The park ranger position was designated for "professional" work like management of the park (park ranger (manager)-park ranger (site manager)), or management of division (chief ranger, chief of interpretation). Park rangers work primarily in forested areas, however, they may also monitor the land quality of marshlands or large riverbeds. Park rangers, who generally work for municipal parks departments, state parks systems or for the National Park Service (NPS), may have job duties that primarily encompass law enforcement or protective services, or they may perform duties specific to the interpretation of cultural or historic points of interest within the parks they serve. The roles are incredibly varied, with a mix of those out in the field such as rangers and guides, and those working in offices on duties such as planning and administration. Another interchangeable job title for a park ranger is forester, the term most often used to describe men and women who tirelessly monitor and protect the world's natural resources. Please note that this number is derived from the data we have collected from our Sokanu members only. They also help maintain park facilities like signs, tracks, carparks, walking and biking trails, shelters, campgrounds, toilets, BBQs and playgrounds. Park rangers have distinct personalities. carrying out field surveys to monitor changes in the environment. Before committing to becoming a park ranger, take note of these facts about the career: They must be able to work well under pressure. These objective methods may include conducting a slew of tests in order to extrapolate the progression of land erosion. The National Park Service has been in operation since 1916. How long does it take to become a Park Ranger? It is not uncommon for one park ranger to oversee the duties of a team of younger park rangers. These responsibilities can include patrolling the park grounds, instructing guests on safety rules and regulations, answering questions, giving tours, helping with a search and rescue mission, and working in the visitors’ center. This finding is completely congruent with many of the responsibilities that make up the occupation: collecting and maintaining historical, natural, and scientific information; enforcing laws and regulations; guarding against forest fires; and performing search and rescue. The job outlook for park rangers is very positive. Federal Park Ranger. They should have a passion for history and, of course, for the environment, animal life, and the outdoors. From the perspective of federally employed park rangers, the most important job duty is maintaining the environmental integrity of natural resources. Park rangers are law enforcement professionals and … Countryside rangers look after areas of the countryside, like woods and National Parks. A: Daily tasks of park rangers vary depending on where they work, the season, and what is needed that day. A park ranger may be trained to respond to forest fires. A working park ranger can work in a number of branches of the Parks Service. Harvesting trees is a very common practice in the western regions of the United States and Canada. A lot of these jobs are very hands on and require working outside while others are laboratory based. Jessica Phillips, Ranger at William B. Umstead State Park in Raleigh, North Carolina, Elizabeth Frasch, Wildlife Enforcement Officer for the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission. Their familiarity with the area and their training can save a life. Park ranger definition is - a person in charge of managing and protecting part of a national park. Some of them are also artistic, meaning they’re creative, intuitive, sensitive, articulate, and expressive. The average salary for a Park Ranger is £22,169 per year in United Kingdom. You could also be a conservationist or a park ranger. Visit PayScale to research park ranger salaries by city, experience, skill, employer and more. Their guest this episode is North District Superintendent Kristen Woodruff (then the Park Superintendent at Falls Lake State Recreation Area). The work is diverse and suited to individuals who prefer variety to routine. Park Rangers rank highly among careers. Park Rangers with the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation. planning and creating habitats to conserve plants and animals. Arboricultural officers maintain and manage trees for local councils or arboricultural contractors. The Investigative Services Branch works with the law enforcement rangers on the ground at different parks to investigate complex, sensitive or long-term cases that may involve crimes of violence, major property crimes, fraud, embezzlement, major resource violations and drug cultivation. They take care of our natural resources, including ecosystems and wildlife, as well as the people who visit those forests and parks. plant trees and manage ponds. Top 50 Highest Paying States for Park Ranger Jobs in the U.S. We’ve identified nine states where the typical salary for a Park Ranger job is above the national average. Rangers contribute to park maintenance, emergency services, law enforcement, and park education on a daily basis. Would you make a good park ranger? In other settings, rangers may have to coordinate with researchers at a nearby major university in order to find solutions to regionally specific problems. Find out what else you can do. The park technician series was designed to handle routine technical skills, i.e., giving walks, talks, patrolling roads, fee collection. We’ve granted them anonymity. Last updated: June 9, 2017. The NPS prohibits employees from recommending specific equipment, but few people know gear better than rangers, who actually buy