Every day is a new adventure for Milton’s Outdoor Recreation Supervisor Jen Young.
Young, better known as Ranger Jen, wears many hats in her role connecting the community with the outdoors. Residents can find Young in her office, outdoors exploring, walking or sketching in her notebook.
Her journey with the great outdoors began when she as a little girl. Young lived in a small town in central Michigan, just off a river. She spent most of her days outdoors in the woods.
“Back in the early ’90s, when we didn't have technology like we do now, you were forced outside, so I took to it,” Young said.
She took her love for the outdoors and got a degree in Parks, Recreation and Leisure Studies from Central Michigan University. She continued on to get her masters in higher education and leadership from Armstrong State University.
After moving to Georgia in 2008, she worked 10 years as a program director and youth development director at the YMCA in Atlanta.
While living in the city during the COVID-19 pandemic, Young realized she wanted to get back to her roots.
“So out of a necessity for myself, I wanted to be plugged into nature more,” Young said.
Shortly after the pandemic, Young learned of an opening for a new role at the City of Milton. In March 2023, Young became Milton’s first outdoor recreation supervisor.
“I was so passionate,” Young said. “I was like, I want to be in these parks.”
Though she has an official title, she goes by Ranger Jen in the community.
“It was more on a necessity of helping the public understand what I do,” Young said.
Young’s routine varies. Each week, she spends about 10 hours in the parks, walking the trails and doing trail maintenance inspection reports, seven hours in meetings, five hours with the public in the parks and five to seven hours doing programming.
“I never want to stop meeting with the public about things,” Young said.
The most important part of her job is engaging residents in what nature has to offer.
In the past two years, Young has created programs to help teach the community. The programs include an adventure camp, her Wildlife 101 series on YouTube and the Junior Ranger program, which allows young residents to explore, learn and love nature. With no cost to participate, children can follow through a workbook available online.
Once the workbook is complete, the Junior Ranger will be celebrated and presented with a wooden badge at the monthly Parks and Recreation Advisory Board meeting.
For older residents who want to learn virtually, Young also created the Wildlife 101 series.
“It was out of necessity of the public calling me about the things they were seeing in their yard, and there's no one that's an expert in everything,” Young said.
So, Young created her YouTube series where she invites experts to dive into specific topics. The series has explored frogs, fisheries and injured and orphaned wildlife.
“Anybody can reach it, whether they're in Milton or not,” Young said.
For those looking to get plugged into nature, Young recommends getting involved in one of her programs.
“That's going to be more for the kids, but it's going to rub off on the parents,” Young said.
She also puts on several events throughout the year, including hikes for families.
Young encourages residents to check out one of the many parks Milton has to offer, including Providence Park, Birmingham Park and Lakhapani Preserve.
“I think Providence is a park that has everything,” Young said. “It has a bathroom, it has an ADA trail [and] it has pier and pond at the end.”
Through all her work, Young’s passion for the outdoors shines. She said that she is working to make nature accessible for everyone.
“I'm a firm believer in parks are for all,” Young said. “That it's not just those that are privileged or live a certain life that get to have access to green space.”
She wants to spread the word about the value of nature.
“I want everyone to have some connection to the outdoors where they don't feel intimidated, where they feel that they belong there, because the more we disconnect from nature, the more it's going to disappear,” Young said. “If you value something in nature, you're going to be more likely to advocate for it.”
So far, Young sees this happening in the city. She will receive phone calls from concerned citizens wanting to get involved to help preserve parks.
“I'm creating a movement,” Young said.
Through the past two years Young has received immense feedback and engagement from the community.
“It’s humbling to have people so bought in to something that I am fully invested in, and to see their eyes light up as I'm telling a story really passionate about,” Young said. “It feels rewarding in that way, but it also is like, who knows where that's going to go.”
Young, always curious, wants to share in learning experiences with residents.
She hopes to create a program that teaches children about different nature topics and professionals, to help inspire them about nature.
“I feel blessed to have this job, because not many of these jobs exist, so I don't take it for granted,” Young said.
To learn more about how to volunteer or get in contact with Ranger Jen, visit the City of Milton website.
