Plains graduate named as Ninemile District Ranger
Danielle Switalski
Chad Benson, a graduate from Plains High School, was selected as the new Ninemile District Ranger after a stint as the District Ranger on the Powell Ranger District of the Clearwater National Forest in Idaho.
Benson was born and raised in Plains, graduating from Plains High School in 1993. Benson grew up in a Forest Service family, his father retired from the Plains/Thompson Falls Ranger District, and Benson himself worked his first Forest Service job with the Lolo National Forest as a seasonal firefighter with the same ranger district as his father in 1994.
After high school, Benson attended college at Montana Tech of the University of Montana in Butte in 1998, receiving a Bachelor of Science in Engineering Science, while working with the Forest Service as he worked towards his college degree.
“Growing up in that culture developed a sense of respect for the land, to be expected when you’re subjected to it everyday of your childhood. Those experiences mean a lot when your growing up and ultimately set your life course and core values,” said Benson of his time growing up in Plains.
Benson was hired as a Project Manager/Engineer for a construction company in Salt Lake City post graduation from college, where he worked until 2001. Benson then served as a Civil Engineer from 2001 to 2002 with the Kootenai National Forest at the Cabinet Ranger Station in Trout Creek before moving on to working with the Lolo National Forest in Missoula in 2002.
Adding to the long list of his career accomplishments, Benson accepted the District Ranger position in 2006 on the Powell Ranger District of the Clearwater National Forest.
Benson is bringing experience to the table as he begins his new position as the Ninemile District Ranger.
“I would really like to continue building relationships that foster a sense of community with all the surrounding neighbors of the Ninemile Ranger District. It’s a challenging job to balance everybody’s wants and needs in the National Forest, along with the needs of the land and, oh yes, add in the continually changing laws, regulations and national directions,” said Benson of his new position.
Benson said what it all boils down to in order to keep the National Forests healthy for future generations to enjoy, is for the District Ranger’s office to be a good steward and make tough decisions and social compromises, meaning they must manage ecological processes to the best of their knowledge and ability.
“We have learned a lot over the past 100 years, and continue to learn and adapt,” said Benson. “Hands off management is not the answer because we have too many values at risk that are also very important to our society. Along the way, if we can responsibly utilize the renewable by-products resulting from forest management to strengthen our local communities, then that’s the right thing to do.”
Benson said that he is looking forward to interacting with the communities, partners, individuals and stakeholders who have an interest in the Ninemile Ranger District in the hopes to build on a mutual effort needed to manage the area.
Benson began his new position on December 21.