Our team has been growing! This summer we hired 5 new staff members to this year’s Green Jobs Workforce Program cohort. In addition, we also are hosting an intern from PGE’s Project Zero! These 6 new staff members will be working with FPC in various different capacities, including volunteer work parties! If you see them at an event or out on the trails be sure to say hi and welcome them to the Forest Park community.
Alex Cifuentes-Chavez (he/him)
Conservation Technician
What brought you to work here at the Forest Park Conservancy?
I did an internship at Portland Audubon doing trail work and I realized I liked being outside and I realized I needed to focus on what I wanted to do. I started my math degree but needed to support my family and got a workhouse job. That warehouse carried a lot of flooring material, and I could feel the dust in my lungs. I was really unhappy and not feeling well at all.
Jonathan, another former Audubon intern [and Green Jobs staff member], told me this [the Green Jobs Workforce Program] was a great place to start. I wanted to see what I could do in conservation and another friend told me I could be a Forest Ranger which worked with a lot of what I had been doing. So I applied to the Green Jobs Program to further myself towards that goal.
What will your work focus on while at the Forest Park Conservancy?
I really want to learn more about conservation work. The internship I did was a summer internship, so I only got to do some basic projects which were not enough to get a good feel for the conservation world.
What is your personal favorite place in Forest Park? Is there a part of Forest Park that you have heard about that you want to visit?
I really like the AFP (Ancient Forest Preserve), which is connected to Forest Park but not public. It’s got a lot of different terrains and is more secluded, I like being alone in nature in the peace and quiet where I can go at my own pace. As for where I’d like to visit, just the rest of it [Forest Park]. I’ve been to Macleay and the Wildwood trail and I’ve been provided a map so I can explore the rest of it. I also like places with a bench where you can sit and look at nature.
Corinne Davis (She/her)
Conservation Technician
What brought you to work here at the Forest Park Conservancy?
I found the Green Jobs Workforce Academy and found out about FPC through them. Conservation was always the kind of work I wanted to do, I just didn’t know how to do it.
What will your work focus on while at the Forest Park Conservancy?
Really anything plant related; plant ecology, ethnobotany, restoration, etc. Also, I want to do some education and outreach, especially for young folks so they can build experience and that personal connection to nature that is so important.
What is your personal favorite place in Forest Park? Is there a part of Forest Park that you have heard about that you want to visit?
The Ancient Forest Preserve is probably my favorite part. To be honest, I’ve only visited Forest Park while working in the park, so exploring on my own is the goal rather than any specific location.
Kalium Yazzie (She/they)
Conservation Technician
What brought you to work here at the Forest Park Conservancy?
I was looking to get back into the environmental field, I spent a lot of time in this field as far as my past work and education. It’s so fulfilling to have your work be something you enjoy, so I got back into it because it’s something that won’t make me feel too drained at the end of the day versus something like a corporate job.
What will your work focus on while at the Forest Park Conservancy?
Currently, the Green Jobs team has been preparing for our trip to Alaska. Alaska has really unique terrain that’s difficult to prepare for, so we’ve been working on physical conditioning training and plant identification. Once we get back my position will become more focused on trail work and education.
What is your personal favorite place in Forest Park? Is there a part of Forest Park that you have heard about that you want to visit?
I’ve explored Forest Park mostly from the Germantown area and the Wildwood trail, which is my favorite because it’s most accessible to me and where I frequent. It feels very familiar which is nice.
Riley Guieb (he/him)
Stewardship and Volunteer Coordinator
What brought you to work here at the Forest Park Conservancy?
What brought me to Portland was my Masters program at Lewis and Clark in Studies in Environmental Natural Resource and Energy Law. I was working for USGS at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park after graduating from Grenou College. After the semester ended I needed to find a job, I had experience leading hiking, working with kids, etc. and so I was trying to expand my work in the environmental field.
One thing I don’t have experience with is how the nonprofit sector works in general. FPC provides an opportunity to round out my experience, my resume, my skills, it’s a really good fit. To be honest, I knew nothing about FPC before this job, or Portland in general, I’m a Hawaii kid who came to Portland because I played baseball and that put me through school.
I care about the land back home, lands that are sacred, true native Hawaiian forests that are preserved, taking care of them was more than a job. You feel a connection to the land and a bigger duty than what your job description says. All the experience I’m gathering away from home is so that I can bring it back with me.
What will your work focus on while at the Forest Park Conservancy?
I don’t have concrete goals, but I like the freedom this program offers to develop myself in ways that I choose, this work environment is one where you get what you put into it. I also want to engage with as many people as I can who support Forest Park and the conservancy. I’d like to potentially make new events to engage the public. I love music and think it would be awesome to hold a music event to promote the park.
What is your personal favorite place in Forest Park? Is there a part of Forest Park that you have heard about that you want to visit?
My experience with Forest Park is extremely limited, I’ve been in Portland since December and have been pretty busy since then. But, there was one day Mariah, Brayden, and I went hiking from Lower Macleay to Hoyt Arboretum. We stopped at Pittock Mansion on the way, and the view from Pittock over Portland, where you can see Mt Hood, was so beautiful. You couldn’t ask for a better day on that hike or on the job, I just love hiking with people.
Celine Castillo (she/they)
Conservation and Trails Technician
What brought you to work here at the Forest Park Conservancy?
I wanted to gain more hands-on experience working in the outdoors, and I really loved the mission of FPC as a community-focused organization. The educational element also caught my eye as I could get some education in addition to my training.
What will your work focus on while at the Forest Park Conservancy?
Primarily I’ll be focused on how to maintain and create trails, as well as conservation work. Today we focused on removing invasives and learning about plants, but I’m excited to see what other things I can get to work on.
What is your personal favorite place in Forest Park? Is there a part of Forest Park that you have heard about that you want to visit?
I’m not too familiar with Forest Park, I’ve only been on a few trails so far. I’d also love to take on at least half of the Wildwood Trail, that sounds cool.
Brayden Boyce (he/him)
Project Zero Intern
What brought you to work here at the Forest Park Conservancy?
What brings me to the Conservancy today is the opportunity to work in the forest and bring a good attitude with me to work with the community while spreading knowledge about FPC and its work.
What will your work focus on while at the Forest Park Conservancy?
Mainly trail maintenance, working with the community, and trying to take on leadership roles with the help and guidance of my team.
What is your personal favorite place in Forest Park? Is there a part of Forest Park that you have heard about that you want to visit?
Currently, my favorite place in Forest Park is Fire Lane 7 off of Wildwood. In the future, I want to go towards the Newberry Road and Skyline areas of the park.