Park Leaders Show : Park Ranger | National Park | State Park | Leadership

  "I really wanted to tell the truth behind the beautiful scenery." In a world of rugged landscapes and unpredictable elements, park rangers and first responders face challenges that test their limits. Sometimes that work can include critical tasks such as searching for missing hikers. Andrea Lankford is a former National Park Service ranger who joins to share her insights on the importance of firefighting and law enforcement in parks.  Andrea's love for the outdoors lead her to study Forestry and Wildlife management at the University of Tennessee. She volunteered for the Forest Service for one summer and ended up going to the Seasonal Law Enforcement Academy in Silva, North Carolina. From there she was hired at Cape Padres National Seashore as seasonal law enforcement park rangers with the National Park Service. She fell in love with the job and ended up working for the Park Service for over a decade.  The opportunity to work in national parks like Zion, Yosemite, and the Grand Canyon, had Andrea face the th