Hispanic Employees

The first Hispanic employees of the U.S. Forest Service date back to the earliest days of the forest reserves, well before the agency took its current name or structure. Alfredo Ortega was hired as a seasonal patrolman in 1898, and in 1900 J.D. Reyes was hired to year-round employment as the Cuyama District Ranger on what is now the Los Padres National Forest in California.

These pages highlight a few of these Hispanic Forest Service employees, their accomplishments, and their early and long-lasting contributions to the agency.