Chat with Ranger Dave Thomas
Our conversation this month is with Dave Thomas, the volunteer coordinator for the CRNRA. If you’ve volunteered in the park, then you’ve likely met Dave. Between monthly volunteer events, corporate volunteer outings, trainings, VIP meetings and more, he is definitely a busy person! He loves working with volunteers in the park and the freedom of his job.
How did you get involved with the National Park Service?
While attending school in Tucson, I really got into caving. There were mines everywhere to explore. Later when traveling to Florida, I stopped at Carlsbad Caverns and loved it. After an internship there, I applied to the NPS.
Are the volunteer activities for CRNRA similar to those at other parks?
The volunteer activities are primarily focused on maintaining the 66 miles of trails throughout the park. Activities like trail maintenance or picking up trash are more physical than education programs or helping in a store.
With the pandemic easing, are volunteer activities returning to pre-pandemic levels?
Until earlier this year, there were masking requirements and limitations on the number of participants, so it’s definitely easier now. Without these restrictions, we are able to schedule larger training sessions and VIP meetings in-person, as well as more volunteer events.
So for 2023, the outlook is promising?
In October, we had a high school cleanup, and in November there is a native plant restoration project. It would be great to have more of these types of events in 2023, in addition to the monthly scheduled volunteer events. Plus, there are a growing number of corporate events!
Written by Mark Sauer
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