administratively qualified for those positions. A position covered by these retirement benefits would better enable you to transfer into other law enforcement jobs within the Government as they become available.

With the job offer that you now have being conditional, I would recommend that you go ahead with your plans to attend the Seasonal Law Enforcement Training Program. The knowledge and experience gained there would give you a head start on the basic training should you go with the other agency.

Hopefully this information will be helpful and I wish you luck in making your decision in your eventual chosen career path.

Two Men Sentenced For The Theft Of Plants In The Great Smokey Mountains National Park

2011-06-01T07:53:00.000-04:00

As I have written on this blog in the past, the theft of resources from our National Parks is threatening native plant populations. A well done goes out to the Ranger Staff at the Great Smokey Mountains National Park for the successful prosecution of two thieves stealing from us all.

The following information came from the National Park Service Morning Report for June 1, 2011.

Billy Joe Hurley, 42, and Jeffrey Hurley, 34, pled guilty in Federal Court to poaching charges for the illegal taking of American Ginseng within the Great Smokey Mountains National Park.

Billy Joe Hurley was sentenced to 75 days in jail and fined $5,540 in restitution to the park for possessing 554 wild ginseng roots.

Jeffrey N. Hurley was sentenced to 14 days in jail and fined $2,510 in restitution to the park for possessing 251 roots. He has appealed his conviction.

In late October 2010, as part of an ongoing investigation, a

ranger apprehended the Hurley brothers in the North Carolina area of the park with over 11 pounds of freshly dug roots that had been poached in one day’s time. The roots were later aged by park biologists. They determined that most of the roots were at least 10 years old, but that some of the larger ones were 30 to 40 years old. Each man was charged with possession of plants/parts (harvesting ginseng). The offense carries a maximum misdemeanor penalty of up to six months in jail and/or fine of up to $5,000.

“Due to the high market value of ginseng, the illegal harvest of this plant continues to be a serious problem in Great Smoky Mountains National Park,” said Clay Jordan, the park’s chief ranger. “In the international and domestic legal trade market, wild ginseng can bring between $500 and $800 per pound of dried roots. The larger and older the root, the more profitable and valuable it is.”

National Police Week 2011

2011-05-21T04:51:00.000-04:00

Reflecting on the passing of 2011’s National Police Week earlier this month provoked thoughts of all the law enforcement officers that I worked with during my career as a National Park Ranger. This included my fellow Rangers and others from Federal, state, and local agencies who back me up on car stops, arrests, investigations, serving warrants, taught me their wisdom and skills, and at times most importantly were just there to listen. It was this corps of dedicated professionals that made it possible for me to survive more than thirty two years of dealing with the daily unknown threats to personal safety and mental stability that is law enforcement work.

So a shout out and thanks to all of you I had the privilege to work with and a special thanks to those officers who continue to risk it all every day to protect the rest of us from the crazies and predators that are out there.

First Year Seasonal Park Rangers

2011-05-18T18:35:00.000-04:00

I stopped by a Blue Ridge Parkway visitor center the other day and met a new seasonal/temporary park ranger. Seasonals are the people that work summer visitor seasons in parks with no promise of permanent employment, no benefits, and are the front line park rangers that most visitors will meet. I found this latest recruit’s positive enthusiasm reassuring for the future and reminiscent of my first National Park Service job at Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine in Baltimore, Maryland.

I will never forget the excitement that I could barely contain the first day I showed up for the job that would eventually become a thirty two year career. It was June of 1975 and I was still young, impressionable, naive, and full of exuberance for the opportunity to work in a job I had dreamed about for years.

Although my first few years of seasonal work with the National Park Service provided some bumps along the road, I was hooked and looking back do not believe I would have done it to many different ways (well… there can always be some fine tuning identified when you look back).

So to all you first year seasonal park rangers out there, good luck, stay focused, and never lose faith with the mission of the agency you have chosen to work for.

... to preserve unimpaired the natural and cultural resources and values of the national park system for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration of this and future generations.

The author in July 1975 inside Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine

National Park Budget Cuts And Their Affects On Local Economies

2011-05-18T17:16:00.000-04:00

With the need for belt tightening and related rhetoric in Washington to cut the Federal Budget, our National Parks are being identified for funding reductions. The entire National Park Service budget accounts for only 1/13 of one percent of the Federal Budget, but unfortunately it falls into the category of non-protected programs making this agency easy prey for financial slashers.

The National Park Service not only protects and preserves our natural and cultural resources, it provides unparalleled and irreplaceable recreational and education opportunities. For many of our citizens parks provide low cost and accessible physical and emotional release during these hard financial times.

Our National Park areas have been working on a shoestring budget for many years resulting in the degradation of nationally significant resources that our citizens and politicians have designated for protection and preservation. This drop in the bucket of our Federal budget keeps park facilities open, the water supply in parks safe, the trash removed, and provides experiential education that enable our students to make connections between the classroom and the real world. Many people today remember some of their fondest childhood memories visiting parks with their families.

The reduction of funding to parks will ultimately result in cutting back of programs, repairs to already crumbling infrastructure, and reductions in the availability of visitor centers, emergency responses, and even bathrooms. These actions will eventually impact individual wallets during this time of economic slowdown. Research has shown that for every single dollar spent on our National Parks four dollars is generated in local and regional businesses. As an example a study was conducted in 2008 proving that $2.3 billion is pumped into local economies from the 16 million annual visitors to The Blue Ridge Parkway. Consequently, any move that could impact and reduce visitation to an area will result in a down turn in money being pumped directly into what are mostly small businesses.

Unbeknownst to most citizens, the National Park Service is responsible for managing programs that provide grants and funding to local, state, and tribal governments for projects related to recreation and tourism. This is one of the budget lines that are identified for deep cuts. Programs such as these provide local jurisdictions with the ability to support or improve their individual economies and contribute on a regional financial level.

As citizens we have the right and the duty to let our elected officials know about the issues that affect our lives and beliefs. If you share my trepidation with budget cuts that will have little or no impact on our Nation’s financial mess and could result in false economy that will trickle down to the local level, then contact your representatives in Washington to express your concerns.

For more information check out these links:

http://azstarnet.com/news/opinion/article_bdc955ed-b1d9-5c6d-8c68-65959f1eda42.html

http://www.nationalparkstraveler.com/2011/03/congress-slashes-101-million-national-park-service-budget-more-come7858

A Visit To Shenandoah National Park’s New Rockfish Gap Entrance Station

2011-05-13T17:10:00.001-04:00

Today I stopped by to check out the new Rockfish Gap Entrance Station at the southern most entrance to Shenandoah National Park. The Entrance Station is just north of the junction of Skyline Drive (the roadway follows the length of Shenandoah) and the northern terminus of The Blue Ridge Parkway where I spent twenty six years of my National Park Service career. The new Station replaces the small wooden structure that for seventy years served as the first job location for many career Park Rangers during their first job with the Park Service as a fee collector. The old entrance station also served as a late night way station and source of communications for park rangers from the Blue Ridge Parkway.

The Old Rockfish Gap Entrance Station

The entrance station had no running water, no bathroom facilities, a single telephone line, and at times periodic electric service. It remained the only National Park Service building open for many miles during the winter when the facilities at Humpback Rocks on the Blue Ridge Parkway were shut down.

Although there were no modern bathroom features at the Entrance Station, there was a pit toilet just over the hill down a steep and uneven trail. I remember many a cold winter night slipping and sliding down that trail to use the “facilities.” Not only was one relieved of the pressures that may have been urging them to this location you were rewarded with what had to be one of the best views from a pit toilet in the National Park Service. One could sit there and look up the Shenandoah Valley and almost be distracted from the cold, odor, and during the summer the flies.

The new Entrance Station is missing some of the character of the old facility, but it does offer accommodations that most modern humans are attuned to in today’s world. There is an indoor bathroom with running water, a flush toilet, and a sink to wash your hands. I did note that there is no longer a view from this windowless but inordinately large room. The building is heated, air conditioned, has the latest in security and air quality monitoring systems that run on a more permanent and reliable power supply. There is even an indoor room accessible to visitors to obtain backcountry permits and ask for more detailed information.

The New Rockfish Gap Entrance Station

Probably the most important part of the new Entrance Station

An Park Ranger View of the interior of the new Rockfish Gap Entrance Station

The loss of character with this new structure may not produce the nostalgia and memories but does provide a much more efficient, secure, and healthy environment for employees and visitors.

Will Closures Of State Parks In California Increase Visitation and Demands on National Parks

2011-05-13T15:50:00.001-04:00

This is from the LA Times today:

70 state parks targeted for closure, Brown administration says

Los Angeles Times | May 13, 2011 | 12:40 p.m.

Gov. Jerry Brown's administration said today that dozens of state parks could close as part of the effort to reduce the state deficit.

The parks include the Salton Sea State Recreation Area, Palomar Mountain State Park in San Diego County, Candlestick Point State Recreation Area in San Francisco, Tomales Bay State Park north of San Francisco, Point Cabrillo Light Station in Mendocino and more than 60 other properties.

For more information go to:

http://www.latimes.com/.

Californians are known as lovers of the outdoors and their parks. Should these parks close would this result in higher numbers of people going to National Parks within the state?

