New district ranger to take over at Three Rivers

Kootenai National Forest announced this week that Linda Ellett-Fee will take over as the district ranger for the Three Rivers Ranger District in Troy.

Ellett-Fee begins her new position on Monday. She comes to Troy after serving as district ranger for the Republic Ranger District on the Colville National Forest in Washington state. She has been at Colville since 2006, where she also served as acting deputy forest supervisor.

Ellett-Fee said she and her family look forward to relocating to the Troy area.

“I just love the country over there. It’s just beautiful,” she said. “And I was ready for some new challenges. We’re also able to move closer to family, as well. I was really pleased with all three of those things coming together.”

The new challenges, she said, concern wildlife issues, such as that of federally-protected wolves and grizzly bears. She says she looks forward to facilitating discussions between different groups of people.

“We are pleased to have Linda – she brings experience working collaboratively with diverse groups and local communities,” Kootenai National Forest Supervisor Paul Bradford said in a prepared statement. “Her resource background and prior experience as a district ranger will be an asset to the community and forest.”

Ellett-Fee received a bachelor’s degree in forestry management from the University of Idaho, and started her career with the U.S. Forest Service in 1974 as cooperative education student in silviculture. Her 35-year career with the USFS has also included experience in forestry, forest planning, recreation, wilderness and as forest staff officer.

She replaces Mike Herrin, who left this summer for the district ranger job at Ocala National Forest, located north of Orlando, Fla. Cami Winslow, administrative officer at the Kootenai National Forest supervisor’s office, has been taking on the duties in the interim.

Ellett-Fee said she will feel at home in Troy, a community comparable to Republic.

“The town of Republic is similar to Troy as far as the community relying on the natural resources of the forest and having a big base of the county being public land,” she said.

The new district ranger is moving to Troy with her husband and their four children.

“Me and my family are very excited to be able to come over,” she said. “We’re anxious to discover the area and make new friends.”