Last updated: March 5, 2021
Article
Kat Smail - Range Technician
NPS
What is your title and what are your job duties here at Glen Canyon?
I’m the Range Technician for Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. That means I go out and monitor the health of the lands open to livestock grazing within the park. Most national park units don’t have grazing as part of their operations, so I’m one of few Range Technicians within the NPS system. I also manage the restoration materials for the park, which includes collaborative planning of restoration sites, working with crews to implement restoration treatments, collection of plant materials (seed and plant cuttings) and growing them in a greenhouse setting to increase the numbers of plants for restoration. Part of that work involves public outreach, and getting the local community, particularly local youth, involved with restoration in their park.
What interested you in your career path and how did you get started with the National Park Service?
I was always interested in plants and wildlife, but being home schooled, I didn’t know a career working with and for the natural world was an option within reach for me. I relished my science courses but majored in fine arts. I had a very different plan for my future, which didn’t entirely feel right, but it was a safe path that made sense at the time. It wasn’t until I met a wildlife biologist in my final semester of college that I realized over a cup of coffee, that was a viable career option for me. My first thought hearing about that individual’s career was “you get paid to do THAT?!?”, I knew without doubt that was my calling in life but by then it was too late to change my degree, so the day I graduated I decided to start volunteering to gain work experience in what I wanted to do. My first job with the NPS was as an intern at Arches National Park through an organization called The Student Conservation Association. I was hired to do raptor nest monitoring, songbird surveys, and great blue heron rookery monitoring, which to this day was one of my favorite working experiences.
My career is a perfect example of what one person's choice can do for the future of another. An NPS ranger named Gary Salamacha hired me into that position because he and I had a similar education background starting out and recognized my genuine desire to work in natural resources. He said he knew it was hard to get into the field if you have taken an untraditional path and wanted to give me the chance to start my career with the NPS. Sadly, he passed away shortly after I arrived at Arches, but because of his decision allowing me entry into the world of natural resources and the NPS, and the guidance from those that he chose to lead me in that position, my passion was fueled to continue that path. So far, I have had an amazing career that spans many ecosystems from high desert canyons, to the primordial swamps of Big Thicket, and even a stint in the Caribbean. My start with the NPS, and the impact that one person’s choice has had on my career, has made me very aware that for youth, that first position or internship can change their entire life direction, and likely will have an impact for generations to come, as it has for me and those youth I now work with.
NPS
What sort of projects are you working on currently?
As it is the down season for rangeland surveys, but the “on” season for restoration planting and planning, I have been primarily focusing on the restoration side of my job lately. I’m currently working on several restoration projects along the Colorado River between the Glen Canyon Dam and Lees Ferry, one site is being worked on in collaboration with Grand Canyon National Park, and the Grand Canyon Wildlands Council. Each project site is part of a larger project aimed at removing dead and dying tamarisk, Russian olive, and other exotic species, and using greenhouse grown native plants and park collected seed and cuttings to bring the area as closely back to pre-dam conditions as possible. I’m also working with the local school district to get youth involved in restoring the closed trail at Horseshoe Bend so that they can learn practical horticulture and arid land restoration skills while healing an internationally recognized site that happens to be practically in their backyard. Both of those projects require growing multiple plant species in the greenhouse to get the best possible outcome from the effort put in, so managing seed, cuttings, and live plant inventory is a major part of what I do as well. For some species that are normally difficult to propagate, or usually only propagated via cuttings, coming up with new approaches to cultivation have been necessary to most efficiently get the numbers needed for restoration which has been an interesting and rewarding experience. I’m also planning the new season of rangeland monitoring and working on all of that behind-the-scenes office based data and writing that ultimately leads to better management of the land, and a better understanding of the park for everyone interested.
NPS
What is it like to be a woman involved in rangeland management?
