Natural Areas & Trails Ranger

The City of Fort Collins is on watch for a full-time Natural Areas Trail Ranger who will patrol and assist visitors in some of our 52 conserved habitats which include prairies, foothills, waterways, and forests. These properties are a treasure to the community. The Natural Areas Trail Ranger provides visitor and staff safety, assistance, and education, as well as enforcement of applicable municipal codes. The Natural Areas Trail Ranger coordinates internally and externally with other Departments and teams to coordinate planning, management policy, maintenance projects, and address possible trail closures. The Natural Areas Trail Ranger patrols in a variety of ways, including on foot, on bicycle, or in a marked patrol vehicle. 

This position requires effective communication skills related to conflict resolution and de-escalating situations in a professional manner. Situations can engage a variety of people with diverse backgrounds which might include those with mental health-related concerns and homeless community members. Subsequently, having former law enforcement, ranger, or military experience is beneficial. Three to six months of previous related experience and/or training are required. Upon hiring, the successful candidate must complete the Fort Collins Police Academy by attending classes pertinent to Ranger skills and knowledge, and satisfactorily completing a three-month field training with a Ranger Field Training Officer. In addition, attendance at Ranger Excellence School is expected within an introductory review period.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

The following duties and responsibilities are illustrative of the primary functions of this position and are not intended to be all inclusive.

• Patrols natural areas and trails to monitor visitor use and ensure natural resource protection.
• Enforces City municipal code and civil citations within natural areas, city trails, and other City property. Issues warnings or citations to violators.
• Implements prevention strategies in natural areas, trails, and city property.
• Responds to and mitigates multi-use conflicts. Employs uses conflict resolution techniques as needed.
• Coordinates law enforcement activities with other agencies (Larimer County Sheriff, CSU Police) as appropriate.
• Knowledge of ecological ecosystems and human influences.
• Educates visitors on uses, safety, ecological values of natural areas, human impact on wildlife and plant life, etc.
• Conducts visitor use surveys, monitors trail conditions and conducts other surveys, etc.
• Monitors natural areas for wildlife activity and ecological changes, which may lead to changes in management of sites.
• Maintains records of illegal activities and produces incident reports and other general reports as required
• Is required to testify in court in support of citations issued as necessary.
• May assist in investigation of crimes in natural areas and along the trails at the request of local police.
• Has situational recognition of conditions requiring law enforcement issues requiring the assistance of an armed officer.
• May participate in management planning or other departmental projects.
• Ability to participate in prescribed burning and wildfire control as necessary.
• Ability to respond to reports of injured visitors and apply medical assistance as needed.
• May speak to various citizen groups explaining the function of the ranger program and how protection of visitors and natural features are accomplished in natural areas.