How to Become a Park Ranger in Maryland

Are you interested in how to become a park ranger in Maryland? Here, we have created at outline of the Maryland Park Ranger Training and Degree Requirements just for you!

Maryland’s park rangers have served in the state’s parks for 30 years and are generally called law enforcement professionals. Recently, the DNR has be changing the way park rangers train and will no longer be able to begin full time park rangers duties on at the start of their employment.

Nominees for Maryland park ranger must demonstrate abilities, accomplishments and strong abilities. Maryland’s park rangers are accountable for shielding the natural and historic resources of Maryland; and participating in instruction, management, enforcement, and conservation.

Maryland Park Ranger Requirements

Educational and Experience requirements to develop into a national park ranger in Maryland are correctly met through one of these possibilities:

Complete one year of specialized experience in the GS-4 level associated with natural science education, conservation management, environmental education, parks and recreation, or similar area -secondary education

OR

Finish a Bachelor’s degree in a discipline associated with parks and conservation or recreation management.

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Meet Fundamental Necessities – Essential conditions that must be met by applicants for Maryland park ranger occupations are the following:

• Readiness to work all hours, including weekends, evenings and vacations, and on call status
• US citizenship or legal resident
• Valid Maryland driver’s license
• High school graduate or equivalent

Experience

The seasonal park ranger work in the state of Maryland is abundant in the summer and spring, requiring no specialized instruction or expertise. These positions are a great way to earn experience that will lead to full time employment, but keep in mind that full time positions have educational and experience requirements that need to be satisfied. In some cases, education and work experience can substitute each other.

All managerial positions will require at least a Bachelor’s degree in natural science, history, natural resources management or a related field.

Supervisor positions also required three years of managerial experience. Education and experience can swap out with one another with one year of education equaling one year of work experience.

Discover online park ranger educational opportunities in Maryland that are a match for you!

Maryland Park Ranger Training

There is a lot of work that must be done before one can be officially called a professional Maryland Park Ranger.

Required training includes the following:

• Pass an inservice test on Park Ranger History and Maryland Park Service
• Become certified through  a 40-hour entry level inservice training
• Finish two Incident Command classes
• Attend Seasonal Interpretation School, interpretive in-service Scales & Tales courses or alternative training that is associated in cultural, natural and historical interpretation
• Finish the NAI Certified Interpretive Host learning visitor and hospitality service abilities
• Entire Ranger School, Operations School or Stewardship School
• Finish three Professional Care Workshops
• Entire a six-hour Voluntary Compliance Lessons
• Optional trainings mandatory (must exhibit competence in at least five spaces):
  • EMT certificate
  • Red Cross Lifeguard Management Certificate class
  • the Hunter Safety Instructor lessons and instruct one class per year
  • the Boating Safety Instructor lessons and instruct one class per year
  • Wildland Fire Training class
  • ACA Canoe Certificate class
  • Limit Direction expertise
  • Certified Interpretive Guide/Trainer class of the National Interpretive Certificate
  • Resource management
  • Make NO Trace class
  • Basics of Search and Rescue direction grade class
  • Pesticide Applicator class and maintain permit
  • Water Treatment Tech maintain permit and class
  • Heavy Equipment Operator licensure class and maintain permit

In-service training can be found through the state in a variety of parks such as the following (but not restricted to):

• Edgmere, North Point State Park
• Upper Marlboro, Merkle Wildlife Sanctuary
• Owings Mills, soldier’s Joy
• Boonsboro, Greenbrier State Park

Maryland National Parks

There are 28 national parks in the state of Maryland, all of which hire federal park rangers.

A few of the parks are:

• Piscataway Park – situated in Accokeek, the park is home a lot of wildlife including bald eagles and ospreys, foxes, deer, and beavers. It is also the location of the National Colonial Farm
• Fort McHenry – situated in Baltimore, this national monument run by the National Park Service inspired Francis Scott Key to compose “The Star Spangled Banner” after watching the Battle of Baltimore and also the blue, white and red colours within the star shaped fort in September 1814
• Antietam National Battlefield – positioned in Sharpsburg, this was the site of the Battle of Antietam which happened on September 17, 1862 during the Civil War, and resulted in 23,000 soldiers gone lost or killed, wounded

Salary Information for Park Rangers in Maryland

Park Rangers in Maryland take home a great salary while pursuing a fulfilling career protecting the land of his or her state. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average Park Ranger in the state of Maryland make a median salary of $60,340 per year.