UNM-Taos students take the forest path
UNM–Taos associate degree graduates Peggy De’Scoville and Ganga Little have joined the ranks of the Carson National Forest Pathways Program as natural resource trainees, the university announced this month.
“This is a huge score for Peggy and Ganga,” said Brooke Zanetell, UNM–Taos research associate professor and Northern New Mexico Climate Change Corps program director. “It means they will be able to stay in Taos with their families and have a great career working in a forest they both love. Getting a Pathways position is as good as it gets for a student who wants a career with a federal agency like the U.S. Forest Service.”
Pathways positions are awarded to current students and recent graduates, according to a UNM– Taos press release, which indicated that De’Scoville and Little will work for the Carson during any time they have off from school. The U.S. Forest Service will allow them to complete their degrees to the highest level they desire, and once they are finished with their desired degree, the two are guaranteed a permanent position with the agency.
“In my future career with the Forest Service, I want to partner with local and Indigenous communities to practice shared and adaptive management, which requires incorporating the latest scientific research, along with traditional knowledge, to make the best decisions for our forest,” De’Scoville told the Taos News. “This involves following up with monitoring to make sure the desired outcomes are achieved. I also hope to partner with schools and engage our youth in forest science.
“My Pathways internship with the Carson National Forest is in natural resources biological science, which is as all-encompassing as it sounds,” De’Scoville said. “I’ll be working out of the supervisor’s office in Taos, so I
will be available to all the districts to help with their field work. My personal interests are in entomology, botany and dendrology, but this summer, I will gain experience across the gamut of forest management perspectives. I hope to learn about all our different forest types, their plant and animal communities, and what challenges they face.
“While working with the Carson, I will continue at New Mexico Highlands University to pursue a graduate degree in Environmental Science and Management,” she added. “I hope to perform my graduate field research on the Carson, maybe researching the piñon juniper forest, and how different thinning techniques affect resiliency to insects, pathogens and drought.
Both Pathways recipients are transfer students at New Mexico Highlands University, according to the press release, which noted that De’Scoville is nearing completion of her Bachelor’s of Science in Forestry degree. Little is currently a graduate student, having completed her Bachelor’s of Science in Forestry last year, and is now the coordinator of the Northern New Mexico Climate Change Corps program.
A spokesperson said the Carson National Forest is actively trying to recruit individuals for a variety of positions, “from administrative to heavy equipment operators,” all of which are listed on usajobs.gov.
Thirty-one years ago, Francisco “Kiko” Cortez, Carson National Forest wildlife, fish, rare plants program manager, was recruited out of Taos High School for a summer job working on riparian area protection projects. It led him to a lifelong career with the Forest Service.
“Someone took the time to invest in me 31 years ago, and I’ve been returning the favor ever since,” Cortez said. “Recruiting and mentoring is the most enjoyable part of the job. This is about investing in the future of the Forest Service.”