Posted for Nancy Yearout
RE/MAX Properties of the Summit, Breckenridge, Colorado
nyearout@colorado.net
http://www.realestate-breckenridge.net
#Breckenridge, Colorado
An Arizona district ranger is relocating to Colorado's High Country to take over
as deputy forest supervisor of the White River National Forest.
Heather
Provencio, a 22-year veteran of the U.S. Forest Service, will step into the new
role as second in command of the local forest in June.
“It's a whole new
level of leadership for me,” Provencio said.
The move will be a change
of climate for Provencio, who is currently a district ranger in the arid climate
of the Coconino National Forest in Sedona, Ariz. She also served as acting
forest supervisor in Oregon and was at one point a staff archeologist in the
southwestern United States.
She will be based in Glenwood Springs.
“I am delighted to welcome Heather to the White River National Forest,”
forest supervisor Scott Fitzwilliams stated in a recent release on the
appointment. “She brings a wealth of experience on a wide variety of natural
resource management issues and has demonstrated outstanding success working with
communities and partners throughout her career.”
Provencio will join a
staff managing a much busier forest — with roughly 11 million annual visitors
compared with 2.5 million in Coconino — facing a historic drought, a pine beetle
epidemic, a tight budget and the threat of catastrophic wildfire.
She
says she's ready for the challenges.
“There are a lot of great people on
the White River National Forest who are going to help get me up to speed on
those issues and challenges, so I'll be starting out doing a lot of listening,”
Provencio said. “I'm at my best when I'm pushed and I'm challenged. I like
working with teams and groups to figure out those solutions.”
Provencio
has bachelor's and master's degrees in anthropology from Northern Arizona
University. She has experience managing large, complex recreation programs.
She said she has long been a visitor to Colorado forests and loves
outdoor activities including hiking and skiing.
Courtesy of the Summit Daily News
