01 Dec A day in my postion as a Law enforcemnt intern

Since I have checked in last, my work location has changed. I am currently working on the Fishlake National Forest in South Central Utah.

The Fishlake National Forest is about 1.5 million acres of land where as the previous Boise National Forest was about 2.5 million acres. Although these two forests are very different in terms of their ecosystems, there are a lot of consistencies in the day to day operations.

One of those consistencies is that everyday is different than the last. No two days look exactly the same. A lot of time is also spent patrolling the forest making sure people are being safe and following the rules and laws that are set by the government. We will also spend time at the office responding to emails and answering phone calls from coworkers regarding things taking place on the forest. I help with writing violation and warning notices and inputting them into the system as well. I have also had the opportunity to assist on an investigation in the backcountry at a Native American artifact site, which I found very interesting.

Here on the Fishlake OHV, or off highway vehicle recreation, is a popular way to explore and get around. Numerous trails for riding can be found on all of the districts within the forest. That being said there are rules that the riders and recreators have to abide too. We spend a good amount of time patrolling the forest looking for people who are not following the rules and regulations set by the Forest Service. Some common issues are riding off trail and doing damage to the natural resources, along with riding on roads that are closed. By going to high use areas we can ensure the closed road gates have not been touched, along with evaluating damage as we see it.

Removing timber and firewood from the forest is not only a hobby but for some it is their job. Anytime a recreator or a company removes any wood products off the forest, they have to have a permit and the proper tags that say they are allowed to do so. Most firewood tags require that they be posted on the wood whenever it is in transport. As we speak, the Christmas season is coming up quickly, the Fishlake offers its recreators to purchase a Christmas tree permit, which is a tradition for many families here. Right now we also spend time talking to people and checking to see if they have the proper paperwork. So far it has been very rewarding and exciting getting to work with great people and work in amazing places.