Working Together
The Forest Service has outstanding employees who work on a daily basis with partners, volunteers and supporters to help deliver goods and services from the National Forest to the public. An emphasis on collaboration encourages the various groups and agencies to work together to maximize their contributions and assist the public and the Forest Service.
In honor of #WomensHistory Month the Tahoe National Forest recognizes Ms. Kim Jackson.
A Renaissance man (or woman) is a person whose expertise spans a significant number of different subject areas. Kim Jackson has performed close to 20 jobs, with the U.S. Forest Service, for almost 40 years.
Kim Jackson was born and raised in Grass Valley. When she graduated high school, Kim attended UC Davis majoring in Anthropology. Upon graduation, Kim asked her university internship office if they had any internships in Anthropology. Not realizing how they would reply, she mentioned she would be willing to go outside her major and intern in forestry or wildlife. To her surprise, the counselor shouted, “You’re in luck! A woman from the Tahoe National Forest just called and said, “They’re looking for an Archeologist.” This began her Forest Service career.
When Kim started on Nevada City Ranger District in 1980, her new boss immediately asked if she could ride a motorcycle, and that they wanted to get her licensed to ride one. Kim’s first thought was, “Did I sign up for this?” The use of motorcycles was an effort by the District to cope with the nationwide gas shortage. Kim ended up riding a motorcycle as needed and thoroughly enjoyed the archaeology work. “My first job was a lot of fun and we felt like we had the best kept secret in town,” Kim said. She also noted that the agency was mostly men, with just a handful of women working in the field jobs. “The camaraderie was excellent, I couldn’t ask for a better group of people to work with.”
I am so grateful for the jobs and work experiences I have had over the years and I wouldn’t be here today without the wonderful hardworking dedicated people who I have worked with and who have supported me along the way.
Kim had to be flexible to persevere through a downsizing U.S. Forest Service/Federal Government. In 1983, there was very little money in archaeology on the Forest, so Kim ventured into other disciplines of the agency where budget and work were available. During this time, Kim worked seasonally in recreation, fuelwood administration, timber, reception, and a few other jobs where money was available. Kim also worked on other Districts. Kim did whatever she could with the Forest Service until a permanent position opened up on the Tahoe National Forest on the Downieville Ranger District. Kim says that she has worked in almost every field of the Forest Service except engineering, personnel, and a couple of other fields. Her current position, of seven years, is Resource Specialist in timber at the Tahoe National Forest Supervisor’s Office where she is responsible for the technical and administrative support to the Forest timber sale program.
Kim’s longest term position, of seventeen years, was Documents Examiner in Special-uses on the Tahoe National Forest where she was responsible for the technical and administrative support to the Forest Special-uses program.
Now after close to 40 years with the U.S. Forest Service, Kim Jackson says she has enjoyed every one of her jobs with the U.S. Forest Service and would not change a thing with her career. She feels very fortunate to be working for the Forest Service and at the Tahoe National Forest Supervisor’s office in Nevada City, close to Grass Valley where she was born, raised and has family.