[[{"fid":"42604","view_mode":"fs_width_0848px","fields":{"format":"fs_width_0848px","field_fs_image_alt_text[und][0][value]":"A firefighter works to contain the Pioneer Fire in Boise National Forest, Idaho, 2016","field_fs_image_title_text[und][0][value]":false,"field_fs_image_caption[und][0][value]":"Firefighter is one of the many careers available at the Forest Service. In this photo, a firefighter works to contain the Pioneer Fire in Boise National Forest, Idaho, 2016.","field_fs_image_copyright_notice[und][0][value]":"","field_fs_image_credit[und][0][value]":"Forest Service photo by Kari Greer","field_fs_internal_notes[und][0][value]":""},"type":"media","field_deltas":{"1":{"format":"fs_width_0848px","field_fs_image_alt_text[und][0][value]":"A firefighter works to contain the Pioneer Fire in Boise National Forest, Idaho, 2016","field_fs_image_title_text[und][0][value]":false,"field_fs_image_caption[und][0][value]":"Firefighter is one of the many careers available at the Forest Service. In this photo, a firefighter works to contain the Pioneer Fire in Boise National Forest, Idaho, 2016.","field_fs_image_copyright_notice[und][0][value]":"","field_fs_image_credit[und][0][value]":"Forest Service photo by Kari Greer","field_fs_internal_notes[und][0][value]":""}},"attributes":{"alt":"A firefighter works to contain the Pioneer Fire in Boise National Forest, Idaho, 2016","height":"565","width":"848","class":"media-element file-fs-width-0848px","data-delta":"1"}}]]

About 75 students learned about science-related professions at the Forest Service thanks to St. Ignatius High School Career Day at St. Ignatius, Montana, from a group of dedicated Northern Region employees on April 11. While the agency offers careers in all segments of the workforce, school representatives asked the Forest Service to emphasize careers in natural resources. 

Ruth Wooding, Ecosystem Assessment and Planning branch, highlighted agency career opportunities in the woods such as firefighter, road locator, wildlife biologist, fire lookout and forester to groups of about 20 students at a time. She also talked to students about how to find jobs with the agency. Wooding also shared information about opportunities for high school students to become involved immediately in youth monitoring programs that occur on Montana national forests as well as with other organizations, such as the Youth Conservation Corps.

It is one of Ruth Wooding’s passions to engage our next generations to be part of the stewardship of public lands and to tackle the education required to be a forester, biologist, soils scientist, hydrologist, etc. As a forester certified by Society of American Foresters, it matters to her that interest in natural resources is stimulated and nurtured so that public lands are wanted and protected in perpetuity.