Forest Reserve Manual

APPOINTMENT.

Head rangers will only be employed in forest reserves where their services, as such, are needed. They will be required to pass an examination tending to show their qualifications, experience, and efficiency in forest work, especially forest surveying, timber estimating, scaling, logging, the methods and principles of general forestry, and ready knowledge of our forest trees.

The salaries paid them will vary, and will be fixed by the Secretary in accordance with the services required and rendered in the reserve where employed.

They will be required to keep one or more saddle horses for their own transportation in the reserves, but they will be allowed traveling expenses wherever their work requires other means of transportation.

They will be suspended or removed by the Secretary of the Interior on established charges.

Examinations for appointment will generally be had at the office of the forest supervisor for the reserve where the head ranger is to be employed. A printed form of set questions, to be approved by the Department, will be furnished the supervisor from which to conduct the examination. Each applicant will be required to write out his answers to the questions in the examination papers in the presence of the supervisor, unaided, and to swear to the same. Upon direction of the Commissioner of the General Land Office, the forest supervisor will set convenient days for examinations. Examinations may also be held, in the discretion of the Commissioner, in places to be designated by him.

DUTIES.

They will act as technical assistants to the forest supervisors, and, as such, will survey and map the reserve areas, and will be given charge of timber cutting in sales and "free use" cases, and will direct the marking, cutting, and scaling of timber, and the cleaning up of the cutting areas, and will inspect cuttings and attend to other reserve work. They will also attend to cases of trespass; and will assist the supervisor in planning the distribution of the rangers and other workers; and, in the absence of the supervisor, will direct the work of the reserve.

STANDING.

Head rangers will be subordinate to the supervisor, but will have the right to advise with that officer, and to originate their own reports, which reports the supervisor will immediately transmit to the Commissioner of the General Land Office.

They will act as superiors to the ordinary rangers and other workers wherever assigned to duty by the supervisor, and will direct the work and movements of all ordinary rangers and workers who may be engaged upon work within the jurisdiction of the head ranger.