NGS Online The definitive source for information on plastics and the environment.
Books --
Ask The Ranger
Navigation
Laurie Hobbs Olsen picture

Since 1988, ranger Laurie Hobbs-Olson has been teaching visitors about Acadia’s cultural and natural history. In her spare time, she tends her enormous garden and enjoys playing with her baby boy. She resides on Mount Desert Island with her husband, son, two cats, and a dog.

Visitors find a lot to ask her about. Air pollution from the Ohio Valley and East Coast cities rides the prevailing air currents to the park. Overcrowding is also a problem, since Acadia is the fifth smallest national park and one of the most popular. And with the government trying to cut spending, the national parks often suffer a lack of funding.

Ms. Hobbs-Olsen kindly answered several questions from nationalgeographic.com users.

Ask the Ranger

I have decided to make my life dream of being a park ranger a reality. What do you think the best school is? I have no college background, so I will be starting from scratch. Can you offer any suggestions to help me achieve my dream?

Laura L. Fazzary, Watkins Glen, N.Y.

There are many different jobs available through the National Park Service, so your path will depend upon your interests. The applicant pool is very competitive, so any training, volunteer work, or comparable experience that you can add is important. A college degree is essential, even for seasonal work.

Since there are so many types of rangers, start by asking yourself “What would I like to specialize in?” For a job as a park interpreter, choose a degree like ecology, geology, geography, or other natural or cultural sciences; for historical parks, major in history. Check the schools you are interested in to find out what they offer.

Seasonal work is the first step toward a career in the National Park Service. Seasonal positions generally last six months or less, and will strengthen your credentials when you apply for a permanent position.

I highly recommend volunteering at a park. One outstanding program is the Student Conservation Association. Applicants perform the same work that rangers do and gain essential job experience. Check out S.C.A.’s web site at http://www.sca-inc.org, or write or call:

Box 550
Charlestown, New Hampshire, 03603, U.S.A.
Telephone: +1 603 543 1700

For more information on careers in the National Park Service, check our home page at http://www.nps.gov. If you choose to start on the road to becoming a ranger, I guarantee it’s a job you will love. Beautiful parks and incredible coworkers are just two of the perks.


  I am interested in knowing if you believe that it is the federal government’s obligation to fund the national park system as a whole. Or, should states (or even private companies) have this responsibility? Thanks in advance for the opportunity to be enlightened about our National Parks!

Kevin Michaelson, Lilburn, Georgia, U.S.A.

Dear Kevin,

You have raised some very interesting questions, but I feel very strongly that this country has the world’s best national park system—one that other countries have used as a model for themselves. The parks belong to all citizens and should be used for the enjoyment of all. Only three percent of all federal lands are national parks, and these parks protect this country’s best ecosystems. Fortunately, politicians had a lot of foresight when the national park system was first conceived. As the eastern part of the country was developing, they recognized areas in the west with important environmental elements and set them aside as gifts to the American people.

I’m not sure the states have the money to keep and maintain the National Parks. Because National Park Service staff are under the umbrella of the federal government, all visitors can expect the same level of service. I believe that the current entrance fees are reasonable—a lot cheaper than those at amusement parks—and they help provide funding that otherwise wouldn’t be available. Only a small part of the actual federal budget goes to the park system and many people tell me that national parks are the best value they receive from the taxes they pay.

I have concerns with privatization because it would not allow for an overall management approach and would give less protection to the parks. Each park could be parceled off to individuals, who may or may not care about the historical, cultural, or natural value of each site. It is also possible that even higher fees would be charged.


  Why is air quality a concern at a national park?

National parks, like all wilderness and pristine areas, are mandated by law to have the cleanest air in the country. But pollution doesn’t respect boundaries. For Acadia, ozone and particulate matter are the major problems. Generally, the problem starts in the upper Ohio Valley and then is compounded by pollution from East Coast cities.

If there is one good thing that comes from having an air-quality problem in a national park, it’s the opportunity to educate people about the effects of pollution and how they can make a difference. It sounds trite, but simple things like walking instead of driving and turning out unnecessary lights can really help.


  Is Cadillac Mountain the first place to see the sunrise each morning in the U.S.A.?

Yes, but only in the winter months, between October 7 and March 6. During the rest of the year, other places in Maine get the first light by a matter of seconds. West Quoddy Head gets the first light from March 7 to March 24 and from September 19 to October 6. From March 25 to September 18, first light falls upon Mars Hill, in northern Maine.


 
  © 1997 National Geographic Society. All rights reserved.