How to become A Park Ranger

• Forest Woodland Manager
• Forester
• Conservation Scientist
• Federal Park Ranger

What do Park Rangers do?

A Park Ranger would typically need to:

• Preserve and protect the environmental integrity of natural resources from pollution and depletion
• Manage daily operations in and maintain local, state, and national parks; Promote the expansion of new woodland coverage and the restoration of ancient woodlands
• Provide practical advice on how to improve the agricultural efficiency of a landscape; delegate the planning and execution of controlled burn activities to subordinates after a thorough inspection
• Evaluate data on forest and soil quality; assess damage to trees and forest lands caused by fires and logging activities
• Ensure that the soil quality of river deposits and the water quality on ranches remains within government standards
• Supervise forestry technicians, natural park workers, younger park rangers; negotiate with contractors and subcontractors
• Prevent wildfires and mitigate the risk to urban populations; monitor existing forestry practices and the health of reserved forests
• Advise woodland owners on the most appropriate tree species (for planting or natural regeneration), budgeting, public access, ecological surveys, and forest certification
• Ensure forest operations are carried out to professional health and safety standards, to protect workers and members of the public
• Liaise with customers, landowners, timber merchants, charitable bodies, the public and local authorities, and other professionals, such as landscape architects, archaeologists, biologists, geologists, chartered surveyors, and engineers
• Use knowledge of local tourism, wildlife, and history to answer questions from the visiting public, serve as a link between them, the residents, and the park management
• Accompany school groups into the park and work with volunteer groups to run public events; collaborate with teams dealing with field & property work and communication
• Attend meetings; plan and control budgets and prepare costing and financial forecasts; protect forests from illegal felling, pests, and diseases
• Conduct research in silviculture, pathology, tree improvement and entomology

Park Rangers work mostly outdoors in all types of weather, performing duties that can be physically strenuous. Your employer may need you to work at different locations across the country. As an employee of a social advocacy organization, you collaborate with lawmakers to encourage sustainable land use and tackle other issues facing forest land or ranges. You would typically work in offices, laboratories, and outdoors, sometimes doing fieldwork in remote locations. When visiting or working near logging operations or wood yards, you would wear a hardhat and other protective gear.

Most Park Rangers work full time. Although they may be hired to work a standard schedule of 40 hours a week, they are likely to keep longer and irregular hours with considerable overtime. Work in summer may be longer than in winter. Some may be on emergency call duty round the clock.

You may work for the forestry sector in government and civil service jobs or private estates and other private companies in the wood processing industry. Private estates may employ their staff or have contracting companies provide a range of services and expertise. You could find a job in cooperatives formed by groups of landowners to provide management and marketing services. You could also work for or as self-employed subcontractors providing services to employers at a pre-agreed rate.

Specialist recruitment sites advertise relevant jobs. Professional bodies post exclusive periodic bulletins of job vacancies or may provide a useful directory of other members who offer forestry and arboricultural services. You may apply speculatively to local woodland management companies and contractors. Look out for paid graduate schemes and voluntary opportunities. You could also work on the conservation side of forest management.

There is a growing focus on recreation and amenities within forestry and woodland management and biofuels and collaboration with energy firms. Government agencies run initiatives in forest management or offer unique training opportunities. Check individual websites for details.

Park Rangers are generally employed by:

• Government Agencies
• Town & County Councils
• Charities
• Private Companies
• Private Estates
• Forest Management Companies
• Timber Harvesting Companies
• Timber Merchants & Companies
• Individual Contractors
• Contract Agencies
• Importers
• Sawmills
• Pulp Mills
• Paper Mills
• Panel-Board Mills
• Energy Firms
• Forestry Journals
• Trusts

Park Rangers may join professional associations of foresters and arborists at local, regional, national, international levels. They may also be members of nonprofit organizations that protect and restore forests. Depending on your location, a relevant course from an accredited institute would earn you associate membership. Further experience and studies could mean chartered membership and professional recognition.

The International Ranger Federation (IRF) offers members a global platform to share their achievements and challenges in protecting and nurturing our heritage of nature while fostering the exchange of information and technology.

• Physically demanding work in all types of weather; need to walk long distances through dense woods and underbrush
• Risk of insect bites, poisonous plants, and other natural hazards
• Solitary work alone in isolated locations
• Risk due to carrying out fire suppression activities

Aspiring Park Rangers learn about the profession and acquire some experience through seasonal and voluntary work, especially during summer. You may find a variety of opportunities in national park services, woodland trusts, conservation associations, and other companies engaged in woodland management. It may be worth the effort to send in speculative applications to forestry companies and forestry management groups.

Experience gained through paid or voluntary work at museums, historical sites, monuments, or municipal parks is also valid. You may also search for and make use of overseas volunteer opportunities through specialist agencies.

Relevant practical experience builds useful qualifications and skills and strengthens a Park Ranger’s job application for entry into the profession. Depending on your location and university, you may be able to complete a year in industry as part of your degree course.

Most Park Ranger positions require at least a bachelor’s degree if you enter via the avenue of education. Aspiring Park Rangers may choose to take up their undergraduate degree in conservation, biology, botany, ecology, forestry, environmental science, anthropology, or law enforcement. If you take the pathway combining education and experience, you may land entry-level jobs with two years of post-secondary education and a year of relevant experience.

