A Greatness of Spirit: Tales of Extraordinary Rangers at the Heart of California's State Park System

A compelling chronicle of 14 remarkable men and women rangers in California's Department of Parks and Recreation who deliberately focused their talents as "field" rangers within one state park - making that landscape a special place. They taught thousands of school children and led numerous interpretive programs. They flew airplanes, rafted whitewater rivers, and snowshoed the wilderness in order to make parks safe for visitors. They jumped out of helicopters to help sustain endangered species populations. They wrote books, stories, and poems to help the public understand parks. Some rangers served in groundbreaking roles - within a Department that encouraged them to achieve lofty goals, creating a blueprint for future successes. All 14 heroes accomplished positive change. As self-taught experts on their local region and its natural and cultural history, they achieved miracles while honoring the highest standards of public service - protecting our state parks and serving park visitors. Although it was serious work, they were able to share a little humor and fun along the way.