I have been working with the Forest Service for 18 years. I started as a Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities, or HACU, intern in the summer of 2003 with North Central (now Northern) Research Station and the following summer worked for the Pacific Southwest Research Station. After completing the summer internship program, I was selected as a fellow for the Scientist Recruitment Initiative, which was part of the Student Career Experience Program (now the Pathways Program).

I currently work as a research economist for the Pacific Southwest Research Station. My job is to quantify the “ecosystem service” benefits that individuals and communities receive from national forests. These benefits include providing opportunities for recreation.

I’m especially interested in exploring ways to improve access to outdoor recreation opportunities to underserved communities.

This work is important. Forest Service National Use Visitor Monitoring survey data shows low visitation rates from several demographics groups, including African Americans, Asians and Hispanics/Latinos. To make public lands more accessible to these vulnerable populations, we need to first understand how they connect to nature, and then reduce their barriers to getting out to nature. Furthermore, we need to develop future environmental stewards to help fulfill the Forest Service mission “to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of the nation’s forests and grasslands to meet the needs of present and future generations.”

I’m working on a project now to engage disadvantaged urban youth of color in outdoor activities. This research is funded by the California Natural Resources Agency in partnership with the Rocky Mountain Research Station, University of California - Davis, and Outward Bound Adventures. We will evaluate the socioeconomic benefits that participants gain by taking part in educational outdoor recreation programs. Students will visit nearby national forests, where they’ll take part in activities designed to upgrade academic and social skills while they improve their ecological understanding of their surroundings and become more connected to the natural environment. The program will also promote cultural experiences, the ethics of environmental stewardship and volunteerism while exposing participants to outdoor career opportunities in recreation and public land management.

My favorite part of my job is the opportunities it offers for constant learning and collaborating with colleagues to answer pressing questions about natural resources and human interactions. I believe that the Forest Service can make a difference to ensure that we manage public lands efficiently and encourage the growing interest in their use by diverse populations.