On Assateague Island, wild horses gallop over dunes, seals rest on beaches, and migrating shorebirds take refuge in salt marshes. This barrier island, made of sand deposited by waves, lies off the coasts of Maryland and Virginia. Each year, millions of people visit Assateague, which is home to a national wildlife refuge, a national seashore, and a state park. The island’s parks are just a few of the thousands of state and national parks, seashores, forests, and historic sites across the country. These areas provide visitors with places to explore nature and engage in many kinds of outdoor recreation.
Park rangers protect the natural beauty of these sites for all to enjoy. Managing them includes everything from helping campers to rescuing wildlife. Chris Gleason-Smuck has worked as a ranger in Maryland state parks, including on Assateague, for more than a decade. Currently, he’s a park ranger supervisor at Maryland’s North Point State Park and Hart-Miller Island State Park, where he oversees 2,419 acres near Chesapeake Bay. Gleason-Smuck spoke with Science World about what it’s like to care for public lands.