When Carol Boll was a child, she didn’t have the usual dreams of what she wanted to be when she grew up.

She didn’t fantasize about being a ballerina, a teacher or a doctor. She said she only wanted to go outside and play. Little did she know then, that was the thing shaping her future.

Boll was attending college at Ohio University, majoring in botany and outdoor recreation.

“I saw a notice on the bulletin board, ‘Summer jobs in Ironton.’ I said, ‘Oh, I’ll try that.’” Boll spent the summer picking up trash, cleaning bathrooms and helping to create new trails.

She became hooked on forestry at that point and earned a bachelor of science degree in recreation at Ohio State and then went on to receive a master of forestry at West Virginia University.

She has worked in five national forests: Wayne National Forest in Ohio, Hoosier National Forest in Indiana, Huron-Manistee National Forest in Michigan, Bighorn National Forest in Wyoming and Homochitto National Forest in Mississippi.

In Mississippi, she was the recreation program manager for the forest, and much of her work was spent on the budget and legal details.

Now, with 30 years of forestry experience behind her, Boll has returned to Wayne National Forest to assume the position of assistant district ranger.

“Career-wise I took a step backward,” she said. “The last job was mid-management.”

But Boll couldn’t be happier about it. She is blissful to be back in her hometown, living in the house where she grew up. She is spending time with her 88-year-old father and other relatives in the area.

“I finally made it back home and it’s kind of nice,” Boll said.

Another perk of the job change is more interaction with people. That has been her favorite part of what she does but with management much of her time was spent indoors.

“I love conversations with people,” Boll said. She added that this position gives her the chance to help the community environmentally, socially and economically.

“I enjoy anything I can do to make it a more enjoyable place to live. I can do that with this position a little bit more.”

Boll is excited about what her new position will allow her to do.

“Help the area out the best I can in the role that I’m in,” she said. “And go outside and play. What else? It is fun doing my job.”