Story of a Forest Ranger (1954)
Surprisingly frank overview of what it was like to be a forest ranger during the pre-Silent Spring era. Perhaps most surprising to modern era audiences is the bald assertion that the primary job of the forest ranger is to manage the forest as a resource; for timber, for grazing land, for water, and for recreation. Wildlife "is just another resource" primarily with the emphasis for hunting and fishing. More interest is placed on keeping the forest as a crop to be harvested rather than the over care of the ecosystem.
Granted, many of the activities listed here are still done by the forest service, the emphasis given in this film seem a bit out of place. It should be noted that only one woman in the forest service employ, a fire spotter, is shown. The primary role for most women are wives and daughters of the rangers. Be sure to check out the epulates on the ranger's daughter.
Unfortunately, there is no Yogi Bear or Jellystone Park in this film. Please also note that the print is a bit beat up, so there are some audio breaks in the film.
Creative Commons license: Public Domain