their own stuff. Park rangers act as stewards of state and national parks, working to keep these natural areas safe for wildlife and plant species and accessible to … What does it take to be a park ranger? The path to becoming a park ranger often starts with an early interest in nature conservation and continues with relevant education and a commitment to in-service training. The level depends on the employer and how much experience you have. The average salary for a Park Ranger is $40,168. National Parks do employ Rangers – in Scotland they are called Wardens – their role is involves a broad range of things but one of them is not to roam the National Park acting as guides; there’s just too much ground to cover with National Parks accounting for 10% of the landmass of the UK. They must be able to communicate effectively – often with visitors from across the globe. If you love being outdoors, enjoy history, prefer being active to sitting at a desk and want to do something meaningful with your career, consider becoming a park ranger. But that’s only a tiny part of their roles. In Part I, we explored the college majors and internships that can help you land your dream job.In Part II, we’ll explore the range of careers available, networking, and perfecting just the right résumé. Day-to-day tasks. A ranger, park ranger, park warden, or forest ranger is a person entrusted with protecting and preserving parklands – national, state, provincial, or local parks. Each state has a salary structure for park rangers that is based on education, experience, and the duties of the position. Gamekeepers make sure there's enough game and birds for clients to shoot on land managed for this. You could: plan and create habitats to protect plants, animals and birds. Entry-level rangers at the Department of Conservation (DOC) usually start on minimum wage to $47,000 a year. Santa Clara County park ranger Ali Famalett shows the gear she keeps in her truck -- a clue to rangers' many duties, including search and rescue. Park rangers preserve our nation’s natural resources and protect our public lands. There are several key differences between a position that is classified as a GS-0090 Park Guide and a position that is classified as a GS-0025 Park Ranger (I). To become a park ranger, physical fitness and an interest in working outdoors are necessary. Rangers require a strong knowledge of the geography of the park and of the state in which they work. There are law enforcement rangers who patrol the park, ensure visitors are safe, and protect the precious park resources. What Does A Park Ranger Do Combine your Love of Nature with your Desire to Educate the Public as a Park Ranger. In fact, being a park ranger is an extremely diverse job that involves both protecting our state and national parks and the people who visit them. This is particularly true for law enforcement rangers. What is the workplace of a Park Ranger like? What Does a Forest Ranger Do? Park rangers typically work full time, though some may work part-time hours. Learn about salaries, benefits, salary satisfaction and where you could earn the most. What does a park ranger earn? lead guided walks, talks and educational visits. Overall they rank in the 81st percentile of careers for satisfaction scores. Provide emergency first response CPR, a and first aid until health care professionals arrive on scene. State and provincial authorities may employ park rangers in order to combat the ever-present threat of wild fires, or municipal governments may employ them to protect reserved parklands from erosion. What Does a Park Ranger Do? Their roles may include law enforcement, environmental expert, or historian. To find out, we caught up with SCA alumni who have gone on to hold government careers as park rangers. As such, traveling deep into a wide variety of wilderness is not uncommon. It maintains a work force of 28,000 paid employees and over two million volunteers as of 2011. Many people imagine forest rangers skiing through the trees, providing information and assistance to public visitors. Park rangers are often the first people called when someone is lost or injured on a trail. Every year thousands of square miles of open rangelands fall victim to the ravages of wildfires. Park rangers employed by ranchers and farmers often provide practical advice on how to improve the agricultural efficiency of a landscape by deploying objective scientific methods. Pay for rangers varies depending on experience, qualifications and the type of work they do. In itself, the park ranger position is a general term for rangers with specific abilities who work in a variety of areas. For more career insights, read the stories of two practising park rangers: • Jessica Phillips, Ranger at William B. Umstead State Park in Raleigh, North Carolina, • Elizabeth Frasch, Wildlife Enforcement Officer for the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission. It is important to protect whatever nature we have left since too many areas are being paved over and transformed into extensions of the city. Park rangers protect state and national forests. Park Ranger I (Park Operations Trainee), Bastrop, Texas: $32,832 a year. Park rangers. They tend to be investigative individuals, which means they’re intellectual, introspective, and inquisitive. I’m on a boat all day and the most important thing I use is a marine rescue radio/GPS called the Nautilus LifeLine. You could specialise in a particular area such as habitat management, fieldwork or education, or in certain types of habitat such as waterways, coasts or moorlands. Email them at askaranger@ncparks.gov. These strategies may consist of clearing fire-prone areas with herbicides or bulldozers. tree