Lessons From My Golden Retriever

2011-05-10T11:01:00.000-04:00

A brief diversion from the normal posts you will find here:

Our Golden Retriever Baird is now three years old and I was reflecting on his morning routine and how we can learn from his healthy habits.

Once he finally decides to get up off the floor from his deep and extended beauty sleep his first steps are long and deep muscular stretches. First he locks his front feet to the floor and leans back long with his chest on the floor, his tail up in the air, and his neck stretched up and forward while holding his breath and tensing his stomach muscles. This is followed by several short steps forward with his front paws leaving his rear feet attached to the floor extending his rear legs as far as possible while dipping his back and once again stretching our his neck forward. If you were to touch his stomach you would note that it is held tight as a drum head producing a stretch in his body core. He will repeat this process several times. We refer this as “puppy pilates” and prepares himself physically for any immediately demanding duties such as chasing cats or squirrels who infringe on his territory.

Through the day he will drink only water finishing off several bowls a day. This keeps him hydrated for those prolonged Frisbee catching sessions.

When Baird starts to become fatigued from the challenges of the day and begins to lose his edge in pursuits and security patrols of the yard, rather than make mistakes or becoming frustrated he will relax in the shade and take a quick nap.

All of these habits if followed by humans would make us all healthier and better able to handle the rigors of everyday life. Of course there are other habits that dogs exhibit that may not be the healthiest practices such as licking their private parts and constant fascination with feces.

So perhaps you can learn from your pets, just be careful which habits you decide to adopt.

Park Rangers In Cars

2011-05-09T08:57:00.000-04:00

I got this question from a reader in relation to how much time Park Rangers spend hiking in backcountry areas.

I spend a considerable amount of my free time rock climbing and hiking, and lately those hikes have been on sections of the AT off of the Blue Ridge Parkway. I've seen a few rangers but they were all in vehicles, my question is: do any rangers patrol the wilderness on foot? I suppose what I am really asking is; is one of the responsibilities of rangers on the BRP (or in other parks) to go on long treks through the parks on foot? Being 18 and beginning to search for my future profession, becoming a park ranger seems incredibly interesting, even more so if they have to patrol large expanses on foot.

Although Park Ranger responsibilities are centrally the same in that they work to protect and preserve resources, the ways in which they accomplish those duties vary based on the specific park and its resource base.

You mention seeing Park Rangers in vehicles on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Most of these Rangers would rather spend more time in the backcountry patrolling trails and park boundaries. That is one of their many responsibilities. The fact that The Blue Ridge Parkway is the most visited National Park area in the country and that 98% of those 18 million visitors stay close to the road and facilities keep Park Rangers close to those areas. Where visitors are concentrated along the road corridor is where the majority of incidents and problems occur. I remember many instances where I had planned to spend a day patrolling trails or boundary only to be called back for a human caused emergency. Park Rangers on the Blue Ridge Parkway are also spread thin and have to cover long distances to respond to emergencies. A consequence of these conditions is that Park Rangers in this park do not as often as they would like have the chance to spend extended time in the backcountry.

Other parks with larger land bases and staffing do hire Park Rangers that work specifically in remote backcountry areas. Many of these positions are filled by seasonal temporary employees since their services are only required during the summer visitor seasons. There are a number of well known and respected park rangers in Western National Parks that have declined opportunities to become full time permanent employees so they can keep their backcountry experiences alive. I would recommend that you read the book Uncertain Path by William Tweed (you can find it on Amazon.com) who hiked the Muir Trail in California and meets several of these Backcountry Rangers along the trail.

So although the Blue Ridge Parkway may not be the best example of an area where Park Rangers spend a significant amount of time in the woods, there are many other parks that would make these opportunities available. Just a few of the National Parks you may want to check out would be:

Sequoia Kings Canyon

Yosemite

Yellowstone

Rocky Mountain

The Grand Canyon

Shenandoah

Great Smokey Mountains

The National Park areas in Alaska

And there are more out there. You can learn more about National Parks at:

www.nps.gov

Reader Question About Bears

2011-04-27T08:07:00.001-04:00

I got this question from a Facebook Fan in Germany:

Unfortunately the book is not available in germany, cause I´m looking for "park-ranger-literature" at the moment. Anyway I hope I can find help here.

Can anybody, maybe you Mr.Bytnar, help me finding literature/docus about the live of park rangers especially working in blackbear-management? Hard to find what I need: Documentary about legal black bear hunting and the fight against illegal black-bear hunting, for fun, medical products, etc. in the states, problems with increasing blackbearpopulation near towns, and so on.

Thanks a lot and much more success for the book

You can order the book on Amazon.com and other internet sources. It is only available in English at this time.

Here are some links to learn a bit more about bears and bear management in parks:

http://www.nps.gov/grsm/naturescience/black-bears.htm
http://www.jstor.org/pss/3872869,http://www.yellowstone.co/bearmgmt/bearmgmt.htm
http://www.shenandoahviews.com/BlackBears/SHEN_NR_Bears_Issues.pdf
http://www.wspa-international.org/wspaswork/bears/bearfarming/poachingillegaltrade.aspx
http://www.treehugger.com/files/2009/12/us-bear-poaching.php

Hopefully these may lead you to more information sources.

Article On Plant Poaching On The Blue Ridge Parkway

2011-04-26T14:49:00.000-04:00

Here is at link to an article in the Asheville Citizen Times on the illegal harvesting of galax leaves on the Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina. I have written on this same subject before in this blog and in my book, "A Park Ranger's Life: Thirty Two Years Protecting Our National Parks." Types "plants" into the search window in the right hand column to access past stories on this subject.

The illegal theft of plants from our National Parks are devastating native populations. There are many connections between this crime and international trade.

Photo from the Asheville Citizen Times

http://www.citizen-times.com/article/20110423/NEWS/304230039/Poaching-imperils-native-plant?odyssey=nav|head

Book Review; "Uncertain Path: A Search for the Future of National Parks" by William Tweed

2011-04-26T12:07:00.000-04:00

I found this book to be informative, thought provoking, and a good read. The author eloquently describes his hike of the Muir Trail in the Nevada Sierra Mountains in a way that makes you feel that you are walking right along with him. I know it inspired me to hope to retrace his steps some day.

William Tweed creatively and vividly intertwines his observations during this hike with the confirmation of lessons he learned during a career with the National Park Service causing him to question the foundation and purpose of our National Park System. Mr. Tweed and I never worked together, but I found that I share many of his insights and concerns for our parks.

Uncertain Path relates to the reader the affects global changes that are impacting the habitats of the Sierra Nevada Mountains of California. Issues of air quality and climate change are two that are well beyond the control of the National Park Service. Mr. Tweed then explains how these issues challenge what is becoming the impossible mission of the National Park Service to preserve our parks in the same condition for all future generations.

Although Mr. Tweed focuses on the Western United States, reading this book caused me to look back at my own experience as a National Park Ranger and the increasingly impossible task of preserving parks in the East. As an example the Southern Appalachians and the parks found there are under constant attack from decreasing air quality, invasive species of flora and fauna, and encroachment of human development.

Anyone who has an interest in the physical future and relevancy of our National Park System to our changing society should read this book.

This book can be found at Amazon.com

http://www.amazon.com/Uncertain-Path-Search-Future-National/dp/0520265572/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1303833892&sr=8-1

Documents From Acadia National Park Incident Released To The Public

2011-04-21T08:33:00.000-04:00

During the summer of 2008 an incident at Acadia National Park resulted in accusations of excessive force being used by a park ranger while attempting to handcuff a suspect. The suspect fell and fractured bones in his facial area. Since that time the Government has awarded the injured party $45,000 in settlement of a law suit and $23,000 to cover his legal expenses.

The park ranger involved was found not to be culpable or have used excessive force following investigation by the National Park Service’s Office of Professional Services and the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

In a new development, following a Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA) suit filed in Federal Court by the injured person’s lawyer all the investigative documents and reports have been released to the public. All these documents are now posted on the Internet for all to review and come to their own conclusions.

You can read more about the incident and access a link to the investigative document on the Internet at:

http://fenceviewer.com/site/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=64243:Investigators%20Flip-Flopped%20on%20Park%20Ranger%E2%80%99s%20Use%20of%20Force&catid=1:latest-news&Itemid=166

This should serve as a reminder to all park rangers of the importance of writing accurate, concise, and readable reports no matter what the incident being documented. You never know where your work may appear.

"A Park Ranger's Life" Reflects Trends In Ebook Sales

2011-04-19T10:22:00.000-04:00

An industry report released on April 15th shows that for the first time Ebook sales have been higher than print books. This new trend happened for the first time in February. Overall Ebook sales are up more than 20% over February 2010.

In looking at sales for "A Park Ranger's Life" through Amazon for the month of February there were more digital Kindle sales than traditional paper editions sold reflecting the findings of the Association of American Publishers report.

Although this report does not include data from all retailers of books, it does indicate a strong movement of readers toward digital reading formats.

As more of a traditionalist reader of printed books, I have to admit that I received a Kindle for Christmas and have surprisingly found that I enjoy reading with this device. I have not yet become a true convert as yet. How do you feel about digital books as apposed to printed paperbacks and hardbound books?

