Park Ranger

A Park Ranger is charged with protecting nature from people and people from nature. Park Rangers strike a delicate balance between conservation and resourcefulness so people can enjoy the splendor of nature without causing permanent damage to the animals and plants that call the wild their home. To do that, Park Rangers oversee camping, research, education, and other events that take place at their park throughout the year.

Your first responsibility in this job is to the park itself. Hikers leave trash, campers mistakenly build a fire in a no-campfire zone — any of these seemingly small activities can have major consequences. To ensure a clean and safe environment for all to enjoy, you spend time outdoors hiking the land and looking for any signs of trouble.

In between your rounds around the park, you assist visitors. One day, you’re educating schoolchildren on how to protect the environment, and the next, you’re helping a couple locate the campground. You offer campers friendly tips such as, “No matter how cute the mountain lion looks, do not hug him!”

Early mornings and late afternoons are spent wrapping up the business end of your job. Paperwork, phone calls, and emails help you file complaints, recommend new regulations within the park, and monitor upcoming events. Animals can’t complain — and you wouldn’t want bears marching into your office to do so if they could — so it’s up to you to determine what the park needs and make it happen.