OJAI : U. S. Forest Service Worker Wins Honor

A longtime U. S. Forest Service official who says he never expects a pat on the back for a job he loves has been named “Host of the Year” by his colleagues.

John Boggs, recreation assistant in the Ojai Ranger District of Los Padres National Forest, was chosen for the award over candidates representing all 18 national forests in California.

“While there are many Forest Service employees statewide who may qualify for the award, none is more deserving than John,” Ojai Ranger District Manager Ron Bassett said in a statement.

The Forest Service first hired Boggs in late 1969 when he had just left the Air Force. Initially, Boggs helped clear brush from streams and stabilize soil in the Ojai Ranger District after floods earlier that year. The job later developed into a career for Boggs, who over the next two decades built trails in Los Padres National Forest, helped with fire prevention and worked with youth conservation groups and criminal offenders referred to the district for work.

As a recreation assistant, Boggs is responsible for maintaining the forest’s trails and developing new ones. He also organizes projects for various organizations, including Eagle Scout candidates. The Ojai Ranger District oversees about 330,000 acres of the 1.9 million acres in the national forest.

Boggs said the best part of his job is the fresh air and beautiful scenery. “People who don’t hike miss an awful lot of life,” the 46-year-old Oak View resident said. “When you hike, you have respect for what you see. The geological formations are overwhelming.”

Boggs said he didn’t know that he had been nominated.

“I don’t worry if somebody gets recognition. I just keep doing my job,” Boggs said. “I never expect a pat on the back because it may never come.”