Current Position: Park Ranger at Waterbury Center State Park
How long have you been with Vermont State Parks and in what capacity?
I’ve worked for the Department of Forests, Parks, and Recreation for five seasons now. The first four seasons I worked in parks as an attendant at various levels, and finally this season I was a park ranger.
How did you become involved in working as a Park Ranger?
My father, Edwin Peake, is the Maintenance Supervisor for Region IV of the state park system, and he suggested working at a state park after my first year of college. I continued to do it as my summer job through college, when I graduated, and in between jobs.
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.)
As a ranger, I do it all. I coordinate events, run the office, supervise staff, order supplies, create schedules, deal with angry customers, paint, mow, rake, weed, and yes, when there is poop on the bathroom floor, I clean it up.
How many hours a week do you work in this position?
48 hours.
What aspects of your job do you enjoy the most?
I really love working outdoors, meeting new people, and bonding with the other staff members to create a great team.
What do you find to be the greatest challenges of your job?
I would have to say managing other people, because I’m a very non-confrontational person and I have a hard time saying no or telling people that things have to be a certain way.
What kind of training/schooling is required in your position?
We had a three-day training session at the beginning of the season. It was very intensive, cramming lots of classes into that period.
Is there any kind of training or general experience that you wish you had before taking your job?
I think it might have been helpful if I’d majored in recreation or a related field instead of English, but really the best preparation I had for being a ranger was having worked in parks already.
What are a few of the projects that you've been working on recently that have been the most interesting?
I think the project I like best that got started in my park this year was an erosion control garden with a stone wall. It still needs work but I think it will look fantastic when it’s all done.
If someone were interested in working as a Park Ranger, what advice could you give them?
I would say, don’t be afraid to go for it, even if you don’t have a lot of background in the field. I spent my college career with my nose stuck in various books, and I can still scrub toilets with the best of them. Don’t be afraid to get dirty. And, perhaps most importantly, don’t be afraid to admit that you don’t know something. Ask questions! It’s the only way you learn.
Please share any further thoughts you may have about working in the state park system:
I have absolutely loved my time in the park system. The people are so great. It’s like a big family. I always look forward to the big meetings when everybody gets together and shares stories.
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