Autograph Your Work

“Every job is a self-portrait of the person who did it. Autograph your work with excellence.”  -Jessica Guidobono-

In my final two weeks at BUFF, I am working with the maintenance division and it has been another great week. The maintenance division here at BUFF is filled with extremely hardworking individuals that truly give meaning to the phrase “do more with less.” While struggling with common agency-wide issues such as understaffing and lack of resources, the men and women of the BUFF maintenance division continually “autograph their work with excellence.”

Frank (right) and his YCC crew
after some hard work

One of the freshly painted park buildings

Frank Smith, much like Ray Benjamin, is a one-man team. He is the BUFF trail team and as such, he is charged with maintaining BUFF’s 70+ miles of trail. Luckily, this summer he was given some extra help and tasked with leading a YCC (Youth Conservation Corps) group. I was lucky enough to work with Frank and the YCC kids this week and together, in just three days, we painted two park buildings and maintained nearly five miles of the BRT (Buffalo River Trail). I was just so impressed by the work ethic and skill of the YCC group. I think I speak for the entire group when I say that we ended each workday both exhausted and filled with a sense of accomplishment.

I have truly enjoyed my time thus far with maintenance because I love being able to look back at my work each day and see a visible improvement. I also love leaving work feeling physically exhausted because I put everything into my work. That is a feeling that simply can’t be replicated. That is how I “autograph my work with excellence.”

Hog Team Update

Reporting live from Buffalo National River… this just in: MISSION ACCOMPLISHED. A large group of feral hogs and a large sow were sighted in the hog trap that I helped to set up in Wilson Field with THE hog team (aka Ray Benjamin). Shortly after the sighting, the gate was triggered and Ray responded.

A group of feral hogs caught on camera gazing
in the Wilson Field hog trap

A large sow sighted later that night
 in the Wilson Field hog trap

The Comfort Zone

“Push your limits… get comfortable with being uncomfortable. It reminds ourselves that we are living.” –Michele Valentine-

Most of the time, one can only learn when they push the boundaries of their comfort zone. I found this to be especially true this week while working with the “hog team” here at Buffalo National River. The “hog team” is a team that specializes in controlling the wild hog population along the river and its surrounding areas.

A fully assembled hog trap

When I was told I would be working with the hog team, I expected it to be a group of at least ten individuals, but I was surprised to find out that at Buffalo, the “hog team” is a team of one… one very hardworking individual, Ray Benjamin. As the hog team, Ray is tasked with setting up and monitoring hog traps. The hog traps consist of 12 large panels and a sophisticated gate that is deployed by text when hogs are sighted on an attached camera. Once the hogs are trapped, Ray is tasked with humanely killing them. Now let me stop there. This is the part of the job description that made me very uncomfortable. Let me explain further…

A hog skull being cleaned to be used
for interpretive purposes

I have never hunted anything in my life, nor was I ever a huge fan of recreational hunting. With that being said, I was still excited to push myself out of my comfort zone and work with Ray, so I could learn more about why recreational hunting and hunting in general is necessary. Ray explained to me how he treats all animals with respect and is able to take the life of an animal in a humane manner where suffering is minimal. He further explained how detrimental hogs are to the ecosystem and how they proliferate at a dangerously high rate as a species and this is why the Park Service, an organization tasked with protecting and conserving said ecosystem, employs individuals to maintain certain populations of threatening/invasive animals.

I have really gained an appreciation and understanding of the work that Ray does for the Park Service in service of its mission this week. This week really pushed me out of my comfort zone and because of that, I can honestly say I have both grown and learned a great deal from the experience.

Most Beautiful Spot In: Buffalo National River

Most beautiful spot in: Buffalo National River

Stretching the Mind

“A mind that is stretched by a new experience can never go back to its old dimensions.” -Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr.-

This past week, I have been spending time with the Resources Management Division here at Buffalo National River, also known as the consolidated Resource and Visitor Protection and Fire Management Division. I have been having a blast with Shawn Hodges, the Fishery Biologist at BUFF, and Mallory Jeffers, an emergency hire within the division.

