Seeley Lake District Ranger accepts new position

SEELEY LAKE – Seeley Lake District Ranger Rachel Feigley accepted a new position with the US Forest Service as the Blackfoot Swan Landscape Restoration team leader. While she and her husband Pete plan to continue living in Seeley Lake, her last day as the Seeley Lake District Ranger is Dec. 1.

Feigley started as the Seeley Lake District Ranger in March, 2015.

"I'm proud of the work my employees and our partners have completed during my tenure," wrote Feigley in an email. "It's been a good three and half years here at the district."

Some of the projects Feigley noted included:

• Continued the restoration work outlined in the Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration program which improved our roads and bridges, reduced sediment and provided for fish passage.

• Treated thousands of acres of noxious weeds.

• Implemented fuel reduction projects through small diameter tree thinning and prescribed burning.

• Monitored forest carnivores.

• Provided funding to partners to conduct citizen science and education efforts to monitor our lakes for aquatic nuisance species, streams for sediment and bull trout, and sediment traps on roads.

• Worked with individual partners such as the Driftriders Snowmobile Club for the construction of a new groomer shed, the Seeley Lake Nordic Club for ski trail improvement, and other activities with outfitter/ guides and recreation events that serve the community and Forest visitors.

"These partnerships allow for these activities to occur beyond our current capacity and strengthen community ties," wrote Feigley.

• Conducted critical campground hazard tree work and made investments in our recreation infrastructure like the Big Larch boat launch (in progress) and North Fork Blackfoot trail bridges (under contract).

• Participated with other agency partners and local NGOs and collaborative groups to identify areas to work together and build capacity to meet mutual goals.

• Survived a historic fire year and have made efforts to restore the landscape, rebuild roads and trails and salvage the burnt trees.

• Remained committed to our broad mission for caring for this valuable landscape and serving the public.

Feigley acknowledged that finding solutions to complex problems, working together with citizens and partners and making progress that is responsive to the Forest Service land management mission is never easy.

"Expectations are often different or competing depending on perspective," wrote Feigley. "There have been many challenges in confronting the shared task we have with citizens to be effective stewards of these important public lands."

When the current team leader of the Blackfoot Swan Landscape Restoration team, a regional large landscape team currently focused on the Mid-Swan Landscape Restoration and Wildland Urban Interface project, retired, Feigley applied because she said it was a great fit and good time for a change.

"It will allow me to work on large landscape approaches to management, focused in the Southwest Crown of the Continent, something in which I am very interested," wrote Feigley. "I am looking forward to working in a team setting and helping build on and strengthen the important forest management collaborative efforts toward restoration that are underway."

The Forest Supervisor selected Quinn Carver, Staff Officer for Natural Resources on the Kootenai National Forest based out of Libby, Mont., as Acting District Ranger beginning Jan. 1.

Carver is a Montana native, born and raised in Dillon and Sheridan. He received a Bachelor's Degree in zoology with a minor in botany from the University of Montana in 1992. He started on the Beaverhead National Forest and worked on the Wisdom and Wise River Districts as a seasonal employee. During the same time he worked for Wyoming Game and Fish and Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks as a seasonal while not working for the Forest Service.

Carver secured his first permanent job with the Forest Service on the Helena National Forest, Townsend Ranger District in 1994 as a wildlife biologist. From there he spent two years in Wrangell, Alaska as a Interdisciplinary Team Leader, five and a half years as Krassel District Ranger on the Payette National Forest and then returned to Montana in 2006 for his current job in Libby.

Carver will serve until a permanent replacement is chosen in the spring.

"Quinn brings a wealth of experience as well as some familiarity with the district as he served as Agency Administrator during the Rice Ridge Fire in 2017," wrote Feigley. "New leadership is not a new thing in the Forest Service and I am confident the new ranger will continue to maintain partnerships and build new relationships."

Feigley continued, "It has been an honor and a privilege to serve as District Ranger and work with our partners supportive of the Forest Service mission. Thank you for the ongoing partnerships and contributions to our collective work. I truly enjoyed being your District Ranger and will always be grateful to those who supported me and the District employees during the last three and a half years!"