Current Position: Resource Interpretive Specialist, Natural Resources (Park Naturalist)
How long have you been with the New Jersey Division of Parks and Forestry and in what capacity?
I have been working at the Delaware and Raritan Canal State Park for almost 8 years in my current position.
How did you become involved in working as a Park Naturalist?
Growing up on a farm gave me an opportunity to explore and appreciate nature as a child. My appreciation and love of nature grew as I got older and I sought out opportunities to learn and work in the outdoors. I started working seasonally with the New Jersey State Park Service, the New Jersey Fish and Wildlife Service, the County Park Service and interned for the National Park Service. After a few years of seasonal employment I was lucky enough to get offered this full time position.
Describe a typical day at your job.
(If there is no such thing as a typical day, then please tell us about your primary responsibilities and duties.)
I provide many different types of environmental programs. My audience varies from pre-school children through college students, Boy/Girl Scout programs, family programs and general public programs. Groups either come to the park or sometimes I am able to travel off-site to give programs to schools or other organizations. I also provide teacher workshops that present unique ways for teachers to use nature as a tool for teaching any subject.
I also compile natural resources inventories of species found within the park, work with volunteer groups and assist with various projects and plans that occur within the park. I also help out with the day-to-day activities of the park which includes providing general park information to the public and registering campers.
How many hours a week do you work in this position?
35 hours per week.
What aspects of your job do you enjoy the most?
I really enjoy working with the public. One of my goals when I offer my programs is to provide the public with information on the flora and fauna found right in their own backyard. Once people have a better understanding of the environment surrounding them, the more likely they are to make more eco-friendly choices in their lifestyle. Nature can be a mystery to many people and part of my job is to demystify the outdoors. Let’s face it, I have good job. I work where many people go to on their days off.
What do you find to be the greatest challenges of your job?
The park I work at is over 60 miles long and encompasses more than 6,000 acres. I am the only Naturalist on staff, so I am spread thin and cannot accomplish all I would like to do.
What kind of training/schooling is required in your position?
A BS degree in one of the biological sciences from an accredited college. I have a degree in Wildlife Management.
Is there any kind of training or general experience that you wish you had before taking your job?
I worked in this type of field for a few years before I was lucky enough to get this job. You are always learning in this field. You can never know everything there is to know about nature!
What are a few of the projects that you've been working on recently that have been the most interesting?
Right now I am working with a school that is located right next the park. We are working to create a year-long program on watersheds with the 5th and 6th grades. We will be assessing water quality within a local creek found within the park. Students will be learning how their community affects the water quality and wildlife.
I am working with a few Eagle Scouts in creating an Arboretum at our park office that will highlight some key tree species that are significant not only to our site (we are located at the previous site of a local tree nursery), but also to the history of tree nurseries. The Princeton Elm, Kuser Dogwood and Princeton Sentry Ginkgo were all created at this location.
If someone were interested in working as a Park Naturalist at a state park, what advice could you give them?
I would strongly advise to start building a resume early by volunteering, interning and getting summer and seasonal jobs within your field of interest. These types of jobs are few and far between so one way to set yourself above the rest is showing a good work ethic within the field. While working the field you will also get a chance to meet a variety of people that can become key contacts when you are in search of full time employment. These people hold a vast amount of information and experiences of nature that you may never find in a book.
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