Fred’s conservation awareness was influenced by annual childhood trips through most of the iconic national parks and forests of the West. A developing interest in the outdoors led him to obtain a B.S. degree in Natural Resources Management from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. After graduation, he was fortunate to obtain a position with the National Park Service (NPS) at Petrified Forest National Park, which was the beginning of an extensive NPS career spanning nine national park units and roles as diverse as field technician, park ranger, resource specialist, stewardship division chief, and park superintendent.
Fred has experience in biological monitoring, species recovery, and carrying out conservation plans for sensitive and federally threatened species such as Montezuma quail, Mexican spotted owl, black-tailed prairie dogs, and the Guadalupe Mountains violet. His accomplishments also include managing teams of volunteers to restore native vegetation restoration and control exotic plants.
He served as liaison with native tribes and joint stewardship of sacred landscapes from North Dakota to Texas and the Southwest. His position at Zion National Park brought him to Southwest Utah in 2011 and he has enjoyed volunteering volunteered and contributing to Conserve Southwest Utah projects since 2017.
Fred enjoys travel, photography, cooking, hiking, camping, and exploring public lands!