We are the Junior Forest Rangers
and this is Our Future. Our Responsibility.
The idea of a "Ranger Assistant Program" began in 1964. The goal was to offer young people an introduction to various aspects of forestry in Alberta and create an opportunity for transition into the newly formed forestry school at the Hinton Training Centre. With that in mind, Dr. Peter Murphy started the program which became the Junior Forest Rangers (JFR) in 1965.
What is JFR?
The JFR program is an incredible summer employment opportunity for high school students in Alberta, as well as post-secondary students or graduates from across the country (and beyond). JFR is a provincially run program under the Ministry of Forestry and Parks. We have up to 9 crews stationed in the 10 different forest areas across the province. Each crew consists of a Crew Leader, Sub Leader, and 6 Crew Members. Our crews live on an Alberta Wildfire base, and every day they take part in a wide variety of hands-on work projects and educational opportunities. For a general overview of the JFR Program, check out the 6 W's of JFR
JFR Program Objectives:
1. To give participants an opportunity to develop career skills in natural resource management.
2. To perform useful and meaningful project work in natural resource management.
3. To promote personal development, inter-personal development and leadership skills.
4. To give participants career awareness by providing opportunities to meet natural resource professionals and visit their worksites.
5. To engage and explore traditional practices from elders and community leaders, including traditional medicine harvesting, ceremonies and protocols.
Meet the Team
The JFR program's headquarters are located in Edmonton, AB. We are a team of three with support from the ten different forest areas.
JFR Program Specialist - Trevor Nichols (He/Him)
Hi! I have been involved with the JFR program for a total of 7 years. I started in this position in 2016 and it has been an incredible journey. I have a lovely wife, two awesome daughters and two doggos, am a huge bird nerd, love video editing and wildlife photography, avid hiker/camper, and play D&D. I love my job as I get to include many of my hobbies into different aspects of JFR. I have met so many incredible people in this program and continue to do so every year. If you have any questions, feel free to reach me at trevor.nichols@gov.ab.ca. Hiy Hiy!
JFR ProgramAssistant - Sandy Klassen (She/Her)
Hello! My name is Sandy; I have a Bachelor of Science Degree in Biology. I love being out in nature, hiking and camping. I also enjoy gardening, reading and painting. I have worked with JFR in previous years as a Leader, and I'm excited to step into the Program Assistant position this season to get an opportunity to peek behind the curtain and learn how to create an amazing summer for our crew members. I can't wait to hear how everyone's summer went!
JFR Program Assistant - Leonora (She/Her)
Hello, lovely humans! My name is Leonora, and I am so excited to join the JFR team! During the 2024 season, I had the honor of being a JFR crew leader for the Whitecourt/Fox Creek crew, which was an incredibly rewarding experience, filled with fantastic moments!
I love ditching cellphone reception and spending time outdoors, whether it's doing something chill like reading a book in my hammock or climbing a mountain. I enjoy backpacking, camping, mountain biking, hiking, paddleboarding, swimming, traveling, volunteering, and playing board games.
I’m super grateful for this opportunity and very excited to continue being part of JFR, learning and developing new skills, having fun, and making long-lasting, good memories!
Crew Leaders
Each year we hire 14 - 18 Crew Leaders and Sub Leaders to supervise and support our Crew Members through the summer. Check out our staff for the 2025 leadership team here.