You can read more at:

http://money.cnn.com/2011/04/15/technology/ebooks_beat_paperbacks/index.htm

http://www.amazon.com/Park-Rangers-Life-Thirty-two-ebook/dp/B003B3O0PE/ref=tmm_kin_title_0?ie=UTF8&m=AG56TWVU5XWC2

Author of "A Park Ranger's Life" Quoted in the New York Times

2011-04-17T13:08:00.000-04:00

I am not sure how this one got past me, but I just discovered that I was quoted in an article that appeared in the New York Times dated February 23. The article was written by Phil Taylor of Greenwire. The story focuses in what was then an impending shut down of the Federal Government.

I found the article on line in the New York Times Energy and Environment section. Here is a link to the story.

http://www.nytimes.com/gwire/2011/02/23/23greenwire-funding-impasse-threatens-park-shutdowns-oil-a-50917.html

Government Shutdown Avoided - Congressional Requests For Exceptions

2011-04-09T13:42:00.000-04:00

As I wrote on April 7th, should there be a Government Shutdown individual Congressional Representatives would start to seek exceptions for their constituents once economic impacts were felt in their voting districts.

Even thought the Shutdown has now been avoided, some Congressional Leaders were looking ahead to prevent negative impacts on the economies at home. One example was Representative Heath Shuler from North Carolina who wrote a letter to National Park Service Director John Jarvis to keep the Blue Ridge Parkway open.

Here is the body of Representative Shuler's letter as released to the media by his office:

Given the likelihood of a federal shutdown in the coming days, I have great concern about the potential closure of the Blue Ridge Parkway. I understand that each agency will need to make difficult decisions during this period. However, I am hopeful that the National Park Service will be able to keep the Parkway open as a thruway despite the closure of concessions and other offerings along the road.

Guidance issued by the Department of Interior today indicates that the Park Service may keep roads in Park units open if they are “necessary” as thruways. As you are aware, this road is commonly used by hundreds of thousands of visitors and local residents each year, both for tourism and transit purposes. As such, I am hopeful that the Blue Ridge Parkway will meet the guidelines that exempt it from closure during a federal government shutdown.

In addition, I urge you to take into account the tremendous economic impact that the closure of this road will have on local communities in North Carolina and Virginia. Businesses in these communities have struggled to keep their doors open through the economic recession, and are relying heavily on the surge of tourism dollars that the warmer weather we are currently enjoying will bring to the area. The closure of the Parkway, even for a single weekend, will have an enormous affect on these local firms and the regional economy.

Again, I understand the limitations place upon the Park Service by the inability of Congress to maintain government operations. I am hopeful that my colleagues and I will quickly arrive at a compromise to avoid this shutdown. However, if a shutdown occurs, I ask that you do all that you can to allow the Parkway to be used as a thruway wherever it is safe and logical to do so.

Thank you for your consideration of this request. Should you wish to discuss this further, please contact Ryan Fitzpatrick in my Washington office.

Sincerely,

Heath Shuler

Member of Congress

I do not find fault with Representative Shuler's looking ahead to provide for the safety and economic well being of communities located near the Blue Ridge Parkway. I would not be surprised if there were not numerous such requests made of the National Park Service leading up to this latest possible Government Shutdown. If not, many would have appeared on Director Jarvis' desk within days.

Standardized Testing’s Affects on Science Education Brings Home the Importance of Hands on Experiences in National Parks and Other Protected Areas

2011-04-07T10:33:00.000-04:00

One of the most prominent figures in our Nation’s history that may have been destined in their youth to become a naturalist/scientist was Teddy Roosevelt. His childhood was dominated by exploring and collecting specimens from the natural world around him for his personal museum. When he entered Harvard in 1876 his intent was to study science. Once there he found a program dictated by lecture, reading, and tests. There were no field experiences and limited to no laboratory experimentation. As a result of his disappointment Roosevelt lost interest in pursuing this academic course although he retained his avid pursuit of knowledge of the natural world. The rest is history.

This same sense of disappointment faced by Roosevelt is affecting students in many of our public school systems today. In a time when we hear that America is dropping further behind other countries in academic achievement in science and math we need to engage students’ interest. Partially to answer these concerns politicians developed a solution requiring standardized testing to measure student knowledge and evaluate schools and teachers.

One of the consequences of these tests scenarios is that educators are forced to teach students what they need to know to pass the written or on line tests. In the area of science this process has challenged time for laboratory and or field experiences where students have the opportunity to see the principles of science in real world situations. The reduction or elimination of such experiences prevents students from learning to make connections and see the influences of causes and effects in life.

Add to these conditions cuts in educational budgets and the reductions in the numbers of teaching positions and I do not see our schools having the ability to provide future experiences to many students.

This is where the importance of National, State, and Local Parks, Nature Centers, and other Non Profit environmental education sources can fill the gap in this important aspect of our children’s education. These special places and organizations provide an incubator to develop our future leaders in science, the environment, and leadership. Experiences in the outdoors if even for short periods of time can serve as a catalyst for selection of careers and academic pursuits.

All of these sources of experiential education are affected by the recent decline in the economy by the reduction of grants and government funding made available to keep their education programs going.

How are we to maintain or improve the science education of our next generation of citizens and leaders if we are not providing adequate hands on experiences? Will we continue to turn kids off to science by making it more and more important to memorize a text book and pass a test? Or should we get involved and support our schools and other organizations to provide opportunities for more practical interconnected science based experiences?

Past Government Shutdown Experience and Impacts

2011-04-07T10:12:00.000-04:00

During one past Government shutdown the National Park Service followed the instructions of their politically appointed leaders and closed all facilities to the public. One such location closed to public access was the Washington Monument. Tax payers who had traveled to Washington, D.C. and local business owners immediately started complaining to their Congressional Representatives and the Park Service was ordered to immediately open the gates of the internationally recognized Monument. It was public inconvenience and outrage that got this one specific location exempt from the closure order.

A Park Superintendent who I later worked for was reluctant to ever close any area or facility due to what he referred to as the "Washington Monument Syndrome."

What many people do not realize is the dependence of communities across the country on the dollars pumped into their economies by tourism to National Parks. As an example academic studies have shown that approximately $2.3 billion are pumped annually into the communities on or near the Blue Ridge Parkway through Virginia and North Carolina. A cancellation of travel plans by visitors for any period of time will have a direct impact on hotels, stores, restaurants, private campgrounds, and their employees.

Should the Government Shutdown occur it may be interesting to see how long it takes for the "Washington Monument Syndrome" to take affect in individual Congressional Districts.

Here is a related article that outlines the possible impacts of a closure on businesses in the area of Yellowstone National Park:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/04/06/government-shutdown-worri_n_845807.html

How Will A Government Shutdown Affect National Park Visitors

2011-04-06T13:22:00.000-04:00

It appears that the looming threat of a Government Shutdown is approaching this Friday. As I have written previously, this is not the first time that the National Park Service has faced such political decisions. In 1995 and 1996 there were shutdowns of as many as 27 days.

But how does this affect people planning trips to National Parks during a shutdown period?

Individual Parks vary as to access and facilities available to visitors. Smaller Parks that have gated roads may be closed completely to the public. Most certainly any facilities such as visitor centers, historic buildings, monuments, and most importantly bathrooms will be closed in most areas. Picnic areas, campgrounds, boat launches, and some parking areas may also be closed.

Most employees in the Parks will be sent home. Only those deemed as essential for public health and safety will be on duty. The number of these employees actually in the Parks has also been greatly reduced in the past to keep spending down during these periods.

Another impact to the visitor that is often overlooked is that response times to emergencies such as lost persons, vehicle accidents, twisted ankles, fires, and such many be greatly increased. During the shutdown in 1996 there were at least two days that I was the only Park Ranger on duty for 218 miles of the Blue Ridge Parkway.

So here are some tips to keep in mind if you visit a National Park Service Area during a Government Shutdown:

Be even more cautious of your personal safety than normal. Remember that help in any form may be delayed even beyond the normally lengthy responses in National Parks.

Bring extra food and water since facilities may be closed.

Do not come with your normal expectations of services or information available in the Park. Get maps before your visit.

Be aware that you most likely will not find any open restrooms. That is famously the most frequent first question visitors ask in any park.

Call ahead or check park websites before the shutdown occurs to find out what the affects of such actions will have on the area you are visiting. You can find individual Park web sites by going:

www.nps.gov.

If you unhappy with the circumstances and how a shutdown impacts you or your family, then write to your Congressional Representatives to let them know how you feel.

Final Question On Suicides In National Parks

2011-03-30T09:59:00.000-04:00

Do you believe the park and the rangers do an effective job of attempting to limit the number of suicides on the parkway?

This is hard to quantify. I do not believe that the National Park Service is responsible for the mental health of our citizens. On the other hand there are numerous accounts of experiences in parks having a positive effect on a person’s attitude and perspectives in life’s challenges. Who knows how many people have been aided or lives changed in their battles against depression or despair by an encounter with a place of beauty and solitude. I contacted many people during my career who were in the park to escape their problems, to think, and to bring themselves back to a more grounded existence. This seemed to work for them.

In some jurisdictions, specific locations have been closed or restricted to the public by the placing of fences or barricades and nets under bridges to prevent or deter suicides. These physical barriers may be affective in an urban area but are intrusive and disruptive to visitor experiences in historic or natural areas. I am unconvinced that in most cases such measures in National Parks would deter a determined individual from attempting to ending their life.

