Staff Spotlight, Jodi Tanner
Park Ranger, Jodi Tanner
Washington Oaks Gardens State Park
Jodi Tanner exemplifies the story of many park service employees. She has become a great asset to our team, and is always motivated to learn. Jodi’s natural curiosity has led her to finding her niche in our parks, and we are so happy to have her on our team! Here is what Jodi has to say about her park experience.
“After graduating high school in 2011, I began looking for a job where I could build a career. I knew I wanted to go with conservation, I just didn’t know how. I started volunteering at Washington Oaks Gardens State Park in 2015, and immediately fell in love. Gardening had been a long-time hobby of mine, and a job with the Florida Park Service was a perfect fit for my long-term goal. I made my way from volunteer, to OPS Ranger, to Career Service full time ranger in early summer of 2017. Every day is different and provides new opportunities for learning and growth. I have developed a passion for birding and exotic plant species control since starting, and this has influenced me to start pursuing a degree in biology so that I can continue to protect our natural resources. The most exciting aspect of my job is the opportunity to preserve the variety of plants and animals that call Florida home, so that future generations can enjoy and learn about them in their natural habitats.“