Interim DEC commissioner celebrates forest ranger recruits’ swearing-in

Sean Mahar addresses future forest rangers at Wanakena ceremony

By Tom French

Interim DEC Commissioner Sean Mahar visited Wanakena in St. Lawrence County to address New York State Forest Ranger recruits as part of their swearing-in ceremony on June 7 at the SUNY ESF Ranger School. It was Mahar’s fifth visit to the Adirondacks since being appointed to the interim position in April. Mahar was also present for the kick off of the 100th anniversary of the Northville Placid Trail and a tree planting ceremony in Saranac Lake as part of the governor’s 25 million tree initiative.

Basil Seggos departed from the position after almost nine years. According to the governor’s office, a national search for his replacement is ongoing.

Contrary to perhaps popular belief, the SUNY ESF Ranger School has not historically been the site of Forest Ranger Training. The first academy that utilized the Ranger School Campus (and the ESF facilities in Newcomb) was also in 2022.

Training academy roots for rangers and ECOs

The Forest Ranger Academy has roots to the 1970s when more rigorous training was introduced for the historic “Game Protectors” and “Fire Wardens.” The position of Environmental Conservation Officer (ECO) was created with 1971 legislation, and various duties were delineated between ECOs and Forest Rangers. 

The DEC’s Division of Forest Protection is responsible for the Ranger Academy. Until recently, training for Rangers and ECOs was mostly conducted jointly at the Basic School for Uniformed Officers at the DEC Division of Law Enforcement Training Academy in Pulaski, New York, but beginning in 2022, the programs were separated. 

“Our curriculums and disciplines are different enough that it was more conducive to conduct the academies separately,” said Training Captain William Giraud,   The Forest Ranger Academy includes more extensive training in areas such as wildfire management, various rescue scenarios from swiftwater/flood to vertical rope, fighting wildland fires, and backcountry survival.

Both Forest Rangers and ECOs are duly appointed New York State Police Officers though with different responsibilities. “A big part of our Forest Ranger duties are stewardship of state lands and protection of the people using the land,” said Giraud.

The ECO portfolio includes enforcing conservation laws from poaching to pollution and the black-market pet trade. 

This year’s class of recruits

This year, more than 50 recruits are enrolled statewide in two six-month academies, with nine participating in Wanakena’s ranger academy, which began on May 19.

In prepared remarks, Mahar acknowledged the transitions occurring within the DEC and pointed out the number of “acting titles” within the current leadership, “but what helps us work through this transition is in this room today – the next generation of Team DEC.”

The recruits are joining “more than a century legacy of individuals who have helped keep our forests and public safe. I hope you feel that legacy and the connection to something broader,” said Mahar. He stressed the importance of training in the Adirondack Park. “You are primary stewards and need to feel a connection to the Adirondacks, the wilderness, the people, and the places that you will spend a lot of time enjoying and protecting.”

Mahar’s rise in DEC leadership

Mahar was raised in the Albany area, graduated from Siena College, and worked for Audubon New York for 14 years before being hired as communications director for the DEC in 2015. He has also served as assistant commissioner of public affairs and chief of staff. He was appointed executive deputy commissioner in 2021.

As interim commissioner, Mahar said he will be “continuing to grow the team” as the governor’s office works to find a new commissioner and the agency transitions through post-pandemic and leadership changes. “We have hundreds of new people coming into the DEC, so creating that infrastructure to help them feel welcomed and part of something whole is really where my focus is. I want to make sure this agency succeeds in the future with the right people in the right places.”

Mahar recognized the importance of local government in the Adirondacks and “the partnerships we have that are critical to the work we do. We’re looking forward to deepening those relationships and advancing collaborative projects to make the Adirondacks welcoming to hikers and outdoor adventurists as we continue to manage where people are going in the park – to balance what the park has to offer while protecting the natural resources of the park.”

How to get involved

Successful recruits will graduate in December. Individuals interested in pursuing a career as a NYS Forest Ranger can find more information at https://dec.ny.gov/about/employment/explore-career-descriptions/forest-ranger-1. The next Civil Service exam to qualify is in September. The deadline to register is Aug. 14.

Photo at top: Interim DEC Commissioner Sean Mahar speaking to New York State Forest Ranger Recruits during their Swearing In Ceremony on June 7 at the SUNY ESF Ranger School in Wanakena.  Nine recruits, including two ESF Ranger School graduates, will receive training in wildfire management, various rescue scenarios, fighting wildland fires, and backcountry survival. Photo by Tom French