If you have joined us as a volunteer in the last year or so or have seen FPC staff working in the park, chances are you have met, Ahmed.
Ahmed is from Portland and understands how important access and community are to the protection of Forest Park. He joined the FPC staff as a Green Jobs Intern as part of the Green Jobs Training and Internship Program in 2020. Ahmed’s leadership and communications skills made him an invaluable member of the team, and FPC was lucky to keep him on staff into 2021 as in the new Green Jobs Fellowship position.
We are now happy to announce that Ahmed has now taken on the role of Trails and Restoration Manager!
You will still see him at our regular stewardship events and working alongside this year’s Green Jobs Cohort, and he will also be leading our Restoration and Trail Programs throughout the year.
We asked Ahmed a few questions about his new role:
What is one experience from your time with FPC so far that is very memorable?
The moment I am most proud of during my time was learning about retaining rock walls and now putting them into action by installing them in the park. The trails in Forest Park are constantly eroding, and now that I have got the skills (thanks to FPC’s past Trails Manager Ingry!), I am proud that I can help the trails for years to come.
What is one thing you are excited about for the Trails & Restoration Programs?
I’ve been working in the park since I was 16, and my first job was pulling Ivy for No Ivy League. We spent most of our time working in Forest Park, and it’s still something I spend a lot of time on today. It’s important to me that English Ivy isn’t taking over our native plants. I am excited about working with volunteers to help trail improvements such as benching or split rail fencing.