I've considered going the ranger path as an ecologist. Natural resources are a level deeper than the state. They've outlived and will continue to outlive any particular society. Protecting that is important in a long term sense, ecological degradation can happen rapidly, and sensitive ecosystems can take centuries to heal from damage. Every time we lose biodiversity we lose a wealth of useful genes and adaptations, all while opening ourselves up to runaway feedback loops. Sure they technically have arrest powers, but if the person being arrested is a poacher or destroying alpine tundra then fuck 'em. That's a crime against a hundred generations from now as much as it is the public lands today.
It's that indigenous relationship which has kept me from applying to the National Parks Service or Bureau of Land Management. I don't think they'd put a researcher out on the front lines of a pipeline protest but I wouldn't want to enable coworkers doing that or be under the supervisor who orders it.
My aunt's an ecologist that worked for the feds as a researcher her whole career and I don't think she ever knew anyone that was involved with colonial crackdowns on land defense actions.
There's still a colonial relationship between settler science and the land probably but it's way more indirect than knowing anyone who's putting boots on necks.
Unless you go private practice, where instead of research you'll be rubber stamping EISes that let settler corps continue to do whatever they want.
I've considered going the ranger path as an ecologist. Natural resources are a level deeper than the state. They've outlived and will continue to outlive any particular society. Protecting that is important in a long term sense, ecological degradation can happen rapidly, and sensitive ecosystems can take centuries to heal from damage. Every time we lose biodiversity we lose a wealth of useful genes and adaptations, all while opening ourselves up to runaway feedback loops. Sure they technically have arrest powers, but if the person being arrested is a poacher or destroying alpine tundra then fuck 'em. That's a crime against a hundred generations from now as much as it is the public lands today.
rangers / forest wardens have been widely used to do big racism, but there can be good forest cops tho
It's that indigenous relationship which has kept me from applying to the National Parks Service or Bureau of Land Management. I don't think they'd put a researcher out on the front lines of a pipeline protest but I wouldn't want to enable coworkers doing that or be under the supervisor who orders it.
My aunt's an ecologist that worked for the feds as a researcher her whole career and I don't think she ever knew anyone that was involved with colonial crackdowns on land defense actions.
There's still a colonial relationship between settler science and the land probably but it's way more indirect than knowing anyone who's putting boots on necks.
Unless you go private practice, where instead of research you'll be rubber stamping EISes that let settler corps continue to do whatever they want.