While natural resources work which rangeland management is a part of, had traditionally been a male profession in the past, I feel lucky in that I came to it during a time when many women had already been entering the field and advocating for equality, and many men in charge within the NPS had already grown to see female coworkers as valuable equals within the field. Within the NPS I have had many strong female scientist leaders, coworkers, and friends who have been amazing guides and allies throughout my career, but also male supervisors and coworkers who were equally nurturing of my success regardless of gender. I unfortunately can’t say that I have not experienced inequality within the state and private sector, from pay differences to differences in treatment compared to my male coworkers. My work with the National Park Service has been devoid of that kind of trouble and been overall an inclusive and positive experience in which I was able to build a great career on equal footing with my male colleagues. I feel that the NPS has fostered a mindset of inclusivity across all genders, so it really has been a positive experience.
Who are your favorite female scientist or scientists?
I have worked with so many amazing female scientists. However, there are a few who have made a major impact on my career or from whom I glean inspiration from for their contributions to science, and their shattering of glass ceilings. Such as Dr. Donna Shaver at Padre Island National Seashore, since the 1970’s she has dedicated her life to building the sea turtle science and recovery program that has seen great success in working to save sea turtle species, particularly the critically endangered Kemp’s Ridley sea turtle.
Dr. Serra Hoagland with the U.S. Forest Service is the first Native American to earn a PhD from Northern Arizona University’s School of Forestry and the only Native American to hold a PhD in forestry who works in the USFS. She has worked on implementing indigenous forest management practices into the USFS management practices, she is helping to foster the next generation of tribal resource managers, she is supporting tribal sovereignty by addressing tribal research needs, supporting intertribal organizations by fostering leadership, and helping to expand indigenous natural resource leadership networks across Indian country.
Dr. Anita Antoninka at Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff Arizona, Jane Balknapp, and Sasha Reed both of the USGS in Moab Utah have all done groundbreaking research (no pun intended) into the field of soil ecology in drylands and biological soil crust restoration, which has really informed my own work in both rangeland management and restoration within the arid region of Glen Canyon National Recreation Area.
Through their dedication, these female scientists are making a positive impact on resource management that will inform the next generation of resource managers, improving the world for everyone.
What advice would you give someone looking for a career in the sciences?
Probably the best advice I can give is to not be afraid to try new things, you don’t want to regret the things you didn’t do, and you may find that your passion lies in a field you’ve not considered yet. Volunteer, and take on internships in both what you know you’re interested in, and what you’ve not entirely considered. Internships and volunteer positions don’t pay much if at all, but the experience is invaluable and most scientists that I know including Dr. Donna Shaver got their start in this way. I think it’s also personally valuable to meet with people in positions you aspire to, so you can learn how they got to be there. Ask for mentorship from those you admire, they can offer insight from their years working toward their goals, to help you grow toward your own. Lastly and again, try many facets of natural resources. When I started out, I was obsessed with birds, but through working hands on in many disciplines within natural resources, I came to find that my biggest passions are for botany, restoration, and soil ecology. Gaining experience in many facets of natural resources work will also give you the knowledge to understand and address the challenges faced by land managers, helping you to better understand land management decisions, and also make more informed decisions as you move forward in your career.
NPS
What project/work are you most proud of?
One of the things I love about my line of work, is that most of the projects come with a sense of accomplishment and pride in having done something that will have a lasting, positive impact on the world. In that sense, I’d have to say that my work with sea turtles and my work on restoration would be my top projects, but that working on these things with youth, is what I’m most proud of, because they are the future of land stewardship.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
I’d like to encourage anyone who thinks it would be interesting to do this kind of work, to look up their local park and get involved in volunteer opportunities. It’s a great way to gain a better understanding of your local park land management, and a great way for people of any age to more fully embrace their favorite parks. For people just starting out, or wanting to make a career change, it’s also a great opportunity to get your foot in the door and to see what you want to pursue. The National Park Service has opportunities to get involved that allow people of any age and background to be part of the process and make their own positive mark on their public lands. So come join us!