Have you been seeking more information on Oregon park ranger training and degree requirements to advance your career? We have compiled some helpful information here.

The Oregon Parks and Recreation Department manages properties that consist of over 102,000 acres of natural resources. Park rangers are in charge of protection of the scenic, cultural, and recreational treasures of Oregon.

Oregon Park Ranger Job Duties

Park rangers in Oregon are tasked to manage various activities designed to enhance the protection and well-being of state park properties. These vital occupational responsibilities are executed through vital tasks associated with the following:

  • Resource conservation
  • Facility care and building
  • Utility system care and building
  • Building building and upkeep
  • Park patrol, rule and security enforcement
  • Visitor services

Oregon Park Ranger Requirements

Oregon Park Ranger Education and Training

People who would like to find out the best way to eventually become an Oregon park ranger must have the ability to pass a criminal history evaluation (that is computerized) as well as a background check for motor vehicle services.

Experience and Education Requirements

Minimal park ranger qualifications include having one of the following:

  • A minimum of two years' expertise at visitor services, that might contain:
    • Rule enforcement
    • Instruction and awareness programs focused on environmental issues
    • Special activities/events

OR

  • A minimum of two years' expertise in landscaping or building maintenance

OR

  • A minimum of an Associate's degree in one of the following:
    • Environmental studies
    • Park and recreation management
    • Management of natural resources

AND

  • A minimum visitor services expertise of 6 months, including the following:
    • Special occasions and actions
    • Care encounter
    • Rule enforcement
    • Educational and awareness plans that are environmental

Desirable Skills and Qualification to Become an Oregon Park Ranger

  • Natural resource conservation
  • Operating power equipment and hand tools
  • Conducting maintenance for buildings, repair of equipment, and maintaining properties, etc.
  • Working with people and providing excellent customer service
  • Teamwork and leadership skills

Application Procedure

To make an application for an Oregon park ranger job, applicants should fill out the Oregon Employment Application online (in response to a specific post). Make sure to complete all the standard documents. Transcripts should be submitted to gain credit for completing the appropriate education.

All questions concerning the application procedure should be directed to Recruiting at the number: 503-986-0626.

Qualifications for Oregon Park Ranger through the National Park Service

As well as working through the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department at the state level, people in pursuit of park ranger occupations have the option of working through the National Park Service, which manages Oregon historic sites and several national resources.

People pursuing the park ranger position through the National Park Service should be a minimum of 21 years old; also, they should be United States citizens; and they should have a legal driver's license. These hopeful candidates should also satisfy the minimal conditions for the pay at the federal level, including possessing one of these:

  • A mixture of expertise and education
  • Bachelor's degree from an approved university or college, with a minimum of 24 coursework hours germane to the job.
  • A minimum of one year of experience the equivalent to the level of GS-4.

Park rangers working within a role that is enforcement/protective related should possess at least 36 months of expertise working within the National Park Service (seasonal) or working in a law enforcement position. These park rangers must also have finished a seasonal law enforcement training course inside the last 3 years and hold certification/licensure in the role of emergency medical responder.

For park rangers working within the National Park Service, with regards to the capacity by which they are going to work, training may take at one of the following:

  • At the Grand Canyon: Horace Albright Training Center
  • At Frederick, Maryland: Historic Preservation Training Center
  • At Harpers Ferry, West Virginia: Stephen Mather Training Center
  • At Glynco, GA: (FLETC) Federal Law Enforcement Training Center

All state parks operate via the Salem headquarters office and its own field offices. Along with state parks, the Parks and Recreation Department is accountable for sites such as the following:

  • Willamette River Greenway
  • Panoramic waterways
  • Oregon recreational trails

Created as another section in 1990 and created in 1921, the Recreation and Parks Department also manages the Heritage Programs Division for the state, including the following:

  • Heritage Commission
  • Several historical and cultural preservation systems
  • State Historic Preservation Office
  • Oregon Commission on Historic Cemeteries

The Oregon Parks and Recreation Department fulfills its mission to provide exceptional cultural, natural and historical sites through overseeing these:

  • Oregon state park system
  • Direction in outdoor recreation planning
  • Heritage programs
  • Oregon Exposition Center
  • Natural resource and recreation programs
  • Outdoor recreation and historic preservation grants

A few of the well-known parks under direction at the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department are:

  • Honeymoon State Park
  • Ecola State Park
  • Silver Falls State Park

Salary Information for Park Rangers in Oregon

Park Rangers in Oregon take home a great salary while pursuing a fulfilling career protecting the land of Oregon. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average Park Ranger in the state of Oregon makes a median salary of $63,960 per year.

Park Ranger Programs and Schools in Oregon

Choose your area of study and receive free information about programs you are interested in. Park rangers are responsible for protecting our parks and wilderness areas as well as guiding and educating the public. These duties are the same across the local, state, and national levels. Park rangers pursue degrees related to parks and recreation, environmental science, as well as law enforcement and criminal justice.