I reached out for input from other readers as to measures taken to prevent or deter suicides. In most examples park rangers are aware of areas that have a history of suicide incidents. Patrol of these areas is generally increased with attention to persons who show indicators of depression or unusual behavior. Readers have also encouraged use of the Critical Incident Stress Management and Debriefing practices for responders.

One interesting idea comes from Japan where signs are placed at locations where suicides have developed a pattern urging individuals to think about their families and includes a telephone number for suicide hotlines. I have never seen this approach in National Parks.

With the latest wave of budget cuts and the restrictions that they impose on park managers, the number of park employees will most likely be reduced. The shortage of funds will also impact the ability of park rangers to intercede in a variety of emergency situations due to staffing reductions and accompanying cost saving measures such as lowering fuel consumption and mileage restrictions on vehicles and diminishing quantity and quality of training and refreshers.

Park employees are aware of the potential for persons to attempt suicide in our National Parks. Being alert for the indicators of an individual in mental distress and is the best way that park staffs can be prepared to help others.

The Next Question On Suicides

2011-03-28T10:25:00.000-04:00

Here is the next in a series of questions sent in by a college student on the subject of suicides in our National Parks and more specifically the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Do you know any measures being taken to prevent these suicides?

Suicide is a serious mental health issue facing this country. Although as a Park Ranger I often felt like a counselor, park employees are not trained nor certified professionals in this field. Many of the suicide incidents I have investigated involved patients of mental health professionals who were fighting depression and other issues for long periods of time.

Most Park Rangers are trained in emergency medical services and are prepared to provide initial physical treatment to victims of suicide attempts.

One lesson from my career is the realization that each human being is a vastly complex and unique entity that is not easily understood or influenced once determined on a specific course. This has been confirmed by psychologist that I have worked with and makes the prevention of suicides once a person has made the final decision challenging and at times dangerous.

I am not aware of any specific steps designed to prevent suicides in parks. The openness and accessibility of National Parks are some of the features that draw people to spend time there.

Law Enforcement Park Rangers are trained to deal with what is termed “deviant behavior.” This includes persons suffering from depression and under the influence of drugs and alcohol. Park Rangers are alert for signs of unusual conduct that would be clues that a person may be suicidal. As a result of this training and awareness there have been numerous instances where Park Rangers have intervened and prevented a suicidal person from carrying out their plan.

Here is a link to one such incident: http://www.nationalparksgallery.com/park_news/8184

Park Rangers also call on other local resources when confronted by a person who may be intending suicide. In some cases we called in mental health professionals and family members to talk people down so they can be disarmed or moved away from the edges of precipices.

In some instances Park Rangers have risked their lives to save a person from taking their own life. In one such instance a Park Ranger grabbed a person as they began to throw themselves off a bridge. The tackle just came within a hairs breathe of them both going off the bridge to the river below. In another case a Deputy Sheriff, a family member, and I maneuvered to take a loaded rifle away from a man sitting in the driver’s seat of a car with the barrel placed under his chin and a finger on the trigger. We were ultimately successful, but the rifle did go off sending a bullet through the roof of the car and thankfully missing everyone present.

Unfortunately, as long as persons who are struggling with life to the point that they want to end it seek places where they may have fond memories or a place of peace and scenic beauty, they may be attracted to National Parks to complete their plans.

Do any of my Park Ranger readers out there know of any specific steps being taken in their parks to prevent suicides?

Another Suicide On The Blue Ridge Parkway

2011-03-25T11:33:00.000-04:00

The body of a man, the victim of a self inflicted gunshot wound, was found on the Blue Ridge Parkway in the Rockfish Valley Overlook in Virginia. The Overlook is located at mile post 1 and close to Interstate 64 and the cities of Waynesboro, Staunton, and Charlottesville.

This is not the first time a tragic life has ended at this overlook. During my career I worked in this area for 25 years and investigated several other such incidents including one murder suicide involving a recently divorced couple. The husband had picked the wife up at her parents' home in Waynesboro leading them to believe they were going to a restaurant to work out a financial matter. Instead he took her to the Rockfish Valley Overlook shot her and then shot himself.

For more information on this latest incident go to:

http://www2.newsvirginian.com/news/2011/mar/24/4/body-found-blue-ridge-parkway-ar-926349/

Suicides In Our National Parks

2011-03-24T12:35:00.000-04:00

I received several solid questions from a college student working on a project in relation to the study released in December 2010 by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention stating that the Blue Ridge Parkway had the highest number of suicides and suicide attempts of any other national park from 2003-2009. Readers may remember other blog entries I have written on this tragic topic in December 2010.

How do you think the suicides over the past years have affected both rangers and guests of the parkway?

This is an insightful question that is not often asked. In most incidents there is little concern for the affects of a suicide on the park employees that discover and or have to deal with the tragedy. There are several levels of involvement by employees that can have short or long term affects.

The first are the persons that find the victim of a suicide. During my career we had maintenance personnel, volunteers, and interpreters who found dead bodies in most instances by chance. These employees are not often trained or mentally prepared to process the vision of dead bodies that can at times be quite gruesome. In one instance I had two seasonals who responded to what they had been told was a disabled vehicle. What they found was a man who had committed suicide with a hand gun. The rest of their season was disrupted by this experience.

Then there are those that respond to such incidents and have to conduct the investigations and prepare reports and conclusions. These individuals have to learn more about the victims, their families, relationships, and lives to confirm that what occurred was a suicide. Dealing with family members and friends can be stressful when they question the investigative findings or attempt to hide or conceal background information. I had one suicide case involving a prominent member of the medical community twenty years ago and I still get questioned by his friends on whether there was some doubt about the findings.

These experiences do not leave you. Some people are better at compartmentalizing memories than others. But they still have to come to terms with their encounters. Some may have dreams reliving the incident or investigation. Dealing with future multiple traumatic incidents can also manifest in how an individual reacts to future involvement in similar situations.

Luckily there have been a limited number of incidents where visitors have been directly affected by suicides. There have been few cases where a visitor has found a victim and then once interviewed they normally leave the area and there is no follow up on what impacts the experience had on them. I worked two investigations where a person committed suicide in front of other visitors. We determined that they wanted their action to be viewed so their remains would be dealt with quickly. I could not think of a more dramatic disruption of a vacation. In other cases areas of a park may be closed to the public while the crime scene is processed. This could inconvenience visitors for short periods.

It has been my experience that while the incident or investigation is on going your adrenalin is pumping and you are focused on problem solving and looking ahead to the next step in the process. Once the dust has settled and you are back home is when what you have been through comes to the surface.

The National Park Service provides a program for Critical Incident Stress Debriefing (CISD) that provides an opportunity for individuals to talk with trained peers and counselors following a serious or violent occurrence. In many instances parks do not make enough use of this program to aid employees involved dealing with suicides and other short term investigations.

I will share the other questions and responses in later posts.

National Park Service Budget Cut - Again

2011-03-24T12:25:00.000-04:00

The latest proposals for the Federal Budget in Washington include $100 million in cuts to the National Park Service. For more information see the links below:

http://my.npca.org/site/MessageViewer?em_id=3561.0

Here is an earlier story on the budget in our National Parks and some strong comments on both sides of the argument.

http://www.nationalparkstraveler.com/2010/01/reducing-federal-deficit-essential-are-national-parks-logical-place-cut-spending5307

Suspect Pleads Guilty To Murder On The Blue Ridge Parkway

2011-03-24T10:40:00.000-04:00

Ralph Leon Jackson who was arrested for the April 5, 2010 shooting of two people that lead to the death of one victim five days later has plead guilty in Federal Court. This plea deal was agreed to by Jackson to avoid the death penalty. While in court Jackson stated that he thought he was shooting his son in law on the Parkway.

You can learn more details at:

http://www.dailypress.com/news/crime/ro-blue-ridge-parkway-shooter-says-he20110324,0,1119922.story

Bluffs Coffee Shop and Lodge Not To Open This Spring On The Blue Ridge Parkway

2011-03-10T09:33:00.001-05:00

While working as a park ranger in the subdistrict of the Blue Ridge Parkway that includes Doughton Park I spent many a fond time in the Bluffs Coffee Shop. I think that at least for 15 minutes my desire for "Big Otis" ice cream sandwiches was legendary. After serving and delighting park visitors since 1949 this will be the first spring the Coffee Shop and Lodge will not open for business. This is due to contracts expiring and the failure to find a new proprietor to take over the operation.

In addition to providing services to visitors, the Coffee Shop and Lodge have provided employment for local residents. One of the shining examples of these workers is Ellen Smith who has waited tables every season since the Coffee Shop opened. Ellen and her husband Paul are both on my list of the best people I have ever known. Their kindness, caring, and sharing of life are legendary among an army of young park rangers and their families that were fortunate enough to live at the Bluff's Maintenance Area. I can not begin to count the times that the Smiths helped out my wife, new born son, and myself during our time there.

We would often half joke that if Ellen ever decided to quit her job at the Coffee Shop they would just have to shut down. It is a sad day but a credit to Ellen that the Coffee Shop gave out before she did.

Although Ellen's record is unsurpassed, Kathryn Joines is right behind her with only 55 years service as a waitress at the Coffee Shop. Employee loyalty like this is hard to find.

This same contractual fate is lurking over other Blue Ridge Parkway concessions facilities. In Virginia the Peaks of Otter contract has also expired. In this case the existing company has agreed to a one year extension to allow the park to find a replacement. Hopefully this gesture will provide enough time to prevent an eventual shut down. There is always hope as the National Park Service continues its attempt to find a new contractor and that the concession facilities at Doughton Park will reopen sometime in the future.

