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| Department of Environmental Conservation |
Forest Rangers Charged with Protecting New York's Communities and Natural Resources
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Amanda Lefton welcomed 17 new graduates from the 25th Basic School for New York State Forest Rangers. As part of DEC’s Division of Forest Protection, New York State Forest Rangers protect natural resources and public safety and stand ready to support out-of-state emergencies, like wildfires and flooding. The ceremony held in Lake Placid this afternoon celebrated graduates from across New York State who followed extensive law enforcement and natural resources training in the classroom and in the field.
“I am thrilled to bring on 17 brave new Forest Rangers into the DEC family,” Commissioner Lefton said. “Over the past six months, these Forest Rangers and their families made tremendous sacrifices to make this day possible. Their skills and dedication will carry them as they pursue this noble career protecting our resources and positively changing the trajectory of other people’s lives. I wish them success as they begin this next chapter with DEC.”
DEC Deputy Commissioner for Public Protection Melinda Seiden said, “Forest Rangers patrol more than five million acres of land and do it all hours of the day and night to keep people safe. I am excited to add these 17 Rangers to our ranks.”
For the last six months, recruits endured strenuous training at the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry campus in the hamlet of Wanakena and the Huntington Wildlife Forest in the town of Newcomb. The Division of Forest Protection trained the Ranger recruits in a wide range of rescue techniques, including rope rescues, and led extensive training in wildfire suppression, prescribed burns, water rescues, and wildlife protection, among other skills. The 17 graduates will join the State's Forest Ranger force for a total of 161 Rangers statewide.
Upon graduation, DEC assigns recruits to patrol areas to join the ranks of Forest Rangers currently serving across the state. In 2025, DEC Forest Rangers conducted 362 search and rescue missions, extinguished 202 wildfires covering nearly 840 acres, participated in 68 prescribed fires that served to rejuvenate 1,649 acres of land, and worked on cases that resulted in more than 1,100 tickets or arrests.
Below is the list of graduates from DEC’s 25th Basic School for Forest Rangers:
Joshua Betts – Highland, Ulster County
Jack Caulfield – Massapequa, Nassau County
Ian Dill – Morris, Otsego County
Ethan Engel – Peru, Clinton County
Tucker Griffin – Niskayuna, Schenectady County
Griffen Johnson – Rome, Oneida County
Isaac Knapp – Stanfordville, Dutchess County
Ian Lupole – Kirkwood, Broome County
Alison MacCue – Croghan, Lewis County
Kaylynn Massa – Freehold, Greene County
Brian McMahon – Spencerport, Monroe County
Jacob Owen – Allegany, Cattaraugus County
Jeremy Patnode – Chateaugay, Franklin County
Mitchell Rigano – North Chili, Monroe County
Nathan Ryan – East Greenbush, Rensselaer County
Timothy Sarno – Kinderhook, Columbia County
Samantha Severing – Livingston Manor, Sullivan County
For more information about New York State Forest Rangers, visit DEC’s website at https://dec.ny.gov/
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