The Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forest is four million acres in size. Covering steep, dry The Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forest is four million acres in size. Covering steep, dry canyons in the Salmon River to the moist cedar forests of the Selway drainage, this Forest has provided a copious number of memories for all its visitors since the early 1900s. Even before then, American Indians called this home, long before anyone explored the area. Lewis and Clark took a turn adventuring in this great wilderness, along with fur trappers and eventually gold seekers. 

Since I have come to work on this Forest back in 2020, I quickly learned that this Forest is a generational landscape. By this, I mean that generations of families have been using the resources and recreational values that the Nez Perce-Clearwater has to offer. There is rarely a person I meet out here that does not have some memory or story from a great-great-great (to the tenth power) relative, who reveled in the beauty and greatness that this Forest has.

The emotional connection that so many people have to the Nez Perce-Clearwater is not a foreign idea to me. I began working on this Forest back in 2020 as a member of a wildland fire engine crew on the Lochsa Ranger District. When I first came to the area, I was immensely overwhelmed by the amount of green that was in the area I was going to be living and working in. The fact that there is a large running river outside my door was just absurd to me, considering I come from Arizona. Within a week of being here, I knew I wanted to occupy this area for an exceptionally long time.

So how does any of what I just said tie into what I did during the month of April? Well, I can say that the Forest I am completing my internship with and have worked on previously for the past three seasons has started to become my new family’s generational landscape. Earlier this month, I got married! I went from Sichrovsky, a name that trips up everyone who sees it and rarely does anyone try pronouncing it when meeting me, to Miller. My husband and I met while working on the wildland fire crew on this Forest, so the significance behind the area is held very dear to us, as this is where our love story began and grew.

This past month has been extremely chaotic, but in all the best ways. I have continued to help with the Youth Conservation Corps, assisting in reviewing applications and conducting interviews, as well as help with the Forest’s new Wildfire Crisis: Fire and Fuels Camp for high school juniors within our communities. A lot of time has been spent remotely working, so that I could go back home and marry the love of my life (huge thanks to my supervisor who supported me through this time). I have learned to value and appreciate even more the ability to work in-person and talk with folks face-to-face.

May is looking to be even busier than this month, with exciting opportunities to gain experience, more knowledge, and various public speaking skills. I look most forward to continuing to create the treasured memories that will be passed down to my great-great-great (to the tenth power) family.