06 Mar Month 1 in the USFS Pacific Northwest Office of Communications and Community Engagement

As I wrap up my first month with the USFS there is lots to reflect on! From working remote to learning the Forest Service language to time management, there is plenty I have learned this month and lots more to go!

Remote Work

To begin, remote work has certainly been the biggest obstacle for me so far. Although it is amazing to be able to chef up breakfast and lunch from the kitchen of my home during work breaks, it has been difficult being inside working all day. The first obstacle was getting my hands on my government laptop to even begin my work! (See my work-from-home setup below!) Working from home has allowed me to get into a routine quite quickly in my new job. I have continued to develop my skills in time management and independent work, which are both quite important. I am looking forward to continuing to work from home as it does allow for lots of flexibility!

Communications and Community Engagement

With my background being mainly in research and fieldwork, entering the Pacific Northwest Office of Communications and Community Engagement is both new and exciting for me! Learning about how communications and community engagement work in the Forest Service has been very cool! It is more important than you would expect. What has been most exciting to me is learning about the ways partnerships with local agencies are managed. These partnerships are vital to carrying out the Forest Service’s mission, and you can truly tell how big of an impact this work has on the audience. I have also gotten the opportunity to sit in on lots of public affairs meetings. This is something I did not realize was a massively important part of the Forest Service and really any government agency. Seeing the ways people communicate with each other, both internally and externally is something I am really looking forward to continuing to learn about it.

Keeping the Land We Manage in Mind

Something else I have been thinking about as I have begun working in communications is ways to keep the land the forest service manages in mind, even when we are not working directly on our National Forest Land. I am used to being a bit more hands-on, coming from doing research, however, the work I am doing with the Office of Communication and Community Engagement is extremely important to the Forest Service running smoothly. One way I have remained in touch with the Forest Service’s true mission of caring for the land is just simply getting outside. Last weekend, I journeyed to the Oregon Coast, specifically the Siuslaw National Forest. It was really rewarding to get outside and explore the lands that the Forest Service works so hard to manage. I found myself looking at my outdoor adventures in a different light, knowing some of the behind-the-scenes of how the land is managed. It was also just amazing to get outside after a long week of working from home. I do hope to continue to explore the National Forests managed by the USFS.

Future

Overall, I am enjoying my time in the USFS, but I do still feel super new! This next week, I am going to be going to Seaside, Oregon to help run the Region 6 New Employee Orientation. I am looking forward to meeting some of my coworkers in person and getting some more hands-on experience! So, until next time!