Kurt Steele, the current Deputy Forest Supervisor on the Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests in Idaho, has been named acting Forest Supervisor on the Bitterroot National Forest, replacing Julie King. King recently accepted a new position as the wilderness character monitoring program manager for the Forest Service based in Missoula.
Prior to his current position on the Nez Perce-Clearwater, Kurt served as a District Ranger on the Superior National Forest in Minnesota. He started his Forest Service career in fire on an engine crew on the Umatilla National Forest in Oregon and also was a member of the Frazier Rappel Crew and filled in with the Rouge River Hotshot Crew.
While Kurt has continued to actively engage in wildland fire throughout his career, his first non-fire position was as a forester on the Willamette National Forest. He was also a certified silviculturist, having completed the National Advanced Silviculture Program, and served as the district Silviculturist/NEPA Coordinator on the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest in Georgia.
Steele is from Oregon, and has a BS degree in Natural Resources from Oregon State University, with minors in Forest Management and Fisheries and Wildlife. He was a member of the Oregon State baseball team and later was an undergraduate assistant coach the year the Beavers won the College World Series.
Kurt enjoys almost any outdoor activities, but often concentrates his use on public lands to hunting, fishing, wildlife viewing, camping, hiking, boating, and ATV-ing. He will be starting work in his temporary position on the Bitterroot National Forest the week of October 1st.