planting, pond management and other practical tasks. Members National Park authorities have between 10 and 30 Board members and one chairman (called a Convenor in Scotland) who represents them. Some park rangers focus on the science of those resources and study plants, wildlife, fish, geology, glaciers, and more. Becoming a park ranger can take from three to five years. These remote facilities may contain fully functioning laboratories that allow park rangers to perform tests on-site. Find out your options and start planning your next steps, All the information you need to take your education to the next level, Not sure if uni or college is for you? The Marine Ranger. Here are the duties and responsibilities that a Park Ranger is likely to perform in their role. Preventing wildfires is arguably the most important job duty of park rangers. This is a broad job sector including everything from farming and fishing through to gardening and botany. What does a Park Ranger do? Does this sound like you? The National Park Service has its own pay structure as well. The BLS reports that forest rangers may have to work longer hours at various times of day in the event of emergencies. Apprenticeships, internships and gap years, planning and creating habitats to conserve plants and animals, tree planting, pond management and other practical tasks, carrying out field surveys to monitor changes in the environment, patrolling sites to help visitors and to discourage poaching or damage to the environment, managing exhibitions and resource centres, working with local landowners and businesses whose activities may affect the environment, Level 3 Certificate/Diploma in Countryside Management, foundation degree, HNC/HND or degree in countryside management, rural resource management or environmental studies (these are a blend of vocational and academic learning), Foundation degree, HNC/HND or degree in countryside management, rural resource management or environmental studies, Environmental Conservation Apprenticeship. Park rangers, especially those working in vast, remote parks, have a potentially dangerous job. For ranchers in particular, water quality is a major concern since the survival of livestock and wildlife depends upon having a clean source of water nearby. patrolling sites to help visitors and to discourage poaching or damage to the environment. The main responsibility in a park ranger's job description is protecting and supervising designated outdoor areas. Park rangers, also known as conservation scientists, are environmental specialists who work in conjunction with landowners to observe and maintain untouched natural landscapes. These officials work for the National Park Service but also for state and local parks. In addition to preserving 84 million acres of land and over four million acres of oceans, lakes and reservoirs, rangers protect archeological sites, historic urban landmarks and museum collections. While park rangers often live and work in remote areas, they must still have social intelligence and a desire to help others. Topping the list is Washington, with Maryland and Nebraska close behind in second and third. Maintain social media webpages Facebook and WordPress. Private landowners may similarly hire park rangers on a contractual basis to provide detailed recommendations on a wide range of land conservation efforts. Take our career test and find your top matches from over 800 careers. The job duties of a park ranger may include protecting unspoiled natural resources from pollution, improving the conservation efforts of large forested areas, and managing the day-to-day operations of national parks. You normally need experience and a relevant qualification to get into this job. When it comes to determining the salary of a state park ranger there are a lot of factors to consider. How do I know if my position is a GS-0090 Park Guide or a GS-0025 Park Ranger (I)? Park Ranger I, Sonoma, California: $47,503 – $57,771 a year; State Park Ranger Salary Expectations. Park Rangers may also use recreational vehicles to patrol the shorelines a… A good way to get experience is by volunteering with organisations such as the National Trust. Park Rangers are also known as: This timeframe is based on completing either a two-year Associate’s Degree or a four-year Bachelor’s Degree and subsequently fulfilling the specific job-related training and experience requirements. Education Requirements: Park ranger jobs with the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation require applicants with a certain level of education. Distribute and collect permits and fees at established fee sites. Park rangers may work in isolated research facilities that provide a base of operations. Ranger Crystal and Ranger Jess host the North Carolina State Parks Ask a Ranger Podcast series. Unmissable in their iconic hats, the public often knows them as the people in uniforms who monitor trails and hand out maps in parks. Take our free career test to find out if park ranger is one of your top career matches. For example, rangers may ensure that the soil quality of river deposits remain within government standards, particularly when protected lands lie near an urban population. Depending on their employer’s need and the general requirements of their role, park rangers may work longer shifts, have flexible schedules or work more hours to accommodate a busy season.ects that may benefit these professionals on the job. They work overtime whenever the numbers of visitors burgeon, such as in summer. They are curious, methodical, rational, analytical, and logical. Entry-level park or maintenance rangers in local or regional government parks usually start on about $43,000 and $51,000.