A Park Ranger's Life Thirty-two Years Protecting Our National Parks

What is a park ranger's life?

A wild bear who favors Kentucky Fried Chicken A fugitive wanted in eight states A dog that saves his owner's life Wildland firefighters battling nature and fire A ghost haunting a colonial mansion Hikers who stay lost because they think searchers calling their names are wild animals Being willing to risk your life to make our parks safe and help preserve them for the future

These are just a few experiences you will read about in A Park Ranger's Life. Drawn from the thirty-two-year career of National Park Ranger Bruce W. Bytnar, you will discover what it takes to be a park ranger, what threats to visitors and resources they deal with on a daily basis, and what you can do to help protect and preserve our national heritage.

Bruce W. Bytnar retired in January 2008 following a career spanning more than 32 years as a National Park Ranger. He started his career as a seasonal interpreter conducting living history programs at Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine in 1975. Once a permanent employee, he worked as a commissioned law enforcement ranger, naturalist, wildland firefighter, resource manager, in search and rescue, as a supervisor, and a manager. His last position was as the Ridge District Ranger on the Blue Ridge Parkway responsible for the management of a 106 mile section of the most visited National Park Service area in the country. His interest in supporting and promoting national parks remains a focus even in retirement. One example of these efforts is his 3 years of volunteer work as an environmental educator at Boxerwood Gardens Nature Center. The programs he conducts are oriented toward the State of Virginia's standards of learning. Mr. Bytnar's personal objective is to get students interested in the outdoors, science, and eventually national parks. Beyond writing Mr. Bytnar has many other interests including reading, working as a men's lacrosse official, training dogs, hiking, gardening, and continuing to learn about our world. His new book, A Park Ranger's Life: Thirty Two Years Protecting Our National Parks, is a collection of true stories based on his experiences working in national parks. The reader will also have the opportunity to learn about very real threats to our parks and what citizens can do to assist those stewards who have the responsibility to protect our treasures found in national parks.