Shawn (left) and Mallory (right) hiking to
the DO meter cache site

Thus far, we have spent most of our time in the field. We began the week by measuring the level of dissolved oxygen (DO) in the river and the tributaries that flow into it. Along with measuring the DO level, we also measured the flow and eventually placed two dissolved oxygen meters that we will continue to monitor. After taking the DO measurements, the next couple of days were spent obtaining water samples from the river and tributaries that feed it. We then went back to the lab to process the samples and test them for E. coli, a form of bacteria that is a major concern for BUFF.

Mallory (left) and I measuring both DO and flow

In just the few short days that I have spent with the resource management team, I have learned so much and have gained such an appreciation and a passion for the work that they do. Both Shawn and Mallory love what they do so much and it has not only been an absolute pleasure to spend time with them, but that love and passion makes the work that they do that much better. I hope to find that same passion and love for my career in the future.

The experiences that I have had this week have greatly expanded my horizons and have renewed my passion for science. My mind has been stretched and I am sure it will continue to stretch in the weeks to come.

My Summer View: Buffalo National River

My summer view: Buffalo National River

One Big Happy Family

“Friends are the family we choose for ourselves.” –Edna Buchanan-

I have now been at BUFF for five weeks and have grown to not only love the park itself, but also the community within it. My supervisor Kevin Moses told me even before I arrived in Saint Joe, Arkansas that Buffalo National River was “one big happy family” and that working at BUFF was one of the best places to work because there is just an awesome sense of community and Kevin was one hundred percent right... here at Buffalo National River, everyone is family.

Over the past five weeks, I have made so many friends within the BUFF family and have made so many memories that I am sure I will remember for years to come. BUFF is home to some of the nicest, most caring people that I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. Everyone is constantly checking in and making sure that I am feeling at home and at ease. I feel as if I have known the BUFF family for years and it has only been weeks.

Chrissie (center) and I (right) at the starting line
of a local Fourth of July 5k

Just this past weekend, I was able to ride along with an Upper District protection ranger, Billy Bell. After our shift, Billy invited me to his home to have dinner with his wife, Chrissie, and his parents. It was one of the best meals that I have ever had! It was COMPLETELY homemade! Everything we ate was grown in the Bell family garden. The next day, which just so happened to be the Fourth of July, Chrissie and I ran a local 5k together and enjoyed the "Fire in the Sky" event that was held in Harrison, AR. Billy and Chrissie told me that I was welcome to stay at their home anytime I would like and come to find out… I am not the first to have felt at home at the Bell’s.

Eating some post-race watermelon

After dinner, they told me that their home has always been open to seasonals, field trainees, and interns alike that may be feeling a little homesick or lonely. The Bell’s even took in a local teenager and gave him a home when he needed it the most and helped him get into college and start a life for himself. They are two of the most caring and thoughtful people that I have ever met and they are just two members of the “big happy family” that is here at BUFF.

I have come to realize that, much like BUFF, the National Park Service is also “one big happy family.” As an agency, the NPS is small and close-knit. Everyone in the Park Service is working towards a common goal… to conserve, preserve, and protect our national parks and this common goal is the glue that holds the family together.

My awesome experiences at BUFF have made me very excited for my future within the National Park Service because from this point forward, I will always be a part of the National Park Service family.

The Waiting Game

“Our willingness to wait reveals the value we place on what we’re waiting for.” -Charles Stanley-

For the past two weeks, I have been working with the interpretation division here at BUFF and I have had a great time getting to know the amazing interpretative rangers here and interacting with the park visitors. I have learned so much about the park just by listening and observing the interactions the interpretive rangers have with the park visitors and I have even been able to begin to field some visitor questions and help guide them to their destinations.

