Mandalyn Child is a Montana transplant and mother to two brilliant girls. Following high school, she attended a culinary apprenticeship in Colorado Springs. She is committed to life long learning and is currently pursuing her BS in Communication through Purdue University Global with minors in humanities and psychology. Effective communication is the key to ongoing conservation efforts. Mandy looks forward to continuing her education with the U.S. Forest Service and hopes to make a positive impact on the world through local action in the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest

The Forest Service has exposed me to a truly incredible variety of activities over the course of more than 1000 hours. For the curious and motivated no knowledge is withheld. As a Montanan, I have witnessed over the years the increasing impacts of climate change on the length and intensity of wildland fires. I spent the summer of 2021 engulfed in the choking smoke of three separate fires. That was a rough summer, the sky was like Armageddon, and ash and soot rained down no matter which way the wind blew as thousands of acres of lodgepole pine burned. This was some of my closest exposure to wildland firefighting and piqued my interest. When I joined last August, the fire season was winding down for the year, but I made sure to tell my mentor I was interested in getting a red card (the interagency qualification card for wildland fire).

The Forest Service has exposed me to a truly incredible variety of activities over the course of more than 1000 hours. For the curious and motivated no knowledge is withheld. As a Montanan, I have witnessed over the years the increasing impacts of climate change on the length and intensity of wildland fires. I spent the summer of 2021 engulfed in the choking smoke of three separate fires. That was a rough summer, the sky was like Armageddon, and ash and soot rained down no matter which way the wind blew as thousands of acres of lodgepole pine burned. This was some of my closest exposure to wildland firefighting and piqued my interest. When I joined last August, the fire season was winding down for the year, but I made sure to tell my mentor I was interested in getting a red card (the interagency qualification card for wildland fire).

    What a wild ride. As I become more comfortable in my position on the forest, get to know my coworkers and peers, and participate in numerous vastly different projects, I can’t help but reflect on my gratitude for where I find myself. My hard work is rewarded consistently through praise and escalated responsibility. In a recent meeting, my mentor even joked that I might know our system better than he does. This is an exaggeration, I still have a lot to learn, but the positive feedback keeps me going. My mentor recently took leave, trusting me to “run the show” while he was away. There is a great deal of fulfilment to be gained when hard work is appreciated. My office was even invited to lunch with the deputy forest supervisor, which was so exciting . The door for networking is wide open, and I feel as though I am well on my way to a permanent place here. The more I do, the more involved I become, the more assured I am of the rightness of my decision to pursue a permanent placement. I have made a difference to the interdisciplinary teams I have been privileged to work with as well and seen firsthand the fruits of my work.

     This month the forest undertook a GMR review of leadership. It was refreshing to see acknowledgement of flaws in the system. So many people struggle with self-awareness, and admitting to mistakes is hard, but the forest service seems to attract responsible, noble, and self-aware individuals. It is inspiring to know that mistakes are seen as an opportunity for growth. Learning is encouraged, and curiosity is rewarded. It really is an excellent place for me, I have always said that my goal in life is to learn something new every day, and this opportunity has given me that in spades.

     I am grateful too for the latitude I am given, really allowing me the space to demonstrate my initiative and work ethic. Many people are surprised when I finish a task early or follow up later. This type of space to grow is far different from my experiences in the past. Serving the mission can look very different in the various departments within the Forest Service, but we are all working toward a common goal. It really is a family, which so many employers say but rarely mean.

     Special uses are working hard to modernize and streamline our application process to serve the public and care for the land. It is not as glamorous as fighting wildfires, there is a lot of paper pushing, filing, and phone calls. My specialty, communication, is a great asset however in making the process easy to understand for our proponents. Soon, we will be meeting a proponent in the field to discuss a private road permit. Although the weather is turning, and the topography is challenging, it will be very fun to work a case from birth to completion. I was also invited to serve as a scribe for the range management team as they solidify the range plan for the next three to five years. It is all very exciting, and I am so grateful to be part of it.

As the holidays are rapidly approaching, I am counting all the blessings in life. One of the greatest is this program.