From the time she was a young girl running around the forest, Sarah Rueger knew that she wanted a career that would put her in the outdoors. Rueger describes herself as a lover of nature and all things rustic. So when she was offered a full-time position as a naturalist and technician here in Wright County, she jumped at the opportunity and has been loving it ever since.
Rueger grew up in Hubbard, Iowa and went to high school at South Hamilton. Throughout her childhood, it was hard to keep her indoors. She explained that her dad owns 60 acres of wooded area that she would tromp around in as a kid. From that, she developed an affinity for the environment, conservation and all outdoor activities. Rueger spent her youth biking, skiing, and kayaking.
When she attended college, she decided to put those passions to work and pursue a forestry degree. She attended Iowa State University and finished her bachelor’s this past spring. During this time, Rueger said she was fortunate to be able to pursue some interesting internships, including time spent with the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation and the Minnesota DNR. She also assisted graduate students at ISU with research projects.
After she graduated this past May, Rueger was set on a finding a job that would allow her to chase her passion for the outdoors and work hands-on. She applied for a seasonal position with the Wright County Conservation Department for summer help. Needless to say, the summer went well, so well, that the county wanted to keep her on permanently. Wright County Conservation Director Bruce Lindner said they are excited to have Rueger on board. “We got a chance to watch her develop for four or five months in the position, and it went great.” Although a naturalist position hasn’t existed in the county for a while, the position was revived for Rueger.
She has only been at it for a few months, and she is already hard at work. Rueger explained that her duties vary greatly from day to day as a naturalist. A big part of the job involves education. “I plan programs for the schools and community, usually for the kids.” For instance, she recently helped kids at the Clarion Library build at-home composters with worms. She has visited the Eagle Grove and Belmond-Klemme school districts with her animal pelts to chat about wildlife and natural history. Rueger emphasized that one of her goals is to “make nature interesting and get kids excited about the outdoors so they’ll grow up and want to take care of it too.”
She is also trying to branch out and reach parts of the community that may not have a chance to enjoy nature as much. Last week, Rueger visited the Clarion Wellness and Rehabilitation Center to make painted wooden “cookie” ornaments. This was a first for a conservation employee. Rueger said both she and the residents enjoyed the activity.
When she’s not performing her naturalist duties, another part of her job involves technician work. Rueger said she often jumps in alongside the other conservation guys and especially enjoys helping out with wildlife area maintenance. “I love taking care of the land and doing hard work,” she stresses.
Lindner is impressed with what Rueger has accomplished in her short time with the county. He said, “We like her ambition. She’s not afraid to try anything new, whether it’s the education part of the job or grabbing a big ole chainsaw and helping out.” He adds that he has been hearing great reports from the community about her work so far.
Rueger does not plan to slow down as winter nears. She hopes to rarely be found at her desk and instead be out and about in the county sharing her passion for the outdoors. She affirms, “I want to use my position to reach out to the surrounding communities and get them talking about conservation and the environment.” From all reports, people are already talking and have only good things to say about her.
