What are some options for plant courses from an accredited University that is entirely online? Something like dendrology.

Hop into the Park Ranger Discord!

Discuss Ranger activities, share stories and pictures or learn more about the profession!

https://discord.gg/qhkXgRv2ZE

Bear Issues Question

Bear Issues

Hi is it illegal to shoot a bear that is in your campsite and you are not able to scare it away? I love bears but asking since I have kids and want to protect them as well. I would be in a national Forest in a state you are allowed to carry.

Hi there! I'm a 20 year old female looking for any insight on how I could work as a park ranger or anything to do with NPS. I've done seasonal work for Xanterra for 2 years now and I really enjoy being out in national parks and can see myself living and working in one for a career. I don't go to college right now but environmental studies and such interest me a lot and would like to start going if I could get a job working for NPS. USAJobs is very confusing and I'm not sure what job opportunities there are for people without college credits and or past military/police experience. I would just like some thoughts on what I could do for a job with NPS without those certain things. Also, if you have to do a volunteer/internship first and if they pay?

So I’m on my way out of the Army and am going to return to school. At the moment I don’t have any completed degrees, but will be going into biology/ecology.

I’m curious if anybody knows of any certifications or licenses that would be useful for somebody interested in any forestry or environmental science organization (It doesn’t even need to NPS either, it could be BLM or any other adjacent organization). The only caveat is that they can’t have any education requirements higher than high school. Any advice would be appreciated, especially from somebody who is already employed in this kind of area.

I'm currently a high school senior. Interested in joining the NPS. What college degrees you would suggest? What college would you suggest?

Is it smart to become a park ranger? I wanna be a paramedic but don’t want to work in a city and I love the outdoors especially national parks, anyone got recommendations cause I’m reading wild rescues by Kevin grange and it sounds like what I want to do, search n rescue medical trauma and eventually become a jack of all trades and also do I need to go into college or would military work too? And how do I apply or become an ems park ranger?

That is all.

I (19f) am almost done with my architecture associates. I realized being a park ranger is probably way up more my ally. I do have the option of spending some extra time in school to get another associates in science. I can't afford University at this point. I also plan on going through a ranger law enforcement program. I'm working towards an environmental education certification to add to my resume. Will not have a BA hold me back? Should I get a science associates? Any advice appreciated. I'm in North Carolina if that helps.

https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/5995?s=1&r=8

Please contact your member of the House of Representatives and ask them to cosponsor HR 5995 - the Federal Retirement Fairness Act.

This feels like a long shot, but I've got to ask. I'm seeking any opportunity to learn first-hand what it's actually like to be a ranger, and was wondering if any opportunities exist (official or unofficial) to shadow folks working in the parks. That, or some kind of short-term volunteer stint that might accomplish the same sort of exposure.

I'm currently a few years into a career in Public Relations and don't really see myself continuing on this path. I've always been interested in the possibility of working for the NPS - I tell people it's my retirement plan. It's starting to feel increasingly silly to put that dream off while I have a clear interest in it, but I'm hesitant to take a bold leap into the unkown. I can see how my working experiences and personal interests would directly plug into working in a park, but doing so would mean major changes in location and East Coast, major city lifestyle.

In May I will be within relatively close proximity to Yellowstone, Grand Teton, Arches, or Canyonlands, and would be willing to extend that trip for up to a week for any opportunity to shadow/volunteer/help alleviate short staffing. Heck, I'd make anything in those surrounding states work (WY, MT, UT, CO, OR, WA). Any way to get a glimpse into what it's all about and gauge the reality of it.

I'm a pretty competent person and could pitch in all sorts of ways. Totally willing to "work" full days to get a real sense of it.

Anyone know of programs to look into or people to speak with? Any leads or introductions would be greatly appreciated.

I realize a week is a short amount of time, but maybe someone out there can empathize with being curious about another career path while working another full-time job.

I was looking into NPSpecies during my position with NPS last summer and the park unit I was at hadn't had an update in around 7 years. Looking at other units many don't have any listed (such as history focused units) or also aren't up to date.

The reason I ask is that I wanted to create a map of the data from NPSpecies but I'm wondering if I should bother making it update automatically or manually, especially if the data only gets a few new entries each year

I currently work under DHS and I’m interviewing for an admin position with NPS. My spouse is active duty military and clearly we will have to move every so often. Is this a career that is transferable to other locations with any reliability or will it be a pretty unstable situation to try to get into this while he’s active duty?

"Attention: When you see "Applicants have not been referred to the hiring manager at this time for position GS-0025-5/7" below, this means that hiring managers haven't requested a certificate of eligible for that particular location at this time. Once we get a request for those location(s), you will be notified."

The Hell does thus even mean? Should I move on assuming I won't be refered or are they just saying wait a little longer?

Howdy all. Does anyone know if the ‘in effigy’ documentary from the common learning portal is publicly available anywhere? Not currently working as a fed so I no longer have access to the CLP, but really want to be able to share the film with folks. Thanks!

