MOTHER LODE TRAILS
  • Home
  • About
  • Contact
  • Volunteer
  • Links
    • Law Enforcement Emergency
    • Federal, State, County Districts Parks & Trails
    • Running Clubs
    • Equestrian Clubs
    • Mt. Bike Clubs
    • Hiking Clubs
    • Trail Advocacy Organizations
    • Phone Numbers State & Federal Parks, Trails & Lands
    • Where to Eat on the Trails
  • News
  • Alerts

Tahoe National Forest Supervisor Tom Quinn Retires on Dec. 31, 2015.

12/27/2015

 
From USFS press release. To read original article CLICK HERE.

After eight years of leading the Tahoe National Forest, Forest Supervisor Tom Quinn will retire at the end of this year. His career with the USDA Forest Service began 35 years ago and took him and his family to multiple forests across the United States.

Quinn grew up in New Jersey and his first job after college was as an urban forester and environmental specialist for the County of Essex in New Jersey. Pursuit of a Master’s Degree in Forest Management and Economics brought Tom and his future wife Sue west to the University of Idaho, where Tom also taught a class in natural resource economics while completing his degree. He later earned a Ph.D. from Michigan State University with a focus on forestry and natural resource management, policy, and economics. In 2008, Tom completed the Senior Executive Fellows Program at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government.

Quinn’s career as a permanent employee with the Forest Service began in 1981 on the Malheur National Forest in Eastern Oregon, followed by a move to the Boise National Forest in Idaho. A subsequent move to the Olympic National Forest in Washington resulted in him serving in a variety of positions, including forest planning team leader, acting staff officer for fire, recreation and special uses, and district ranger on the Hood Canal Ranger District. The Quinn’s first son, Will, was born in Olympia.

In 1991 Quinn became the District Ranger of the Santa Catalina Ranger District on the Coronado National Forest. Six exciting and eventful years saw Tom bring about significant change on this incredibly busy and diverse district on the doorstep of the booming city of Tucson, Arizona. Many partnerships were developed and strengthened during Tom’s tenure, including creation of the Friends of Sabino Canyon, which is still operating as an award-winning Forest Service partner today. The District was recognized as national leader in volunteerism and partnerships. The Quinns’ second son, Michael, arrived toward the end of the family’s time in Tucson.

A move to beautiful Santa Fe, New Mexico, followed, with Quinn serving as forest staff officer overseeing programs in recreation, engineering, lands, minerals, cultural/archaeological resources, NEPA coordination and planning. During his time on the Santa Fe National Forest, he also served in an extended detail as deputy forest supervisor.

Washington D.C. beckoned and Quinn and his young family moved to Maryland where he commuted to the Forest Service National Headquarters. Working in the Programs and Legislation Branch of the Agency, he was engaged with a variety of policy issues, including serving as the national program leader for implementation of an important new law, “The Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act.” Quinn also served on a detail working for the Deputy Chief of the Agency as the budget coordinator for the National Forest System.

After three years in the big city, it was back to the rural West when Quinn was named as the Forest Supervisor for the Stanislaus National Forest in Sonora, California. A challenging and rewarding five years followed as the Forest addressed controversies over motorized and non-motorized use on roads and trails, the future of historic stone dams within the Emigrant Wilderness, and the need to increase the level of management on the vast timber stands of the Stanislaus, along with a wide range of other public land management challenges.

After Will graduated from Sonora High School and went on to UC Davis, Tom, Sue and Michael moved up the Sierra Nevada to their current home above Nevada City, where Tom became the forest supervisor for the Tahoe National Forest. The Tahoe is rightly known as a high-profile, year-round busy forest, with no shortage of resource issues and opportunities. He notes, “Working with our many partners to meet public demands and achieve ecological restoration objectives has made the time fly by. The workforce on the Tahoe is second to none. They are committed to quality public service and sound resource management, and it has been my honor and pleasure to serve as their forest supervisor for the past eight years. I will miss them greatly.” The eight-year period on the Tahoe is the longest time Tom and Sue have spent in one location since leaving New Jersey 38 years ago. “Considering the many beautiful and diverse areas of the country where we have had the pleasure to live, the Sierra Nevada and our local charming and historic communities have been a favorite,” said Quinn.

Quinn leaves big shoes to fill on the Tahoe National Forest. “Tom’s strong leadership is responsible for the Forest’s achievements in ecological restoration, supporting local communities and being a trusted partner in building resilience for nearly one million acres of forestland,” said Eli Ilano, deputy forest supervisor. “His friendship and knowledge will truly be missed by the employees of this forest.”

Quinn’s last day in the office will be December 31. With no immediate plans for returning to a formal job just yet, he plans to spend more time with his family, skiing, improving his golf game and enjoying the year-round outdoor recreation opportunities available in the Tahoe National Forest and Sierra Nevada Mountains.

Picture
Tom Quinn exploring the Sierra Nevadas

Picture
Tom Quinn with his son Will back when he was a Ranger on Santa Catalina District on the Coronado NF.


Comments are closed.

    Trail News

    Visit this page for all of the latest Trail News that affects our area.

    Archives

    February 2025
    August 2024
    September 2023
    June 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    January 2022
    November 2021
    October 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

Home
Contact
 Mother Lode Trails is YOUR local volunteer-run trail information and resource website. Here you can find
up-to-the minute information on trail alerts, links and trail news for Placer,  Yuba, and Nevada counties.
Mother Lode Trails is trademarked.