For more information go to:

http://www2.journalnow.com/news/2011/mar/09/popular-parkway-restaurant-lodge-face-uncertain-fu-ar-844899/

A Pig’s Tail – The Park Ranger’s Dilemma

2011-03-02T10:27:00.001-05:00

Starting a vocation as a National Park Ranger is a bit like entering into a marriage. You feel confident in the knowledge of what you are getting into at the start, but have no real way of predicting what is to come. Such are the many duties and experiences of a park ranger throughout a career.

As a District Ranger on the Blue Ridge Parkway in 1987 I was responsible for management of the living history farm at Humpback Rocks in Virginia. The objective of the farm was to transport visitors back to the late 1800s when small farms were common in the Southern Appalachians. One element that was felt to be critical to creating the farm ambience was the presence of domestic animals. The farm had chickens that free ranged during the day and a pig who was kept in a “bear proof” pig pen as mountain farmers had done when fattening them up for market. The pig was quite popular with visitors, with children taking the most interest.

Barn with Bear Proof Pig Pen to the right at Humpback Rocks

About half way through the summer an obviously upset woman came into the cabin at the farm outraged that this poor pig was being confined in the pen. She wanted to know if we took it out for walks and accused us of most likely not even giving the pig a name. The employee that the woman confronted was flabbergasted to say the least.

The truth be known, we had indeed given the pig a name. An annual employee name the pig contest had been conducted and the winner was a play on the current director of the National Park Service, William Penn Mott. The costumed interpreter stuttered and could not bring herself to tell the woman that the swine’s name was “William Pig Mott.”

Within days the Park Superintendent received a letter from a Congressman’s office accompanied by a complaint protesting the treatment of the pig. Being a diligent manager I enlisted the assistance of an Interpretive Specialist from HQ and had the pig examined by a veterinarian and its living conditions evaluated by a professor of animal husbandry from Virginia Tech. The Vet certified the pig as healthy and happy and the professor wrote a statement outlining the infinitely better living conditions as compared to a pig in a commercial farm operation.

Even with all this documented information the Park Superintendent did not want to be bothered with any more Congressional questions about pigs. So he ordered us to get rid of the swine as soon as possible.

In the past a local farmer had loaned the park a pig for the summer at the end of the season the pig would be returned to the owner. Several years before an administrative officer at Headquarters had found out about this arrangement and declared it illegal and put an end to it. Apparently the fact that the pig was fed by government employees and was provided free government housing made the animal the property of the US Government and therefore it could not be given back to the farmer. By 1987 for us to provide an ambience of pig on the farm I had to take part of our limited budget, find a farmer willing to sell us a single young pig, and then take it to the livestock market to auction at the end of the season. We could not return or sell the pig to the original owner since it was then government property.

Once the Superintendent made his decision the only choice we had was to take the pig to market. It was awkward getting the auction to sell just one little pig, but we were able to persuade them to cooperate and eventually talk them into giving us a written receipt. Once the sale was complete one of my fellow park rangers asked the purchaser what his plans for the pig would be. “Oh, he will be bacon by next week,” was the response.

That fall the woman who had complained and wrote the letter showed back up at the Humpback Rocks Farm. She did not appear to believe that the folks working recognized her, but they knew exactly who she was since her actions had resulted in the lost of their beloved piggy friend. Suddenly her children came running up to her in front of the cabin calling out “Mommy, Mommy, we can’t find the pig.”

Although several explanations were ripe on the tongues of the two interpreters present they just stood there perhaps glaring a bit at the woman and did not say a word eventually turning their backs and walking away. The woman and her children eventually wondered off to the parking lot and left. No one ever remembers seeing her in the park again.

Are Our National Parks Over Regulated

2011-02-28T14:13:00.000-05:00

There is an interesting article on The National Parks Traveler blog posing the question of having a National Park that is not regulated. You can read this at this link:

http://www.nationalparkstraveler.com/2011/02/give-us-national-park-please-not-its-regulations7619

This article prompted several thoughts;

This is a very interesting discussion that goes to the core of the dilemma found in the mission of the National Park Service. Most of the issues and complaints about regulations in parks come from local people attempting to make a living off of the park. I do not begrudge them their livelihood, but how many National Parks have economic development in their enabling legislation? Is that why we have parks?

This reminds me of a situation I faced as a District Ranger on the Blue Ridge Parkway. The National Park Service purchased over 3,000 acres of land that directly adjoined the Park for the protection of the Appalachian Trail. In the mid 1980s the plan was for the property to be managed by AT volunteers. The trail community did not want park rangers on the lands enforcing regulations. The idea was that this would be a protected corridor for the Appalachian Trail but free of National Park Service enforcement. Orders for my staff and I were to stay off this Park Service property. Once hikers were confronted by aggressive armed hunters, ATV's running through trout streams and the trail caused damaging erosion, trees were cut along the boundaries to expand yards and for firewood, and trash built up in illegal campsites the volunteers, State Officials in Richmond, Va, and the then Appalachian Trail Conference Office came to me demanding that the park rangers from The Blue Ridge Parkway do something about the threats to visitors and resources on these lands purchased so they would have National Park protection. We did step in and detailed additional rangers to the area to gain some level of compliance for resource protection. Today a written agreement provides for the Blue Ridge Parkway's rangers to provide law enforcement, fire, and search and rescue response to this area.

Although this may not have been as dramatic an example as the situations outlined in the original article, it does illustrate what happens in a National Park Service area that is not subject to regulations and enforcement. Unfortunately, National Park designation does not come with an automatic sense of respect from everyone. In an ideal world all people would hold sacred a special place that has been set aside for protection and preservation. In our world this does not happen. There are always those who do not see the impact of their own actions and are more concerned with their immediate gratification. Everyday it is a struggle and challenge for park managers to find balance between permitting access and public use of areas and conserving those same resources so they will be around in the future. In many instances such as with the Piping Plovers at Cape Hatteras, courts step in and order the National Park Service to take stronger steps to protect natural and cultural resources.

I know that I am biased after more than 32 years as a National Park Ranger, but I would rather see my parks over regulated so I know they will be there for my grandchildren and their grandchildren.

Affects of Government Shutdown On National Parks

2011-02-24T10:13:00.000-05:00

Contrary to popular caricatures, most Federal agencies employ people dedicated to their job in service to their Country and fellow citizens. The National Park Service is a prime example where most employees work long hard hours to preserve and protect our natural and cultural resources and those that visit them.

Budget impasses and looming government shutdowns result in high levels of employee frustration and a sense of uncertainty.

It becomes increasing frustrating for National Park managers to work without an approved Federal Budget. Continuing Resolutions are built of strings and conditions with no guaranteed outcome at the end. This method of doing business makes it all but impossible to plan for the busy upcoming visitor season. As an example; if you obligate too many funds for temporary employees who are the backbone of the summer field staffs in parks and then the funds are short in the final budget product, early layoffs result in closing of facilities and lack of protection of delicate resources when the parks are at their maximum visitor capacity. There were several years when the Blue Ridge Parkway was caught in this situation and seasonal employees had to be laid off in September and October, the most heavily visited times of the year.

Another consequence of a looming government shutdown is the sense of uncertainty of employment. The vast majority of National Park Service employees are not high level bureaucrats they are people with families that live pay check to pay check like most of their fellow citizens. When past shutdowns have occurred all but designated essential employees are sent home. These individuals are left not knowing when they will return to work or be paid again. Those left working are unsure if they are going to be paid or not for their time. This all affects employee morale and efficiency.

The ones that really suffer from government shutdowns in National Parks are visitors and the resources that needed the park to be established to protect them. Visitors who have planned family trips have them disrupted in the least and cancelled in the extreme. Cultural and natural resources are left unattended and maintained and left open to exploitation and vandalism.

The current threat of another government shutdown will have a potential impact on the spring opening of National Park facilities such as visitor centers, campgrounds, tour roads, and picnic areas. As the harsh winter weather starts to break in many parts of the country, now is when park staffs start to prepare parks for the onslaught of visitors to come. Many infrastructure repairs and maintenance that did not occur in the fall or may have resulted from harsh winter weather need to be evaluated and started within the next month. A shut down will delay or prevent this work from commencing. In some cases disrupted or broken water or sewer lines could hide much more serious damage to facilities and resources. Seasonal employee hiring would be disrupted or discontinued delaying getting the best people in critical jobs for the upcoming spring and summer.

In the eyes of employees government shut downs devalue agency missions and the dedication and efforts of the people trying to do an important job in a trying economic and political climate.

America's Great Outdoors Report

2011-02-17T15:44:00.000-05:00

Go the the attached link below for an interesting story about the President's "America's Great Outdoors" initiative.

I appreciate the fact that the number one priority of this initiative would be to reconnect children with the outdoors. In retirement I have taken on this task in my own way serving as a volunteer naturalist at the Boxerwood Nature Center and Woodland Garden in Lexington, Virginia. Although Boxerwood is serving all the school children from three systems in our area by providing curriculum based environmental education programs, it is fighting for its financial survival with the disappearance of Federal grant funding. This is a fate befalling most nonprofit organisations. With todays hurried and paranoid society, it is programs like Boxerwood that serve as many children's first safe and positive experience in the outdoors.

