David describes himself as a “Military Brat” who lived in various places throughout the U.S. and foreign countries. Virginia, California, North Carolina, Texas and Great Britain, to name a few.
The beach has always been a draw for David. In 2021, he moved from Virginia to Naples, FL, where he then secured a Park Ranger position at Delnor-Wiggins State Park.
While at Delnor-Wiggins, David became certified in sea-turtle surveying. This included documenting the status of nesting sea turtles. His other duties included visitor compliance checks, public safety checks, routine park maintenance and roving interpretation. David enjoys teaching park visitors the importance of environmental stewardship to enhance the well-being of Florida’s fragile ecosystems.
David joined the hardworking team at Collier-Seminole State Park in the summer of 2025 to broaden his knowledge and experience in resource management. His prescribed fire certification for burn crew includes I-100, L-180, S-130 and S-190.
At Collier-Seminole, David assists staff and volunteers with landscaping and beautification of the campgrounds, roadways, trails and areas around the Boat Basin.
Working in the Ranger Station, he graciously answers visitor questions about the park amenities and trails while managing camper check-ins and day-use entry.
Vehicle maintenance is but one of David’s strong suits. He enjoys repairing park vehicles. He is a bit of a Jack-of-all-trades. He built a small table for the park’s 2-way base station used at the Ranger Station.
David has assumed the role of Safety Officer for Collier-Seminole. He is certified in First Aid & CSR.
Other certifications include heavy equipment operations, invasive plant species management, Archeological Resource Management and Chainsaw Operations & Safety.
David enjoys fall’s cooler weather activities such as hunting and hiking.
Potlucks are a favorite, along with park seasonal events such as Sungazing and Stargazing.
On David’s off time, you can find David on the water boating and fishing. He has plans to develop a fishing program and to organize a fishing tournament.
A future goal for David is to be promoted to Assistant Park Manager with the Florida Park Service.
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