Theresa Tanner Brings Experience to Her New Role as Cowlitz Valley District Ranger

Posted

Theresa Tanner, the new Cowlitz Valley District ranger, “hit the ground running” after taking over the role on Sept. 26 amid the Goat Rocks Fire, according to a U.S. Forest Service news release announcing her hiring. 

Tanner brings experience as a district ranger, a history of working with partners and a background in natural resources to her new position.

“I am excited to work for the Gifford Pinchot National Forest and our area communities. I’ve been visiting friends and exploring the area for years, and this piece of the Pacific Northwest already feels like home,” Tanner stated in the release.

Tanner most recently served as a district ranger for the George Washington-Jefferson National Forest in western Virginia. Her work there was focused mainly on the services the Forest Service provides its communities and visitors, as well as promoting the diversity and productivity of the Appalachian ecosystem. 



“Theresa’s knowledge as a leader, and her commitment to working with partners, will bring strength to the critical collaborative work occurring on the north end of the Forest,” said Donna Mickley, the acting forest supervisor. 

Tanner has a bachelor’s degree in biology and natural resource management and a master’s degree in fisheries science. She got her start in Alaska where she worked throughout the state for the U.S. Forest Service and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service from 1999 to 2000. While in Alaska, her focus was on fisheries research and management as well as habitat restoration. 

The Cowlitz Valley Ranger District is located in Randle, in the northernmost portion of the Gifford Pinchot National Forest, which comprises about 575,000 acres of forest.