Forest Service starts hiring

[ERIC]

Forest Service starts hiring

Published: May 8, 2006
By MIKE MORRIS
The Union Democrat

It's hiring time at the Stanislaus National Forest.

The forest in the process of employing seasonal firefighters, trail crews, maintenance workers and those who will work on the forest's increased timber harvest plan.

Also, a temporary replacement for former deputy forest supervisor Jerry Perez, who left his post about a month ago, starts next week.

Maria Garcia, a district ranger on the Plumas National Forest in the northern Sierra Nevada, will next Monday begin a four-month detail at the post. The deputy assists Forest Supervisor Tom Quinn in managing the forest.

After four months, officials can either hire another temporary replacement or permanently fill the position, said forest spokesman Jerry Snyder.

The U.S. Forest Service will begin advertising to permanently fill the vacancy this week, said Matt Mathes of the agency's regional office in Vallejo.

Mathes said qualified job candidates will be narrowed down before Forest Service Chief Dale Bosworth makes his pick.

"It's an attractive place to people within the Forest Service," Mathes said of the Stanislaus.

Mathes said he expects the job posting will draw many applicants — both Forest Service employees and those who do not work for the federal agency.

Perez — who came to the Stanislaus about two years ago from the Forest Service's Washington D.C. headquarters — was instrumental in completing the forest's five-year vegetation management plan.

That plan allows the forest to gradually increase its timber harvest amounts each year until 2011. This year's timber target is 21 million board-feet — up from 14 million last year.

A board foot is an inch-thick, foot-square piece of lumber.

The timber plan is designed to bring more timber to area sawmills and to address the "dire need to reduce fire danger" on the forest, Mathes said.

The Stanislaus continues to fill many new positions, ranging from timber sale planners to hydrologists, needed to increase the timber harvest amounts.

Forester and botanical crew leader applicants are now being reviewed, said Deb Romberger, the forest's resource management program area leader.

A contract for the largest timber sale of the year — about 10.4 million board-feet on the Mi-Wok Ranger District, in an area stretching from Tuolumne to Cold Springs — was awarded last week to Sierra Pacific Industries.

[dave54]

What the article doesn't say is the Forest Service is under a court order to increase the number of Hispanics in the workforce, so hiring preferences by race are legally mandated.

White males have a very low probability of being hired, regardless of skills and qualifications.

[hikerduane]

A lady who works at the local bank made a remark years ago when the first lady Supervisor? District Ranger? on the Plumas was hired over her husband who was better qualified. She said he had a family to support also. If people are qualified, they can stand in line also.

[Foamfinger]

I would happily vouch for working on the Stanislaus NF. The Stanislaus was my first job out of college and provided my introduction to the Sierra Nevada. Amid the beautiful Summit Ranger District, I was able cover a lot of ground in the front & backcountry, work with many good people, make some very good friends, and meet my future wife! Worth every minute!

FWIW, I was hired when Region 5 was under a consent decree to increase women in the Region. My white, male status did not hinder me.