What's it like to work for the forest preserve district?

"I want your job!" said the twenty-something barista as I ordered my latte at the drive-up window.

Not two hours earlier, a woman at the local farmers market had said, "You have such a wonderful job! How can I get a job like that?"

Neither person knew me, or my title. Their comments were based solely on seeing the Forest Preserve District of Kane County emblem on my shirt. My colleagues have had similar reactions when wearing their uniforms. What is it about the Forest Preserve District logo that triggers this response?

I asked the Starbucks dude, "Do you know what I do?" He looked at me quizzically. "You just said you want my job," I said, "but do you know what I do?" He admitted that, no, he really didn't. "What if I said I clean latrines all day? Or maybe I dig ditches." Hmmm. "What is it that you THINK I do that makes you want my job?"

He thought about it.

"I don't know, take kids around the woods or something," he said.

"You're right!" I said. "That's kind of what I do. But sometimes I sit at a computer all day trying to meet deadlines. Which is why I need this coffee."

We chatted a bit more as he made my latte, and I asked him what his career aspirations were.

"Not this," he grumbled, referring to his current baristaship.

I encouraged him to come to the nature center and volunteer to get to know what this field is all about. It would be, literally, a breath of fresh air.

I explained to this young guy, as I have explained to many people, that an agency like the forest preserve district comprises lots of different jobs.

People equate forest preserve with "ranger." Yes, there are rangers, but not everyone is a ranger. And our ranger job description doesn't include riding a horse among towering pine trees in the mountains, sporting a Smokey Bear hat. Our rangers spend plenty of time in the woods, to be sure, but they ride a pickup truck instead of a horse, there are no mountains, and they don't have those funky hats.

There are some district employees who sit in an office and crunch numbers all day and there others who mow lawns for hours on end. Some employees fix broken trucks, some build trails. Some of us plan environmental education programs; others plan parking lots. Some pull weeds in the hot summer sun; some plow snow in blizzards.

All in all, there are dozens of different job descriptions. It's a "takes-a-village" kind of thing. Lots of different people doing lots of different things, all for the common district goal to protect, preserve, and heal the land.

The barista, who had quickly become my best Starbucks buddy, said he really liked the idea of working in the woods.

"How did you get such a great job?" he asked.

I told him I can only speak to the naturalist aspect of the question, but I'm sure this applies to other district career paths as well.

I worked hard. Lots of school, lots of studying, lots of volunteer work and minimum wage seasonal jobs over the years. I fed my insatiable curiosity by exploring woods, wading in wetlands and poking around in prairies. I never went without binoculars, a hand lens, and a backpack full of field guides.

In my first few jobs, I got paid minimum wage - with a master's degree in forestry, no less. I knew it was an investment in a career that I was passionate about. I was paying my dues. There were plenty of nights supervising kids in tents during summer camp (why was it always a kid on my watch who puked in the middle of the night?). There were long days pulling weeds in the prairie under the blazing sun. Many winter mornings I nearly froze my feet off waiting for school buses to arrive. And there were years of working nights and weekends.

My first "real" job was an entry-level naturalist position with a park district. That was followed by several other naturalist jobs as my growing family moved around the country.

I also volunteered at nature centers. Twenty years ago, I was offered the position I now hold with the Forest Preserve District of Kane County. The fancy title is "Nature Programs Manager," but essentially, I'm a naturalist.

I've learned a few things over the past 35 years in this field. First, being a naturalist is a lifelong deal. I still work hard, and I still study. I still have a thirst for learning new critters and plants. I continue to rummage around the woods, turning over logs to see what lives there. I continue to fight the good fight against invasive weeds. And I still deal with kids puking once in a while.

Another thing I learned fairly quickly was that the notion of working in a peaceful nature center is a myth. It can get pretty crazy when there are 100 people in the nature center at the same time.

There are rambunctious kids and demanding adults. There are snakes that go AWOL from their tanks. There are exhibits to fix and staff to deal with. Working in a nature center is fun, but the atmosphere is not always peace and quiet.

"So, are you still interested in having my job?" I asked. "Here's the honest-to-gosh truth: There is no perfect job. Anywhere. If you work with people, I guarantee there will be personality issues and egos to deal with. This is true no matter what the organization - be it a church, government agency, school, or coffee shop.

"In addition to personality issues, there will always be tasks that you like less than others. Some, in fact, you will hate. A good goal is to get a job in which the fun and fulfilling parts outweigh the bad ones."

Even if you work for yourself in a one-pony show operation, it won't be a perfect job. Sure, you won't have bothersome co-workers to deal with, but the downside is that you can never call in sick. The pressure's on you, all the time. Some naturalists do work all by themselves, for themselves, but most of us are in it for the sharing.

What about the paycheck? In this field, don't expect to have an extra Jaguar in the garage. But you can make a decent living. In fact, it's not just making a living, it's a lifestyle. For many of us naturalists, our vocation is also our avocation. We do pretty much the same things on our days off as we do "on the clock."

Nope, you won't be rich in your bank account as a naturalist, but - as corny as this sounds - you'll be rich in spirit. Sharing knowledge and love for the natural world has its own rewards. Seeing the "light bulb" go on when someone makes a connection with the natural world is wonderful remuneration for hard work as a naturalist. Plus, having one-on-one alone time with a Prothontary Warbler on a beautiful spring morning is one of the many perks.

Coffee consumed and the barista's break time over, I had to get back to the nature center. A busload of second -graders had just finished their field trip with the naturalist staff. Time for the glamorous part of my job. I helped clean bathrooms.

How do I really get paid for this job? The priceless smiles on the kids' faces as they leave the nature center. And, a patch with a logo.

Want to work for the forest preserve district?

"How do I get to wear one of those cool hats?" There are lots of ways to see what Forest Preserve District work is all about.

Volunteer: First, check out the volunteer opportunities in habitat restoration, education, and interpretation. Volunteering is a great way to "try it and see if you like it." Visit <a href="http://kaneforest.com/volunteer/binspired.aspx">kaneforest.com</a> to see the variety of volunteer positions available to you. For information, contact the volunteer coordinator by calling (630) 208-8662 or emailing volunteer@kaneforest.com.

Seasonal jobs and internships: Seasonal work and summer internships are paid jobs that provide experience in the Environmental Education Department working with naturalists, in the Operations Department working with rangers, and in the Natural Resources Department working with restoration ecologists. Additional internships are available in the Planning Department, in Human Resources, Community Affairs, and Horticulture.

The District will begin accepting applications for summer 2015 by the end of December. Contact our Human Resources Department for more information by calling (630) 208-8662 or email hrforest@kaneforest.com.