Elkins, W.Va.– Forest Supervisor Shawn Cochran has selected Elkins native Jon Morgan to serve as the new Cheat-Potomac District Ranger on Monongahela National Forest. Morgan has been the deputy district ranger on the district for the past five years. He began his new position August 2.
“Jon has been a steadfast leader on Monongahela National Forest for many years,” said Cochran. “He brings a diverse skillset, local roots, and institutional knowledge to the district ranger position. I’m proud to have him on our team and look forward to seeing all that he will accomplish as a district ranger.”
Morgan will oversee the management of more than 275,000 acres of National Forest lands in six counties, including a National Recreation Area, three wilderness areas and the highest point in West Virginia, Spruce Knob. In his new role, he will continue to work with communities, landowners, and other organizations on the shared stewardship of Monongahela National Forest.
“I’m honored to serve the American public and the Forest Service as the Cheat-Potomac District Ranger,” said Ranger Morgan. “It has been a pleasure to work on this district over the past five years and I consider it a great privilege to manage and care for this spectacular landscape.”
Morgan grew up in Elkins and has a degree in Civil Engineering from West Virginia University. In addition to his previous work as the deputy district ranger, he was also the North Zone Engineer, based in Parsons. He has held temporary positions as the Gauley District Ranger, the Cheat-Potomac District Ranger, and the administrative officer, all on Monongahela National Forest, and as the Lee District Ranger on the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests.
He resides in Elkins with his wife, Jennifer, and their two children, Grant and Emma.
The mission of the USDA Forest Service and Monongahela National Forest is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of the nation’s forests and grasslands to meet the needs of present and future generations. The agency manages the 193 million acres of National Forest System land, provides stewardship assistance to non-federal forest landowners, and maintains the largest forestry research organization in the world.
For more information about Monongahela National Forest visit http://www.fs.usda.gov/mnf.
