New Flathead Forest head eager to learn

When Chip Weber, the new superintendent of Flathead National Forest, starts work on May 10, he'll already have a full agenda before him. Learning about the community and the employees of the Forest. Learning about resources. Determining long-term goals for the Forest. And having fun in a new playground.

"The land excites me and the opportunity to work with all of the resources that are out there," Weber said. "[The Flathead Forest] is a complex and challenging place."

Weber is leaving his position as Middle Fork district ranger in Willamette National Forest in Oregon, where he has worked for more than five years. He has had a 24-year career with the U.S. Forest Service.

The ranger learned to love the woods at a young age vacationing in the Adirondacks in upstate New York. Hailing from New Jersey, Weber also spent time camping in New England throughout his youth.

"As a child I thought I'd become an outfitter," he said. "But this has turned out to be a wonderful career."

Weber earned a Bachelor of Science in forest management from Oregon State and a master's degree from the University of Washington in forest ecology and silviculture. While in school, he had summer jobs in the Forest Service's Region Six, which includes Willamette.

Weber worked on a temporary ecology crew in the Siskiyou, Rogue and Umpqua national forests and as lead botanist in the Silver Fire Recovery Project.

"The Siskiyou National Forest has a fire-drive ecology, like the Flathead," Weber said.

He learned how fire can be applied as a vegetation management tool. With a strong background in fire ecology, he also learned there are times to let a fire burn and times to suppress it.

Weber has gained an appreciation for the beauty of the nation's diverse national forests.

"Popping up through the clouds in Siskiyou, there were islands of mountaintops, like coming up through the surface of the ocean," he said.

Following the post at the Silver Fire Recovery Project, Weber worked as supervisory forester, silviculturist and ecologist in the Illinois Valley Ranger District, once again in Siskiyou. Then he moved to Hoosier National Forest in Indiana, where he worked as a natural resource specialist.

Weber recalls that in Hoosier, one of the smallest national forests, he did a little bit of everything, including work with fisheries and special uses.

"It was a great learning experience," he said. "It broadened my understanding of things. I like the adventure of learning a new place and experiencing new people."

Weber described memories of farms nestled against hickory stands.

"The pastoral setting calmed you and made you appreciate the out-of-doors," he said.

From Hoosier, Weber relocated to the Tongass National Forest Wrangell Ranger District in Alaska.

"I have been a ranger a long time and I have had the good fortune to manage large and busy districts," Weber said. The Tongass covers about 1.7 million acres, while the Willamette covers roughly 750,000 acres.

"On the Tongass, I'd get in a floatplane to fly to remote islands. We'd be flying through the clouds, they'd part, and you could see a wonderful landscape unfold in front of you."

Weber told of watching killer whales from boat and watching a humpback whale and calf surface just feet from where he sat.

"It was frightening and awesome."

In the midst of this busy career, Weber married his wife Susan, who also has a career with the forest service. The couple has two adult daughters. Weber said he enjoys fishing, hunting, exploring new environments and cross-country skiing.

This diverse experience places Weber in a position to take the helm of the Flathead Forest, from which current superintendent Cathy Barbouletos is retiring. But as varied as his experiences in America's wilds have been, Weber is confident that his people skills make him right for the job.

"I'm really extroverted. I enjoy spending time with the public and with people working on the forest," he said.

Weber said his first goal as superintendent is to learn about the resources of the Flathead, but also about employees and people who recreate on the land. He looks forward to collaborative involvement with the public.

"I want to be of service to people who use the Forest," he said. "I don't think you become a good problem solver until you've spent time listening to people's interests in the place you work."

Weber said his second goal is to determine a long-term vision for the Flathead. He said he plans to learn about oil and gas leasing. He's interested in grizzly recovery.

"It's a noble cause to recover a listed species," he said.

Additionally, Weber is impressed with the Forest itself. He said Barbouletos accomplished much during her tenure.

"It's an absolutely amazing place," he said. "I want to work collectively with employees and people who use the Forest. Once I understand the issues, I'll resolve the issues as I move forward. The people and the agency inspire me daily. I have never had a day I didn't get up looking forward to going to work."