David Casey is the new Dolores Ranger District supervisory forester. Most recently he was on the Santa Fe National Forest, where he was supervisory forester since 2013.
Casey started his federal career in 2010 with the Natural Resources Conservation Service in Eureka, California. He has an interest in burned area emergency response work and holds a bachelor’s degree in forestry/natural resource management from Southern Illinois University.
David and wife, Jessica, have a daughter Eva, 6; and son, Ryder, 1½. Sue, a coonhound, and Ruby, a bloodhound, round out the family. David enjoys cross-country and downhill skiing, hunting and cutting firewood.
“I’m excited to be on a district with several mills that produce a multitude of forest products,” he says.
Andy Bellairs is the new assistant fire engine operator (AFEO), assisting Matt Traynham with daily operations of the E-651 module.
Bellairs was an AFEO on the Dakota Prairie Grasslands in Dickinson, North Dakota. He began his federal career as a seasonal firefighter at the Colombia River Gorge National Scenic Area in Hood River, Oregon. For his first permanent position, he moved to Watford City, North Dakota, as a senior firefighter.
Before his foprest service career, he owned and operated a Blimpie Subs and Salads restaurant in Lansing, Michigan. He also worked for Qwest communications in Denver. He enjoys skiing, biking, hunting, and fishing. He and wife, Desirae, have a black Labrador named Murdoc.
“I lived in Colorado for 10 years and am excited to get back,” Bellairs says. “Working on a grasslands has been an experience for me, but I have always loved the mountains.”
Toni Kelly, Dolores Ranger District visitor information assistant, retires in May after 31 years on the San Juan National Forest. She started on the former Mancos Ranger District in 1985 as a seasonal forestry technician, then recreation technician on the Dolores Ranger District. In the Mancos Ranger District, Kelly also worked as a range technician, outfitter guide administrator and lead fire suppression. In 1996, she was back in Dolores as range technician and outfitter guide administrator. Since 2000, she has served as the visitor information sssistant at the Dolores Public Lands Center.
Early on, Kelly worked seasonally as a BLM river ranger and holiday river expeditions guide in Utah, as a range technician on the Manti La Sal National Forest, and lifeguard and swim coach in California. She also worked on a Montana sheep ranch as lambing manager. She holds a bachelor’s degree in physical education from Chico State University, where she studied post-graduate in range/fire ecology. She also studied animal science at Kansas State University.
Retirement plans include hiking, mountain biking, travel, home improvement and spending time with husband, Tom, another San Juan National Forest retiree, their twins, 24, Sam and Sassy, and new dog, Chip.
Kelly is proud of setting up the visitor lobby/bookstore at the Dolores Office, and helping with the Aspen Guard Station artist in residence program, 2005 centennial celebration, recreation compartment analysis, and various brochures and this newsletter.
Cara Gildar, San Juan National Forest Planner, has left the forest service to study craniosacral therapy and start a practice.
Gildar arrived on the Dolores Ranger District as an ecologist in 2004 and became NEPA planner a year and a half ago. She started her forest service career as a fire lookout on the Flathead National Forest Hungry Horse Ranger District and went on to work as a botanist for the Dakota Prairie Grasslands McKenzie Ranger District.
Gildar looks forward to spending time with family and volunteering at her 6-year-old son Emmett’s school. She enjoys hiking, biking, cross-country skiing, reading, and growing and using edible and medicinal plants.
Gildar is proud of establishing a native plant materials program for the San Juan National Forest and BLM Tres Rios Field Office focused on developing commercial availability of native plants for reclamation and restoration of degraded landscapes.
“We collected and tested over 50 species and found eight that hold promise for commercial production,” she says.
Gildar holds a bachelor’s degree in zoology with a minor in English from the University of Florida, and a master’s in forestry from Northern Arizona University.
“Working for the forest service has been an exciting, challenging and rewarding career,” she says.
