Staff Spotlight, Jeff Kane

Staff Spotlight, Jeff Kane

Fort Clinch State Park

One of the special things about Fort Clinch State Park is that the rangers come from many different backgrounds: High-school graduates, college graduates and middle-age retirees all find a home here.  Ranger Jeff Kane is the latter. After spending 35 years behind a desk, he came to Fort Clinch to start the next chapter in his life. 

“Depending on my shift and duties for that day, I can be found anywhere in our 1,400-acre park,” says Jeff as he prepares for another shift. While attending Jacksonville University, he grew to love Florida’s weather and the ability to enjoy the outdoors year-round. “I grew up in Philadelphia and then Ocean City, New Jersey. This is where I fell in love with nature and the outdoors. I could be found hiking, canoeing and camping.”

Retiring from his first career, Jeff began working at Fort Clinch part time at the ranger station, collecting fees and checking in campers while providing customer assistance to whomever he could. When the opportunity to become a park ranger opened up, he jumped at the chance and never looked back.

Jeff loves working as a ranger in the seasonally changing environment, and he enjoys the opportunity to see abundant wildlife in its natural surroundings. As a ranger, Jeff is responsible for a wide variety of things, from resource management to visitor services. But above all else, Jeff wants to make any visitor’s time at Fort Clinch special.