Should this initiative move forward it could prove of great assistance to such groups across the country and helping to build on an environmentally conscious generation.

http://www.nationalparkstraveler.com/2011/02/americas-great-outdoors-report-carries-lofty-goals-need-widespread-support-success7633?nocache=1#comment-28735

http:/www.boxerwood.org

Park Rangers and Technology II

2011-02-15T11:43:00.000-05:00

The ability to use technology has become an essential skill for the modern National Park Ranger. A ranger needs to be able to navigate the world of computers and related hardware including GPS units, digital radio systems, audio recording systems, digital video and photo cameras, surveillance equipment, AED (defibrillators), and a myriad of software programs to run them. Before I retired in 2008 I counted up more than twenty separate software programs that required some level of competency to do my job. Functions of these programs controlled payroll, employee scheduling, personnel actions, incident reporting, safety management, procurement, inventory, training, email, and more. The complexity was compounded by the fact that none of these programs functioned the same way, took different passwords, and could not share information.

It was not always this way and the National Park Service has been notorious for being slow to adopt technology.

In 1995 on the Blue Ridge Parkway a permit was issued to BMW to film a commercial for their new 3 Series sedan coming out that year. It was all very hush hush and they were very sensitive about anyone taking photos of the cars and selling them to car magazines. One day during the shooting the location director asked if he could go to our office to send a fax. I had to inform him that our District Office did not have a fax machine since our administrative staff at Headquarters 300 miles away in Asheville, North Carolina did not believe we needed one. He found it hard to believe that a government office would not have this common form of communication.

Several days later the filming was done and the crew moved on to their next location. When I returned to the office a service representative was there to install our new fax machine. As a thank you BMW wanted to donate a fax machine to us and arranged for installation, a one year service contract, and paper supply. Once the Park’s Administrators found out about this they became very angry and I received a nasty telephone call ordering me to pack the fax machine up and send it to Headquarters since we did not need it and they could use it in their office. There was also an issue with the rule that the Superintendent was the only person who could accept a donation.

I contacted the location director from the filming project thanked him for the donation and told him of my dilemma. He then faxed me a letter of donation stating that the machine had been a gift intended to be used in the District Office at Montebello, Virginia. Based on this statement the machine could only be used in our office and we were able to begrudgingly keep it.

Within a month the same people at Headquarters who did not want us to have a fax machine realized how convenient it was for them to request documents from us and get them quickly making their job easier. Shortly thereafter all the district offices along the length of the 469 mile long park had fax machines installed.

I felt proud of a bureaucratic victory but often entertained some regrets for the increased requests and shortening of deadlines for documents wanted by Headquarters staff. The fax machine seemed to increase our paperwork rather than make life easier.

Valentine From A Fan

2011-02-15T11:13:00.001-05:00

My wife teaches second grade and one of her students is obviously familiar with the stories from my book A Park Ranger's Life. It appears that he may have enjoyed the story about the bear known as the Colonel who loved Kentucky Fried Chicken.

When my wife brought home her Valentine Riches and we went through the bag we found this one hand made card addressed to me;

Seasonal Park Ranger Housing

2011-02-14T09:39:00.001-05:00

A question came in asking about housing for seasonal employees in parks.

Do I have to live nearby or do most parks have housing for summer help?

Most parks do have some type of housing for summer seasonal employees. This can range from a tent on a platform to The Ranger Club at Yosemite National Park (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zzXRgcCV7Uc). It all depends on what facilities a park have available. Predominate types of seasonal housing I ran into were mobile homes, cinder block apartments, or if you are lucky a house that has been converted to a dorm.

Generally housing is made available based on the position the employee is in and how important it is that the person be on site followed by the overall availability of space.

Today any type of housing facilities are most likely to be dorm style and it is not uncommon for these to be coed. You may get a room to yourself or have a roommate. You will have to share bathroom facilities.

In National Parks you will be charged rent for housing. This may be different in state parks as I know they generally charge their full time employees a lot less for rent. As a seasonal in a National Park the rent will be based on a dorm rate and include utilities. So you need to find out how much this will cost and deduct that from what you are thinking you will be paid for the summer.

A new seasonal employee would also need to find out what household supplies they will need to provide. As an example, there may or may not be an equipped kitchen and you may have to supply your own dishes, pots, and pans.

In most cases there will not be housing for employees less than 18 years of age unless they are a Youth Conservation Corp or Student Conservation Association participant. These jobs place you with a group of people your own age with adult oversight.

Those who have never worked and lived in parks should not entertain any romantic dreams of what type of housing they will be provided. Most housing is old, not well maintained or cleaned. Mold, insects, and mice are common roommates. The setting of most housing is not on some mountaintop with spectacular views. Although there are some exceptions, it is more likely that you will be viewing a fenced and paved maintenance area, a busy campground, or a sewage lagoon.

It is really the excitement and fulfillment of the job and comradeship that you are hoping for rather than pristine housing.

High School Student Wants To Be A Park Ranger

2011-02-10T14:23:00.002-05:00

I received an email request from a high school freshman interested in becoming a park ranger. He posed several good questions. So here is his email and I will address his questions individually.

I am a freshman in high school and love the outdoors. I'm a boy scout working on my Life rank and then on to Eagle! I love to camp, hike and go white water rafting. In high school, we have to choose a career track. Unfortunately, I love drawing, brochure design and photography as much as I enjoy the horticulture classes. My mom says that parks need rangers with those skills as well as the other skills. I have a few questions for you since I am considering being a park ranger when I graduate.

Can you give me some suggestions as to what courses I should take in high school?

Communications is essential for a park ranger to be successful. So the public speaking would be important in addition to courses that help to improve on writing skills. You will need to go on to college (more on that below) so look at what you would be interested in majoring in and direct your course choices in that direction. Parks have different needs depending on the purpose of the area when established. Some look for people with a background in history and others natural sciences. As an example I would look at your strengths and consider courses in that area. If your goal is to work at a park like Yellowstone you might want to think about a college program in natural sciences.

Will achieving Eagle rank in Boy Scouts help me get a job as a ranger?

Yes, attaining the rank of Eagle Scout will definitely help you in getting a park ranger job. I am an Eagle Scout and one of the reasons I was considered for my first seasonal job was this factor. During my career I worked with quite a few other fellow Eagle Scouts in addition to quite a few Girl Scouts. Being an Eagle Scout shows any considering employer or college that you are a person that can follow through and stick with hard work over a long period of time. Many think that this is a quality that is all too rare these days. Eagle Scout status also puts you ahead of others with experience in leadership, outdoor skills, technical abilities, and communications skills. I know at your age there are so many distractions and other activities to get involved in. I would recommend finding time to make it to Eagle.

Is a 4-year college degree required, or can I attend a tech school to get a degree that would qualify me for a park ranger position?

For a permanent National Park Ranger job a four year degree is required. There is no specific degree that you need to have. There are some colleges that offer programs in Resource Protection and park ranger oriented studies. I worked with rangers with degrees in fields of all kinds including nuclear physics, Russian studies, biology, public administration, English, etc. You can work as a seasonal or temporary employee without a full degree. In fact most people start out this way working summers during college. If you go to the search window in the right column on my blog and type in “jobs” you can learn more about this. You can also consider starting at a two year college and then transfer to a four year institution to finish off your education.

How old do I have to be before a state park will hire me for the summer? Do I have to live nearby or do most parks have housing for summer help?

The National Park Service and most like agencies do not hire regular paid temporary or permanent employees under the age of 18. For some jobs such as law enforcement the age limit is 21. There are other options to get started earlier in developing experience. Many National Park areas and State Parks are work with the Youth Conservation Corps (YCC). These are high school students that are hired for 6 to 8 weeks during the summer to work in parks. Many times they do trail maintenance or other resource oriented projects along with some education components. You can ask your high school counselor to look into this for you or contact any parks that may be near you to see if they use this program. Another organization called the Student Conservation Association http://www.thesca.org/ places people to work in parks. Most of their programs are for college students, but they do run special programs for high school students. Most parks also have volunteer opportunities where you can gain experience. You may want to plan your Eagle community service project to be done in a park.

Thanks for your time and helping others with their dreams of becoming a ranger one day.

I really appreciate it,

I recommend you checking out several books on this topic.

Of course there is the book I have written A Park Ranger’s Life: Thirty Two Years Protecting Our National Parks. This book is being used by several universities as required reading for students that want to be rangers. You can find it at Amazon.com and several additional on line sources. www.aparkrangerslifethebook.com

Also check out these:

National Park Ranger: An American Icon and Off the Wall: Death In Yosemite both by Charles R. Butch Farabee

Ranger Confidential: Living, Working, and Dying in the National Parks , by Andrea Lankford

Ranger Up!:True Stories of National Park Protection Rangers, by Richard E. Brown

You can find all these at Amazon.com.

Brody Young - A Survivor

2011-02-08T08:15:00.000-05:00

Those of you who have followed this blog for some time have seen the posts and links describing the story of Brody Young, a Utah State Park Ranger who on November 19^th was shot nine times by a suspect he thought needed assistance.

The suspect, Lance Leeroy Arellano, has still not been located and is either at large or succumbed to his injuries and still in the immediate area.

