Staff Spotlight, Krystal Vineyard
Park Ranger Krystal Vineyard
Long Key State Park
Born and raised in Flint, Michigan, Park Ranger Krystal Vineyard has always had a fascination with the biological world. As a young child, she was the one to pick up the snake, peer into the nest or study the leaf pattern. Her desire to learn more about this world led her to earning her Bachelor of Science in Wildlife Biology from the University of Michigan, Flint.
After completing college, Krystal moved to Florida and began serving as a member of the Florida Park Service's AmeriCorp team. She spent time at Ravine Gardens State Park, Dunns Creek State Park and Crystal River Preserve State Park. As a member of AmeriCorp, Krystal was often out in the field working to remove invasive plants from the ecosystem and helping to inform locals on alter-native plants for their yards.
In January 2019, Krystal became a full-time ranger at Long Key State Park. She has been instrumental with the park's ongoing restoration efforts following the 2017 hurricane season. With her natural interest in the plant world, Krystal has also been helping with the continual removal of invasive plant species.
When asked what was the hardest part of living in Florida, she responded with “having to remember there are venomous snakes here, so I can’t just go around picking them up to learn more.”
When Krystal isn’t at the park or trying to not pick up reptiles, she usually can be found with Peanut, her trusty four-legged sidekick.