With growing diversification in the field, you can enter the profession when you major or acquire credit hours in park & recreation management, natural resources management, horticulture, any of the natural, earth, social, or human sciences, police science/criminal justice, civil engineering, rural studies, land/estate/property management, archaeology, museum sciences, business management, and public administration.

Depending on your location, you may need to pursue a postgraduate diploma or a master’s degree in forestry or a related subject if you hold a non-relevant degree or diploma. Check with your local authorities for specific requirements of educational and other qualifications as well as experience.

In specific locations, prospective Park Rangers with appropriate educational qualifications must be at least 21 years of age, possess a valid driver’s license, and undergo a background investigation. They may also need to pass a test of physical efficiency, a medical exam, and a drug test.

Depending on your location, you may need to complete considerable in-service or on-the-job training to become a full-fledged, qualified Park Ranger. Mandatory training may include search & rescue, first aid, CPR, hospitality & visitor service skills, and local geography & history.

You may also need emergency medical technician certification, wildlife fire training, Red Cross Lifeguard Management Certification, a pesticide applicator license, and a heavy equipment operator license. It is advisable to check the licensing requirements of your location and the credentialing processes for Park Rangers.

Some associations offer relevant professional certification to Park Rangers in rangeland management or consultancy. Voluntary certification demonstrates competence in skills, typically through work experience, training, the passage of an examination, or some combination of the three.

Achieving chartered status through your country’s regional and national professional bodies is the best way to make sure you have the right skills and experience for promotion as a bonafide Park Ranger. Geographic mobility can prove advantageous in changing jobs and locations to gain a range of industry experience. Your promotion opportunities will also depend on the size and structure of the organization you join.

Park Rangers may advance into managerial roles or conduct research, usually after they complete higher education and receive an advanced degree. Retired Park Managers sometimes move into law enforcement positions. Working in a charitable organization or a public body may allow you to influence government policy on the nation's woodlands.

Job prospects may be best for Park Rangers, who have a strong understanding of Geographic Information System (GIS) technology, remote sensing, and other software tools.

Government forestry agencies and large private companies within the industry provide structured technical and management training. Park Rangers most likely receive considerable on-the-job training.

Depending on your location, you may take degree courses accredited by professional bodies that may lead to membership and follow through to professional chartered status. Continuing professional development also becomes an essential requisite to the membership.

CPD activities include participation in conferences, meetings, discussion groups, and short courses, training and support programs, specialist publications, and delivery of lectures.

Some locations may require entry-level candidates to train for a stipulated period under the mentorship of an experienced ranger and undergo at least one performance evaluation before earning a promotion to the designation of Park Ranger. To work as a law enforcement Park Ranger would entail seasonal specialist training.

Fire Suppression

Park Rangers contribute to the measurement of fire intensity and severity as components of fire behavior models used to inform fire-suppression activities. Fire intensity describes the characteristics of the fire behavior such as flame length and rate of spread. Fire severity refers to the ecosystem impacts of a fire, such as trees’ mortality or loss in biodiversity.

Tools of the Trade

Park Rangers use tools such as clinometers to measure trees’ heights, diameter tapes to measure a tree’s circumference, and increment borers and bark gauges to measure the growth of trees timber volumes can be computed and growth rates estimated.

Park Rangers often use remote sensing (aerial photographs and other imagery taken from airplanes and satellites) and Geographic Information System (GIS) data to map and to detect widespread trends of forest and land use. They make extensive use of hand-held computers and Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers to study these maps. Diverse Fields of Work Park Rangers, whose duties include timber procurement, take inventory on the type, amount, and location of all standing timber on the property. They appraise the timber’s worth, negotiate its purchase, and draw a contract before subcontracting loggers or pulpwood cutters to remove the trees and help lay roads to access the timber.

Park Rangers employed in urban areas typically live and work in larger cities, managing urban trees. They focus on issues that improve or maintain the quality of life, including air quality, shade, and stormwater runoff.

Park Rangers, specializing in conservation education, train teachers and students about issues facing forest lands.

The Link Between Nature and Man shall not be Broken

Land trusts or other conservation organizations employ Park Rangers to protect the wildlife habitat, biodiversity, and scenic value of preserves and conservation lands.

As range conservationists, they protect rangelands; they conduct inventories of soil, flora & fauna, plan resource management, and help restore degraded ecosystems; they maintain soil stability and vegetation for wildlife habitats.

As soil and water conservationists, Park Rangers assist private landowners in developing programs to optimize land use without damaging it and deal with soil erosion issues. They also advise private landowners and governments on water quality, preserving water supplies, preventing ground-water contamination, and conserving water.

Worthy of Sacrifices

Progression to higher positions inevitably means less time spent in forests and fieldwork and more in the office and meetings, working with and supervising teams to develop management plans. It could be a hard pill to swallow if you chose a career in forest or woodland management due to your love for the outdoors.

One of the reasons your lungs feel refreshed when walking through a pine forest is because of an anti-inflammatory compound called a-Pinene, found in conifers.

We have forgotten how to be good guests and walk lightly on the earth as other creatures do. Fully aware that you cannot get through a single day without impacting the world around you, Park Rangers choose to make a difference by protecting the earth and its unique bounty.

You’re a teacher. You’re a law enforcement person. You’re an emergency medical person. You’re search and rescue. Often, you’re a coroner. You’re a confidante. You’re a peer counselor. As a Park Ranger, you wear all of those hats.”