This link will take you to a televised interview with Brody Young, his first since the incident.

http://www.fox13now.com/news/kstu-brody-young-interview,0,463555.story

Young’s description of his initial contact with the suspect sounds like a scenario faced by park rangers hundreds of times a day across the country. A vehicle parked where it should not be that time of night at a trail head. As a park ranger Young’s first thoughts were that someone needed help. Was someone injured or lost on the trail? Even when Young found Arellano sleeping in the back seat his intent was to direct him to somewhere he could camp legally. It was when Young walked back toward his vehicle that Arellano opened fire with a rifle eventually hitting Young nine times. Brody returned fire with his pistol and judging from blood left at the scene and in the suspect’s car (later found eight miles away) seriously wounded his attacker. The suspect, Lance Leeroy Arellano, has still not been located and is either at large or succumbed to his injuries and still in the immediate area.

The other part of this story is the one of Brody Young’s will to survive. I remember during officer survival training learning that retaining a positive attitude and emotional need to live can be critical to the ability of a wounded person to survive. In the interview you will hear how Brody’s thoughts of his family and will to live kept him going.

Young also talks about his “training kicking in” once his life was on the line. This lesson should bring home the importance of defensive and firearms training in addition to mental preparation to confront a life threatening situation. Park Rangers always need to stay aware and remember that they initially never really know who they are talking to.

The story of Brody Young’s brush with death is an inspiring one that we can all learn from. His and his family’s positive attitude facing such adversity is an additional example to us all. I have to say that Brody sounds like one hell of a man.

Park Rangers and Stake Outs Part III

2011-02-03T12:49:00.000-05:00

The key to running an affective stake out operation is the intelligence and patterns of criminal activity you can develop and then utilize in predicting when your suspects will most likely show up. This involves field observations, collection of evidence, interviewing victims, and gathering information from informants. The better you can forecast specific time periods or days that the criminal activity is occurring the higher the probability that you will be successful in making an apprehension and putting a stop to the threat to persons or resources. Of course even though we would spend hours planning and adjusting schedules and writing up operational plans, the bad guys were not governed by any such constraints and operated more on their own whims. The weather did not suit, they did not have any cash that night for gas, their spouse or girl friend would not let them go out, their hunting dog was sick, they did not drink enough or they drank too much, or any other of a myriad of factors could determine whether your suspects will be where you want them that particular night.

There were many mornings during thirty two years when I had sat in the woods or in a car all night in unproductive efforts to save the world. After fighting fatigue for hours at the first peaking of the false dawn I would shake my body in a last attempt to stay alert and my psyche would tell me that it is just not natural for a human to witness such a spectacle and power of nature. The sun was once again arriving quietly into the world to warm it to wakefulness. We are not meant to stay stirring all night fighting boredom and sleep only to be surprised when we have made it to another new day. On those mornings I would then chase those thoughts from my mind, swat away the bugs again or pull my coat tighter around me to ward off the morning frost and try to decide how much longer I needed to stay out there.

Park Rangers and Stake Outs Part II

2011-02-01T09:42:00.000-05:00

Stake outs are always unpredictable. Once we were trying to catch a group of poachers who were spotlighting and killing deer leaving the carcasses at different locations in the park. We ended up sitting right on top of a major cocaine deal. The poachers showed up the next night and killed two deer leaving them along the road shoulder for us to find.

The limited number of park rangers within most parks makes it challenging to safely mount such operations without neglecting other duties and responsibilities. A supervisor has to make a decision whether the potential danger imposed by the criminal activity warrants reducing staff during the day when the park is full of visitors. Plans are often thrown out the window when another incident takes priority. Some examples would be a missing hiker resulting in a search, a visitor injury, a fire, or as when one of my staff had not completed their online Information Technology Training and we were ordered to cancel a stake out so the required computer exercise could be completed on time. The next day we found evidence that the criminals we were attempting to apprehend had indeed been in the park.

In many instances park rangers need to coordinated resources with other agencies such as the US Forest Service or the State Game Commission so they will have enough personnel to conduct a stake out safely. These multiagency efforts were rewarding for team building purposes, but often took much more time planning, obtaining management approval, and scheduling.

More later:

A Question About Seasonal Employee Rehire Authority

2011-01-31T17:53:00.000-05:00

I received the following question from a reader:

I emailed you a while back about becoming a park ranger. I had another question that I have been thinking about for a while. Do temporary park rangers normally get rehired at the same park the following year during the peak season, or when your 6 months or so is up is that the end of the line for that job? Thanks for your time in helping me in my pursuit to become a park ranger!

In most instances a temporary seasonal employee that worked the previous season in a National Park will be offered the same position the next year under rehire authority. There is no guarantee or requirement for a supervisor to rehire a returning employee. But if there were no problems with employee's performance the previous year, the money is in the budget for the upcoming season, and the position still exists there is a very good chance a person would be offered the opportunity to come back.

As I said there is a good chance of getting the same position again. Rehire can not be used to hire someone for a different position, location within a park, or pay grade. So if you aspire to another seasonal job within the same park you would need to apply and compete for it. An example that is fairly common is when a person works their first season in a park as a campground or entrance station fee collector. During the winter they go to a seasonal law enforcement academy and want to go back to the park as a commissioned seasonal ranger. The individual would have to apply and compete for the commissioned position or could be rehired again without competition as a fee collector.

The main negative to this way of life is the sense of the unknown of budgets and whims of supervisors. Rehire Status only gives you the ability to be considered for the same job without competition. It is not a rehire right to a job. It leaves you uncertain of your future at the end of a season.

In most every case if a seasonal does a good job it is to the advantage of the supervisor to hire them back. It saves on training and orienting a person to a job. It also gives the supervisor a known entity to start their visitor season off on a positive foot.

I highly recommend that prior seasonal employees keep in touch with the supervisor or human resources office of the park where they worked the previous year so that they can be kept up to date on the chance of work for the coming season. As a supervisor I would recommend to seasonal employees who worked for me that would have rehire status for the next year apply through the regular competitive process for jobs just to make sure all bases are covered. It is never a good idea to put all your hopes in one bucket.

Park Rangers and Stake Outs Part I

2011-01-30T19:26:00.000-05:00

Waking up on these cold winter mornings reminds me of the fact that no matter what you are told it is not natural to be awake to see the sunrise. I agree that a sunrise can be a beautiful sight with the first false dawn light followed by a brightening of the horizon and then the first glimpse of the sun revealing the start of a new day. A good sunrise can be the source of inspiration for poetry and renewing of the soul. I guess this all has been spoiled for me by the times I had to witness sunrises after sitting up all night on stake outs while attempting to remain unseen in the hopes of catching humans involved in illegal activities.

A stake out operation is utilized when law enforcement officers have identified a location where crimes are occurring and they want to catch the culprit in the act of that crime. It is can be a very labor and time intensive and times an expensive endeavor that can continue over long periods of time. Movies and television depict stake outs as being conducted from hotel rooms or apartments with the officers using sophisticated recording and viewing equipment exchanging quick repartee and eating pizza. In the real world of a park ranger if you are lucky you will be in a support vehicle some distance away from the actual stake out site while the less fortunate ranger lies in wait in the woods either during the winter freezing or in the summer covered in sweat and insects for hours. Physical activity can be very restricted since any movement in a woodland environment will give away your location and either blow the operation or place you in danger.

As a National Park Ranger charged with protecting park resources and visitors we often had to resort to stake outs in attempts to catch criminals in their natural habitat committing their nefarious acts. Crimes that called for stake outs ranged from wildlife and plant poachers, drug dealers, marijuana growers, auto burglars (or car clouters as they are known to rangers), sexual predators, relic hunters, drag racers, and vandals. Organizing and conducting stake outs took time and were not always productive. I would say that 80% or more of such operations did not result in catching anyone the first time.

More later:

Snow Results In Postponement of Appearance

2011-01-26T15:11:00.000-05:00

Due to falling heavy snow in the Lexington, Virginia area, the talk I was scheduled to give at Washington and Lee University has been postponed. The University is going into a rare shutdown this afternoon due to the weather. A new date will be set for the Spring or Fall.

Walmart Decides Not To Build On The Wilderness Battlefield

2011-01-26T10:55:00.000-05:00

In a bit of surprise the Walmart Corporation has decided to cancel plans to build a new Supercenter on part of the Wilderness Battlefield in Orange County Virginia. The property presently owned by Walmart is part of the ground where the Civil War battle occurred in May of 1864 and is not currently under protection of the National Park Service. This area does adjoin the Wilderness Battlefield area of the Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park and the development of the store would have destroyed the historic scene and resulted in vast increases in traffic and related light, sound, and air pollution to the immediate area.

Although Walmart was able to obtain all necessary legal approval for the project, several groups were still challenging the construction in court. Today Walmart announced the decision to take the moral high ground of public interest over corporate profit and cancel their plans for this project.

Congratulation to Walmart for taking this stand to help preserve the history of our Nation.

I first brought this to readers attention with a post I wrote in 2009:

http://aparkrangerslife.blogspot.com/2009/09/new-battle-of-wilderness.html

For more information on today's move by Walmart go to:

http://www.civilwar.org/aboutus/news/news-releases/2011-news/walmart-abandons-wilderness-plans.html

Great New Source of Valuable Information for Park Rangers

2011-01-26T10:35:00.000-05:00

Do you work as a park ranger in a non-law enforcement capacity?

