Twenty-three years after serving as a member of the Sawtooth Hotshot Crew, Doug Gochnour is returning to familiar ground.
The Idaho native has been named the acting forest supervisor for the Sawtooth National Forest to replace Ruth Monahan, who has been promoted to director of recreation lands and minerals for the Forest Service's Alaska region.
"I am excited to spend the remainder of this summer and fall working with the public and employees on the challenges facing the Sawtooth," Gochnour said. "I am fairly familiar with the Sawtooth, having spent a lot of personal time here backpacking, fishing and as a member of the Sawtooth Hotshot Crew back in 1973."
Gochnour, who was born in Burley and went to high school and college in Boise, is currently the district ranger for the Idaho City Ranger District of the Boise National Forest, which abuts the Sawtooth National Forest's western edge. His 24-year Forest Service career includes stints as a smokejumper, fire research and management, ski area and wild and scenic rivers planner, and forest planner. He's served in Alaska, southern Colorado, northern Idaho, North Dakota and Oregon.
Gochnour's position with the Sawtooth National Forest will last until mid-November when a permanent replacement for Monahan will be selected. Ed Waldapfel, spokesman for the Sawtooth National Forest, could not comment on whether Gochnour is being considered for the position.
"I think it's pretty exciting having a guy come back to this forest who was born in this area and is familiar with the forest," Waldapfel said. "There is so much going on here on the Sawtooth that it's helpful to bring someone in from outside so staff can continue working on things occupying our time."
Aside from fighting wildfires, which remains the staff's primary focus, other major activities in the Sawtooth National Forest include fuels reduction, livestock grazing and the revision of the forest travel management plan, which is about to enter its third year.
Doug Gochnour, an Idaho native, is returning to the Sawtooth National Forest, where he worked 20 years ago as a firefighter. He will serve as acting forest supervisor while a replacement for departing Supervisor Ruth Monahan is sought. Courtesy photo.
