Forrest Davis-Clark
Wilderness Ranger Fellow
Hitch #1: June 7-June 14, 2022
Bitterroot National Forest | Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness
The Wilderness is a place of profound growth, both in the forest around me and within myself. I’m surrounded for countless miles by the earth in its purest form and there’s no place I would rather be.
The days are long and the nights are quiet. There is much time to reflect on how beautifully insignificant we are. Out here, one person is no different than a single drop of rain in the Selway River.
My pack and tools at Bad Luck Creek crossing, Selway Creek Tr. 4
Although our existence alone may seem small, when we come together, we as human beings have the power to make significant change. The opportunity to work with such amazing and inspiring individuals towards the common goal of land conservation is truly a blessing. Work that in the front country may be grueling at times is made enjoyable out here.
The people who work and recreate on these trails for years to come will not know who we are. They will not likely consider the hours of our labor and the sweat we poured in. Rather, they will unknowingly appreciate the ease of travel and the beauty around them. The solitude that Wilderness provides relies on this concept.
To have been so humbled after only one hitch has stoked the fire within me. As the season progresses I am looking forward to exploring new points on our map and the lessons they will provide. My passion for our land and the work that we do grows with every pull of a crosscut saw and swing of an axe. I am able to look at trails through a new lens and for that I am eternally grateful.
Bitterroot National Forest | Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness
Appalachian State University
Major: Parks & Recreation Management; Minor: Criminal Justice
Born in Apex, North Carolina, Forrest was practically raised in the woods. Camping and fishing trips with family and friends were a routine part of his childhood. He studies Parks and Recreation Management at Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina. Through the university, he studied under the State Forestry Service's assistant fire chief, earning an enlightening certification in wildland firefighting. In 2021, Forrest began working as a groundskeeper at a community park in Valle Crucis, NC. Upon graduating, he hopes to work for a public land management agency, doing his part to provide safe and clean recreation spaces for future generations to enjoy.