Do you work for a land management agency where you do not have law enforcement authority but are still expected to enforce minor violations by visitors?

Do you aspire to be a park ranger or perhaps are looking to work your fist season in a park this summer?

Writing as Ranger J a State Park Ranger with 35 years of law enforcement experience including criminal justice education is now working as a non-law enforcement authorized field ranger. He has started a blog with the purpose of passing on tips based on his experience that are not normally included in non-law enforcement training of employees. His writings are quick, efficient, and pass on valuable information that could help keep park employees of any discipline safe out there.

I highly recommend you check it out at:

http://thenewranger.blogspot.com/

Rate Of Law Enforcement Officers Killed Up In 2011

2011-01-25T08:29:00.000-05:00

Authorities are concerned about the number of law enforcement officers that have been killed in just 25 days of 2011. Eleven officers have already given their lives in the line of duty since January 1st. There is concern from some that the number of killings is not a coincidence.

Take a look at this article from Fox News on line for more details.

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2011/01/24/authorities-fear-cops-targeted-officers-shot-hours/

Comments From A Reader

2011-01-25T08:21:00.001-05:00

A recent reader of A Park Ranger's Life: Thirty Two Years Protecting Our National Parks had this to say on Facebook;

This book has really opened my eyes to the duties of a park ranger and has given me so much motivation to pursue the career of my dreams. Thank you very much for sharing your life lessons and experiences with the world.

You can get a copy of the book from the sources listed in the right hand column of this page.

"A Park Ranger's Life" at Washington and Lee University

2011-01-25T07:59:00.000-05:00

I will be at Washington and Lee University in Lexington, Virginia on Wednesday January 26 to talk to the Outing Club about National Parks and a career as a park ranger. The event will begin at 7pm in the Elrods Commons. The event is open to the public.

Interagency Responses to Emergencies

2011-01-24T08:28:00.000-05:00

A reader recently shared their experience working as a park ranger responding to a multi-agency search for a drowning victim. Although this story may sound outrageous to some, it is often seen in areas where numerous agencies share jurisdiction, are understaffed, and strong personalities are involved.

Well, I must say, I witnessed some interesting stuff this evening. Got off at 5 and headed down to the ………….park to assist in a search for a drowning victim. Yeah, it wasn't pretty. I like to think we work together as a team, but from what a friend of mine experienced before I got there was total opposite. Let's just say they had it covered we'll let you know what we find when we find it. State official saying this to a federal ranger. I just controlled the crowd and assisted the victims family.

Thanks for sharing your experience. During my career there were times where a conflict between agencies when responding to emergencies would arise. Nothing was worse than a dispute about authority or responsibility on the scene when a life may be on the line.

The focus should always be on the well being and fate of the victim. At times it is better to back down to others and get the mission accomplished and later work out conflicts and protocols.

I have found that such situations often result in ineffective and wasted efforts by responders at times impeding the accomplishment of the mission and increasing the stress and cost placed on individual agencies. If there were hard feelings and questions as to the efficiency of the operation, agency leaders should take steps to prevent such conflicts in the future.

Several tools can be used to prevent such situations.

Advance planning

Application and participation in the Incident Command System

Joint training

Offering assistance to other agencies with their emergencies

Offering or planning to make use of these tools following a debriefing on an incident will go a long way toward establishing interagency cooperation and your own individual and agency credibility.

Responsibility for an emergency is something that cannot be passed on to other agencies if you have jurisdiction where it is occurring. If an on scene agency is making a muck of the operations, you need to be able to diplomatically if not forcefully interject yourself to keep the mission on track.

In the incident above I do commend the writer for not getting his nose out of joint and stepping in to control the crowd and deal with the victim’s family. These are two important jobs that often get overlooked in the heat of the moment during many emergencies.

In conclusion I recommend the following:

Training and certification in the Incident Command System

Formal Interagency Agreements to adhere to the Incident Command System including what is termed “Unified Command” between agencies.

For those unfamiliar with the Incident Command System, There are many websites that explain the concepts and structure. Just Google ICS for more information.

A group of exhausted searchers after a successful all night operation on the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Utah State Park Ranger Now At Home Recovering From His Gunshot Wounds

2011-01-20T09:25:00.002-05:00

Here is the latest on Brody Young the Utah State Park Ranger who was shot in the line of duty. He is now at home continuing his recovery in the care of his family.

http://www.moabtimes.com/view/full_story/10993672/article-Wounded-park-ranger-describes-his-survival-as-a-%E2%80%98miracle%E2%80%99?instance=home_news_right

Recent Articles In “National Parks Magazine”

2011-01-17T13:05:00.001-05:00

The winter 2011 issue of National Parks Magazine as always has several articles of interest to fans of National Parks. Two articles are on topics which I have written about previously on this blog.

“The Spice of Life” tells the tale of the ginseng plant and the threats to its existence in our National Parks.

http://www.npca.org/magazine/2011/winter/the-spice-of-life.html

A second article entitled “In Good Conscience” relays the not often told story of the role played by Conscientious Objectors in our National Parks during World War II.

http://www.npca.org/magazine/2011/winter/in-good-conscience.html

Check out previous blog posts on these topics at:

Plant Theft In Our National Parks Sept. 3, 2009

Rangers Catch More Plant Thieves Sept. 23, 2009

Or use the search window to the right and type in “ginseng” for additional information

For a blog post on Conscientious Objectors check out:

Overlooked Story of The Blue Ridge Parkway June 7, 2010

Park Rangers And Land Protection

2011-01-07T12:55:00.002-05:00

Many National Park Service units are surrounded by encroaching development. As urban sprawl spreads homes, shopping centers, and timbering operations encroach right up to park boundaries, park rangers need to be alert to detect threats to protected areas. When I go back to visit Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania NMP where I worked in the late 1970s I do not recognize many of the areas I protected that were once surrounded by woods and farms replaced with shopping centers and subdivisions. Many park boundaries are remote and with ever decreasing numbers of staff available to patrol boundaries it has become common for adjacent land owners to inadvertently and in some cases purposely impinge on park lands. In some instances homes have been built with part of the foundation on National Park Service lands. People expand their back yards, build parking lots, build more conveniently located driveways, and dump trash and lawn debris on adjacent Park Service lands.

In scenic areas home owners cut trees to open the views from their property. At the Wintergreen Resort in Virginia trees on National Park Service property have been cut down or the tops cut out to open views for vacation homes. This has been done illegally by individual home owners in the past and much of the work has been obviously done by professional trees workers. As of this date the Park Service has not been able to gather enough information and evidence to convince the US Attorney’s Office to file charges. In a similar more visible case on the C&O Canal a number of years ago trees were cleared on Park land to open the view for an expensive home. The owner was charged for the damage and not only had to pay the cost of replacing the trees but was assessed the value of increased value to his property by the view being improved. The reaction of most adjacent property owners when confronted about these violations is “who cares.” I heard this response several times during my career.

It takes time and personnel to properly patrol, post, and review boundaries in our National Parks. As Park Rangers are overloaded with other duties, boundaries and other lands protection issues are being displaced.

More on issues of access roads and crossing of park lands later.

Setting For A Park Ranger Ghost Story

2011-01-07T12:00:00.001-05:00

In the book A Park Ranger’s Life: Thirty Two Years Protecting Our National Parks the chapter entitled “The World of the Supernatural” tells the story of a ghostly experience I had early in my career at Hampton House National Historic Site. The story centers on a two week period that I had to spend in what is believed by many to be a haunted house.

Besides ghosts Hampton House has a long and interesting history. It enjoys a uniqueness in that the Ridgley family who built what was then the largest home in North America in the 1790s lived there until it was sold to the National Park Service in the 1947s. Hampton started as a working plantation and iron works and later became a farm for racing horses.

The National Park Service has recently made available a virtual museum of Hampton House. You can go to this site to learn more about an interesting part of our American History and view where I spent one unexplainable and nerve racking night.

http://www.nps.gov/history/museum/exhibits/hampton/people.html

Hampton House National Historic Site (photo courtesy of the NPS)

Number of Law Enforcement Officers Killed In The Line Of Duty Up 38% In 2010

2010-12-29T13:26:00.000-05:00

According to statistics kept by the FBI the number of law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty is up 38% over 2009. 160 Officers were killed in 2010 as apposed to 117 in 2009.

During this same time period violent crime rates went down.

59 law enforcement officers were killed in shootouts during 2010.

The reason for the increase in officer deaths is theorized to be due to three factors:

   1. Decreases in budgets have resulted in less officers trying to do more

   2. An increasing violent number of criminals who are not afraid to kill law enforcement officers rather than go to jail

   3. A sharp increase in distracted drivers making traffic enforcement more dangerous

Think about number 3 next time when you are driving down the road talking on the cell phone or texting.

During the coming New Year let's not forget these men and women who gave their lives keeping us safe and the families they left behind.

You can learn more at:

http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Society/2010/1228/Why-police-officer-deaths-rose-37-percent-in-2010

http://www.nleomf.com/

A Christmas Present For Us All -Utah State Park Ranger Brody Young Improving

2010-12-24T00:51:00.001-05:00

Utah State Park Ranger Brody Young who was shot over a month ago is improving to the point where he can talk and give investigators some basic information. For more on the story go to:

http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/home/50924487-76/nyland-police-remember-doesn.html.csp