Occ. Code 1507100

PARKS & RECREATION FOREST RANGER, GRADE 12	1507100
SUPERVISING PARKS & RECREATION FOREST RANGER, GRADE 15	1507500

New York State Department of Civil Service

Classification Standard

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF CLASS SERIES

          Parks & Recreation Forest Rangers are responsible for the prevention and control of forest fires, for the protection of State park lands, and for the conservation of fish and wildlife and other natural resources found in State park lands. In addition, they organize and direct search and rescue emergency operations and provide information and education to a variety of youth and adult groups. These positions have Peace Officer status, as per the Criminal Procedure Law (CPL) Section 2.10(74), and are only classified at the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation.

DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS

PARKS & RECREATION FOREST RANGER: journey-level; works under the supervision of a Supervising Parks & Recreation Forest Ranger or a Park Manager; must be able to work alone and exercise independent judgment in performing duties; may have substantial contact with the public and other law enforcement personnel; may oversee the work of seasonal Park Ranger positions.

SUPERVISING PARKS & RECREATION FOREST RANGER: one position class; supervisory level; performs all of the duties of a Parks & Recreation Forest Ranger and oversees a unit.

RELATED CLASSES

          Forest Rangers protect and enhance the States lands and natural resources and the well-being of the public who use these resources. Incumbents of these positions organize and conduct search and rescue operations; educate the public in wilderness safety and natural resource care; and administer the States wildland fire-management program, including wildfire suppression and prescribed fire activities.

          Park Rangers patrol State parks and wilderness areas to protect State property, encourage the orderly enjoyment of park facilities and natural resources, and assure the safety and well-being of the public.

ILLUSTRATIVE DUTIES

PARKS & RECREATION FOREST RANGER:  prevents and controls forest fires; protects State park lands and fish and wildlife within State park lands; directs search and rescue emergency operations and provides information and education to a variety of youth and adult groups; performs traffic and crowd control as required and patrols through an assigned area to deter and detect illegal or inappropriate activity; provides general security services for large events, such as concerts, fairs, and other major park promotions; issues tickets for violations of Parks rules and regulations; questions patrons and witnesses regarding accidents and incidents; prepares and files a variety of reports and logs such as daily patrol reports, unusual incident reports, accident reports, and equipment use logs; and operates communications equipment, answers telephones, and performs data entry of reports as required.

SUPERVISING PARKS & RECREATION FOREST RANGER: performs all of the duties listed above while overseeing a unit of Parks & Recreation Forest Rangers. Additional duties include managing the fire prevention and suppression program; training personnel in search and rescue techniques and first aid; overseeing trail and road maintenance; and disseminating park rules and regulations to inform and educate the public.

INDEPENDENCE OF OPERATION

          Parks & Recreation Forest Rangers frequently work alone and without direct supervision. Typically, the size of the area to which these positions are assigned is at a considerable distance from their immediate supervisors, requiring them to perform their activities without direct control or immediate review and assistance. They are expected to make decisions and determine the correct course of action in most instances, using their knowledge of safety and security procedures and agency programs and facilities.

COMPLEXITY

          Parks & Recreation Forest Rangers exercise judgment and discretion in performing their duties. Also, they are expected to understand the rules and regulations that govern their work and apply them in a variety of work situations and to understand, represent, and answer questions about the programs, natural resources, and facilities where they work.

COMMUNICATION

          Parks & Recreation Forest Rangers have frequent face-to-face communications with the public to provide information, answer questions, and provide assistance and advice. They encourage proper behavior and use of facilities and wilderness areas and work towards minimizing conflict when enforcing laws, rules, and regulations. Park Rangers also communicate in writing by preparing simple narrative, factual reports.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

PARKS & RECREATION FOREST RANGER

Open Competitive:  an associates or higher level degree in parks, recreation, forestry, environmental sciences or fire sciences; OR a high school or equivalency diploma and one year of experience in forest management, forest fire control, wildlife preservation, or search and rescue; OR a high school or equivalency diploma and either one year of paid firefighting experience or two years of volunteer firefighting experience.

SUPERVISING PARKS & RECREATION FOREST RANGER

Promotion: one year of permanent competitive service as a Parks & Recreation Forest Ranger.

Date:  10/15

NOTE: Classification Standards illustrate the nature, extent and scope of duties and responsibilities of the classes they describe. Standards cannot and do not include all of the work that might be appropriately performed by a class. The minimum qualifications above are those which were required for appointment at the time the Classification Standard was written. Please contact the Division of Staffing Services for current information on minimum qualifications requirements for appointment or examination.