Ranger Ramseyer posing at our
BUFF booth at Elk Fest

One of the highlights of my experience thus far with interpretation was being able to work a booth at Elk Fest in Jasper, AR. This festival takes place in the elk capital of Arkansas and attracts both locals and tourists. The festival has live music, vendor booths, food trucks, a talent show, and even a pageant, but the main event of the festival is the elk permit drawing where hunters put their name in to be able to hunt elk within park boundaries on a restricted basis. I helped set up, take down, and run a Buffalo National River information booth and in doing so, I was able to represent the Park Service and interact with hundreds of festival goers and park visitors. It was an honor to be able to represent the Park Service at Elk Fest. I learned so much about the park and really honed my interpretive skills.

With that being said, I have come to learn that being an interpretive ranger is somewhat of a waiting game. Due to staffing shortages, the interpretive staff here at BUFF is spread rather thin and instead of planning and executing interpretive programs for park visitors, they spend most of their time in the visitor centers answering any questions (that can be few and far between at times) that park visitors might have both over the phone and in person. Because most of their time is spent in the visitor centers, interpretive rangers spend the majority of their time orienteering rather than interpreting.

While this may be the case, the interpretive rangers here at BUFF are some of the nicest and friendliest people that I have ever had the pleasure of meeting and despite not getting to do what they love (interpreting) as much as they would like to, they still maintain a positive attitude and come to work excited everyday with a smile on their face. They do an amazing job representing the Park Service. As a future protection ranger for the National Park Service, I hope to have the same passion that the interpretive rangers here at BUFF do for their job and for the Park Service as a whole.

When Opportunity Comes Knocking, Answer the Door

“Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.” –Thomas Edison-

Opportunities to learn and grow are all around me here at BUFF. I am extremely lucky to have great mentors who are constantly helping me take advantage of any and every learning opportunity. I have had such amazing experiences thus far and it seems with each week, I experience something new and incredible that I will not only remember for the rest of my career, but for the rest of my life, such as my caving expedition in Fitton Cave and my ongoing horseback certification class.

A picture of Gus sizing me up

BUFF is home to Fred and Gus, two horses full of personality that specialize in assisting rangers in their patrols. I have been getting to know Fred and Gus very well because they are assisting myself and three other rangers in achieving our horseback certification. We began the cert class last Thursday and will continue to meet every Thursday for the next couple of weeks.

With each week, we learn a little bit more. Our first day with the horses was spent learning how to safely and properly care for the horses. We started by learning to stable the horses and then how to feed them. We then progressed into how to put the halter on and how to lead the horses as well as how to tie them up. Next, we learned how to groom and read the horses’ body language. We concluded the day with learning the different parts of a saddle and how to properly saddle a horse. Next Thursday, we are progressing into actually riding the horses.

I have come to learn that horses are amazingly intelligent creatures and they are very expressive. I have also learned just how important it is to pay attention to their mannerisms because by doing so, you can tell a whole lot about the horse’s temperament. They are so powerful and strong, and while they would never mean to harm a human, they are surely capable of doing so, thus it is extremely important to gauge how they are feeling.

I never even dreamt of having the opportunity to receive my horseback certification this summer, so to be able to do so is absolutely awesome and I am so grateful for the opportunity. I can’t wait to see what the next six weeks have in store and I can promise you that I will take advantage of any and every opportunity that comes my way.

The Highs and Lows of Ranger-ing

“The trouble is, you think you have time.” -Buddha-

The entrance to Fitton Cave

Pre-expedition

This past Sunday, I was blessed with the opportunity to go on an adventure of a lifetime. Recently, it came to the attention of park staff that a cave within Buffalo National River’s boundaries, Fitton Cave, had been breached. This cave is very unique in that it is 19 miles in length making it the longest cave in Arkansas. Once a popular attraction for tourists, locals, and passionate cavers alike, the cave has been closed to the public since 2009 because it had tested positive for White Nose Syndrome, a disease that primarily affects North American bat populations. Once it came to the park staff’s attention that the cave had been breached, a team was assembled to go on a caving expedition through the cave to ensure that nothing was disturbed within the cave itself. I was fortunate enough to be a part of this six-man team that was led by two expert cavers.