I graduated from MTU in the spring of 2022, and since then I have wanted nothing more than to move back to Houghton. I love backpacking and honestly think that working on Isle Royale would be a perfect job for me. I've actually checked the USA jobs website occasionally over the past few years, and I've never seen any listings open there. Do you just have to know someone to get in?

Hi, a woman in the campground of the park I work at brought in a kitten she found by the side of the road and was wondering if any of the rangers wanted it, or knew someone who would treat it well.

We've been joking about getting a cat for the Vistor Center because we have a big mouse problem. The superintendent is all for it except that the VC is a federal building.

Does anyone have any idea how we can "hire" the cat and have it live in our VC?

Pretty straight forward with the title, but I have been getting an increasing drive to work at National Parks, specifically as a park ranger. My hang up is that I don't have any sort of nature based job experience; most of my work experience is in the food service and retail industries and my degree is in the arts. I'm kind of worried I need to go back to school for different degree before I can even be considered for a job like that.

​

Any advice for someone in my position? Tips for navigating the application/hiring process? Anything helps at this point really.

Hi, has anyone applied for a position and the position has been cut right before the start date? A few days ago I was offered a position at a national monument and I of course accepted. Today I get an email saying that the position was terminated indefinitely which has me extremely bummed. It was an internship which I can understand can lose funding but I was supposed to leave Oct 10th… just extremely disappointed and wondering if anyone else has had this issue before :’(

Anyone else applying, and applying, and applying, and....only to hear nothing back? If another week goes by, I can't even accept one if I am offered a position because I won't have to make the proper arrangements. NPS WHERE ARE YOU?

Have any of you ever gone on a detail or have done a temp position? What for? Did it help you move up? Did you enjoy it?

I’m going to Grand Teton National Park in September, but I’m flying into Bozeman and have to go through Yellowstone the Saturday of Labor Day Weekend. I will be using the west entrance to the park with a prepaid pass. What time should I be at the gate in the morning to avoid more than a 20 minute lineup to enter? Is 6:30 or 7 am sufficient or should I be there even earlier? Thanks!

Hey ya'll! I got my PLC certificate from an internship with the NPS. This was my first exposure to the Park Service. I am trying to apply for a job that is PLC eligible, but part of the application requires "Merit Promotion Eligibility documentation" such as an "SF-50". Because I haven't actually been employed by the NPS yet, what should I put for this section? I reached out to my PLC coordinator but he was unsure.

Hi I have an NPS Ranger Interview coming up and wanted to know some thing to prepare for? I’m currently a BLM wildland Fire fighter but wanting to switch careers. Anything helps thanks !

I'd like to know how common this is in NPS and what people's feelings are about it. I will share mine as well:

I have recently become very frustrated with the amount of work that is expected of me for my measly GS-7 wage. I know my pay grade is out of my supervisor's hands, but the amount of work I am expected to do for what I get paid is absurd. It doesn't help that my park is so short staffed that my division is often expected to pick up slack.

It seems to me that the entire leadership team of my park wants us all to do more than we are capable of. When I, or someone else, has advocated for doing less, it generally hasn't been supported by those above us.

I had a friend who works for BLM tell me that she thinks this is a common NPS problem. What is your experience working at your park? I am considering leaving NPS if this is the standard, as much as it would break my heart.

Anybody else forced to work extra days because of holidays?

Turns out I had more money than I thought for uniforms so I decided to order a vest! I enjoy wearing a vest with a t-shirt when in civilian clothes and figured I could do the same for work. My supervisor said she is pretty sure the vest is not up to class A standards if worn over the short sleeve button up. I am an interp ranger fyi.

I looked up the standards in the manual and it didn’t seem to say it prohibited wearing the vest over any specific garments. “The vest is worn as part of the layering system. When worn as outerwear with the field uniform, the badge and name bar will be attached.”

Can anyone clear this up for me?

Hi! I am 24yrs old with a Communication Studies and Public Relations Liberal Arts Bachelors Degree. I am no longer particularly interested in the field (I’m not sure that I ever was, either), so I’m looking to find what I’m really passionate about. I have ADHD, a multitude of hobbies and interests, so it has always been a struggle for me to pinpoint what career to pursue!

Although what I do know that I am passionate about, is parks and everything outside. I recently started working at the national parks doing seasonal work. I’m a assistant manager at a restaurant at a park entrance. I love the job because I get to live in the most beautiful places in the world, but it’s not stable. I have no benefits, and every 4 months I have to figure out the next place I will go. So I’m trying to work towards transitioning to a career.

I would love to be a park, forest ranger some day. Or anything that gets me outside, learning and teaching about nature, etc. what are good jobs with NPS or USFS to lead me in the right direction towards ranger since I don’t have the degree as a head start? Any advice is appreciated:) thank you!!