Current Position: Park Ranger at Little River State Park
How long have you been with Vermont State Parks and in what capacity?
I was the Park Ranger at North Hero State Park for three seasons (with Vermont Youth Conservation Corps) and this is my third season as Park Ranger at Little River.
How did you become involved in working as a Park Ranger?
I had worked in Ontario Parks for four camping seasons through University (where I acquiring my Bachelor of Environmental Studies) and fell in love with parks. The VYCC recruited me originally for North Hero and as soon as I found out that I could work as a Park Ranger directly for Vermont State Parks I switched over!
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.)
Where to start...In general, I manage the day to day duties associated with operating a park as well as larger projects. I am responsible for the park security, customer relations, staff training, park accounting, staff and visitor safety, visitor education etc.
A park ranger’s day is long. We start by setting up the office, passing along messages to staff, and setting up daily duties. We help with cleaning bathrooms and sites as well as projects where we can troubleshoot various park occurrences, oversee contact station shift change over, communicate with regional staff, order supplies, ensure daily accounting is accurate, check bathrooms through the day, interact with park visitors, and conduct nightly rounds. During the summer season our days can be approximately 16+ hours long.
How many hours a week do you work in this position?
70+ hours a week with one day off a week.
What aspects of your job do you enjoy the most?
Being outside, interacting with people (both staff and visitors), variation of job duties (each day is different), and having the opportunity to enlighten people to a different world.
What do you find to be the greatest challenges of your job?
We could always use more staff! Seems like so much more could be done in the parks in there were more people. Getting park projects done and getting the proper equipment to do so. Things are starting to fall apart and campers are really noticing it. We have a lot of mold in the park and it is hampering our painting projects.
Communication. It seems like we have to go through various means to get information, approval, supplies etc. Information to us doesn’t always come from the same direction each time either. Our Internet connection is also poor despite being close to town. When it is becoming the preferred method of communication, it is very frustrating to have a poor connection to work with.
What kind of training/schooling is required in your position?
At least high school, and maybe a college degree. I know that I needed to have my degree, but I also need to get work permits for the position.
Is there any kind of training or general experience that you wish you had before taking your job?
I wished that I had had more experience with maintenance equipment, but I found the training I received through Vermont State Parks and the helpfulness of my maintenance staff to fill that void.
What are a few of the projects that you've been working on recently that have been the most interesting?
We have installed some new playground equipment on the B-side of the campground and are raising funds to expand it. We are trying to get our bathrooms repainted, but it has been a challenge as the first round of paint peeled off. We have to scrub out all of our leantos as they have mold/mildew.
If someone were interested in working as a Park Ranger, what advice could you give them?
Breathe. Everything will be fine. It can be overwhelming at first, but things will fall into place. Always have Plan B in your pocket – you will end up using it. Draw from your staff’s strong points. You do not have to do every job in the park every day. As a manager there are other things that will come up that you need to deal with. Staff will understand that, and that is why you have staff. Be prepared for long days and take your time off. You will need it. Also enjoy your park. That is why we are here!
Please share any further thoughts you may have about working in the state park system:
It’s a great place to work and great people to work for. If only it were full time year round!
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