U.S. Forest Service Ranger for the Ninemile District, Erin Phelps, stepped down from her position in July. She moved back to Idaho to be closer to family. Ann Hadlow has been temporarily promoted to District Ranger until the position can be permanently filled, said Sara Mayben, Acting Forest Supervisor for the Lolo National Forest.

Phelps joined the Ninemile District in 2015, and was hired at the same time as current Superior District Ranger Carole Johnson.

“I’m sad to see her go,” said Johnson of Phelps’ departure. “We both started our ranger careers at the same time but in different districts. We had forged a good partnership and I’ll miss her.”

Mayben, who is filling in for Forest Supervisor Tim Garcia, said the hiring process to replace Phelps will take four to six months.

“We will have hopefully selected the new ranger by mid-December,” she said.

Garcia is currently serving as a Deputy Regional Forester in the Forest Service Region Five in Vallejo, Calif. He began his new assignment on April 1, 2018.

Phelps is a native of Idaho and began her land management career as a seasonal wildland firefighter, and worked on projects in Flagstaff, Ariz., and in Washington, D.C., before taking the position with the Ninemile District.