In the cave waterfall

A fellow ranger and I posing in the Chandelier Room

I have never had the opportunity to go caving before and for Fitton Cave, a cave that no one has stepped foot in for the last seven years and is notably one of the most unique and challenging caves to explore, to be my first caving experience was just amazing. The expedition took six hours and we covered a distance of seven and a half miles. We had to walk, climb, crawl, jump, and wriggle our way through the cave and it was one of the most challenging and rewarding experiences of my life. While in the cave, we also had to take biological counts of any organisms we saw while in the cave and this included organisms such as, cave crickets, salamanders, frogs, and even bats (most of which were unfortunately deceased because of the White Nose Syndrome). We also came across come amazing geological structures and formations that words cannot describe such as, the Chandelier Room and even a waterfall!

The entire team post-expedition

All six of us exited the cave after our 6-hour trek exhausted. I was so sore the next day in places I did not even know muscles existed! While I was exhausted, I was so grateful for the experience and was in such a great mood afterward because of what I, and the rest of the team, had accomplished. We were all so happy afterward and on such a high, but as a ranger, things can turn without a moments notice.

As soon as we exited the cave and returned to the vehicles, I hear a call come over the radio. A canoe had overturned in the Upper District of the river, which was just a couple put-ins away from our location. All six of us were requested to report to the scene and assist in a search and rescue mission. We immediately decontaminated and reported to the scene. Multiple agencies were already on scene by the time we arrived and the party that was canoeing with the victim was on shore. It was a waiting game from there because a john boat was already on its way to the location of the overturned canoe that was caught in what is known as a strainer (debris that blocks part of the river). After a short while, the canoe and the victim were found and unfortunately the search and rescue turned into a fatality.

This was my first search and rescue mission and first fatality while at the park and it was a bitter end to what seemed to be a great day. An event such as this is just so sad and really hammers home the idea that the river is wild and not to be underestimated. Any situation can turn dangerous in a split second on a wild river. I have also learned that the job of a ranger has its highs and lows and you must be prepared for both because the truth is time is always limited.

The 95 Percent

“Good people don’t need laws to tell them to act responsibly, while bad people will find a way around the laws.” -Plato-

The boundary sign for BUFF

The job of a law enforcement ranger is very unique in that a law enforcement ranger must wear a variety of hats. They are not only responsible for enforcing local, state, and federal law, but they are also responsible for upholding the National Park Service’s ultimate mission as stated within the Organic Act of 1916, which is preserve, conserve, and protect, but also allow public access. This means that a law enforcement ranger is charged with the duty of educating the public on why certain laws and regulations are in place and how such laws and regulations further the mission of the National Park Service and thus, serve the greater good. Thus, according to Ranger Clif Edwards (the author of Paths Crossed: Protecting National Parks) and Ranger Kevin Moses, a more appropriate term for a law enforcement ranger would be the title of “protection ranger.” In the words of both Ranger Moses and Ranger Edwards, “the mission of a protection ranger is to protect the park from the people, the people from the park, and the people from the people.”

The view from Jameson Bluff

Over the course of my stint with the protection rangers thus far, I have had a variety of contacts with the public. I have been pleasantly surprised by all the good contacts we have had as compared to the bad. My Supervisory Ranger, Kevin, responded to my surprise by explaining to me that roughly 95% percent of the contacts between protection rangers and the park visitors are positive contacts where the visitors are abiding by park rules and regulations, while still enjoying the resources and having fun (which is essential to the park experience).

The view from a surveillance spot overlooking the river

Such a high percentage of positive contacts are partly due to the fact that good people do exist (despite popular belief) and such contacts are also due to the fact that protection rangers are doing a great job. I have learned thus far that the best form of law enforcement is… wait for it… EDUCATION! Protection rangers place a great value in engaging with the park visitors and starting a dialog about WHY park rules and regulations exist and why compliance is essential to the safety of the visitor as well as the protection of the park and its resources. Ranger Edwards and Ranger Moses quote Dr. George N. Wallace, a professor of natural resources at Colorado State University, when explaining that the park should be thought as a “living, breathing being with feelings” and as such, the visitor must consider how their actions impact the park and its feelings when they abuse its resources.