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May 3, 2009 | by Kevin Loughlin
A young Black Bear in my backyard in Promised Land State Park, PA.
Spring migration is here! One of my favorite locations to go birding is in the park in which I spent most of my childhood, Promised Land State Park. I was two weeks old, according to my mom, the first time I went camping — we went to Promised Land. My mom’s stepmother had a cabin in the park which we used now and then, until the summer I turned seven when we bought our own cabin just down the road from hers.
From that point, every summer was spent in Promised Land, unless we were doing one of our cross-country jaunts. Even then, we used our cabin as our staging area, dad commuting on weekends bring forgotten supplies from store or home, until we were ready to take off.
My first Pennsylvania black bear was seen right in my back yard. The first non-backyard bird I identified on my own was down by the lake. I was in the field on an evening when the air was heavy… and these odd birds, like flying cigars, with a distinctive twitter were dashing and darting at eye level. I watched every movement until it was too dark for them to hunt and they disappeared. I ran home and looked in my Peterson’s Field Guide to the Birds, finding the Chimney Swift’s picture and description fit best with what I saw.
For many years I have spent my summer holiday weekends volunteering in the park Memorial Day, Independence Day and Labor Day weekends would find me leading at least two morning birdwalks and a wildlife observation afternoon. Those looking for these popular walks this year, however, will be disappointed. I have chosen to discontinue my volunteer work in the park after one of the rangers chose to treat me and my mother with a total lack of respect and courtesy.
During my younger years, many of the rangers helped in my nature education. I remember Dr. Swann leading walks for amphibians or birds or wildflowers. Even at age 8, I listened intently and savored every word he spoke. Later in my life, Ranger Michael Gadomski became a mentor. He was also an accomplished photographer, so we had much in common. I hold many wonderful memories of time spent in the field with these and other park naturalists over the years. The current park naturalist, Jen Naugle, offers great nature programs for all ages, and I have always enjoyed helping her… and hope to honor her with my help again someday.
However, due to the disrespect of one ranger, and the classless attitude of the park manager when trying to discuss the issue with him (both of whom will remain nameless… for now), I came to the realization that people were no longer a focus of the positions they held. That is why I do not wish to continue as a volunteer representative for them.
A brief explanation. Last spring I loaned my cabin to a group of school students for an overnight. I also allowed them to use my canoe for the day, asking them to not return the canoe to the cabin, but rather when they were done, to leave it locked in the state mooring for which my mother had already paid. I also asked that they place the mooring sticker, which I gave them, on the boat before they left. The sticker was, unfortunately, left in a pocket for the return trip home. I figured I would put it on when I went to the park the following weekend. No big deal, right?
Wrong. A few days before I got back up to the park, the “ranger” in question noticed the canoe did not have the state sticker on it. When she returned to the park office she and looked up the mooring number, she found mom’s name, address and phone number on her computer for the FULLY PAID mooring permit. Did she call to 1) ask if it was our boat? 2) offer a friendly reminder to put the sticker on the boat? NO, instead of calling us (she had the info right in front of her) — a simple gesture of “common” courtesy — she immediately issued a citation in the amount of $227.50 without ever offering the opportunity to rectify the situation!
Being a volunteer, I do not expect special treatment, but I do expect the simple respect and courtesy from those in charge that anyone visiting the park would hope to receive. Instead, the response I encountered when I questioned the citation author was, “I was just doing my job.” A standard copout for a job poorly done by someone who could not care less about doing their job properly. A ranger’s first concern should be the people they claim to protect. We should not be viewed simply as annoyances and dollar signs.
My mom, Ginny Loughlin, holding her state award surrounded by the staff of volunteers, without whom, the Art in the Park program would not exist.
As I mentioned, my mother’s name was on the mooring permit, which had been paid in full. My mother has been volunteering even longer than I. In fact, her weekly summer program was named the BEST program in all 120 Pennsylvania State Parks. The author of the citation claimed that she never heard of my mother. That shows what little pride the ranger takes in her job and her park. She collects her paycheck and does the minimum amount of work to do so. She has no clue what the names of the people who work for no paycheck to make the visitors of Promised Land State Park feel welcome. A job for which this ranger, and the park manager who blew us off when we complained about the citation and the ranger’s attitude, could obviously not care any less. Very, very sad.
I paid the citation. The $227.50 would have been much better spent in other ways, but the ranger in question obviously needed a financial feather in her cap, that was more important to her. Promised Land is still my second home, and I will continue to enjoy the wonderful wildlife in the park. However, until the rangers and park officials take pride in their job and treat the people they are supposed to serve with the respect and courtesy they deserve, I will not assist them as a volunteer.
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How incredibly unfortunate…. Me? Being the obstinate person I can be, would still try and go back and see if there was a simpathetic soul to be found…
And yet, increasingly so, it’s all about the money… I went to a kayaking “class” just a short time ago and the teacher mentioned the fees assessed for various activites, like simply registering your own kayak to enable you to paddle on a lake, when previously, these activities were free….
Maybe we can get some simpathetic legislators to send some state or federal money back to nature….
Costs keep going up, and I don’t mind paying the standard fees… but to charge me $227 just because the sticker, for which they knew I had paid, was not on the boat was just ridiculous!