Become a Wisconsin conservation warden; DNR hosting information session March 24

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is recruiting for its next class of conservation wardens. Discover what it takes to pursue a career in conservation law enforcement at a virtual information session at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, March 24.

DNR conservation wardens are credentialed law enforcement officers who work across the state enforcing natural resource and recreation safety laws, educating the public on conservation topics and providing law enforcement services on state parks, forests and trails. The application period will open in April 2021.

Since 1879, conservation wardens have been proudly protecting the people and natural resources of Wisconsin. DNR conservation wardens are on patrol statewide day and night, investigating natural resource-related violations and ensuring the safety of everyone who enjoys the outdoors.

Join DNR Wardens Vong Xiong and Amanda Kretschmer to learn about a day in the life of a warden and the specialized knowledge needed to become a strong candidate in the recruiting process. The virtual information session will also include a Q& A session.

Born in a refugee camp in Thailand, Warden Xiong became a DNR conservation warden in 2016.

“What we do now is going to set a precedence of expectations regarding how we conserve our natural resources for the future,” Xiong said. “My best day as a warden is knowing I made a difference. Nothing lasts forever if you don’t take care of it, and that’s why I became a Wisconsin conservation warden.”

A native of Burlington, Kretschmer became a DNR conservation warden in 2016. She came to the warden service with a lifelong love of the outdoors and a genuine appreciation of urban and rural communities.

“Wisconsin is a terrific state for outdoor recreational opportunities along with a variety of natural resources,” Kretschmer said. “Every day, I look forward to working with different communities and doing the public service that this career is known for. Each day is different.”

The department encourages anyone with a passion for helping people and protecting natural resources to apply. The DNR is committed to creating a culture of inclusivity, building trusting relationships and thoughtfully engaging and serving our diverse public.

“We want the conservation warden service to look like Wisconsin’s population, and that means reflecting diversity,” said DNR Training Director Capt. Cara Kamke. “We have an effective training program to help newly-hired staff find success in this unique career, and we hire people from a wide variety of backgrounds.”

DNR conservation wardens also work cooperatively with other law enforcement and public safety agencies at the local, state and federal level on law enforcement and emergency response initiatives. Conservation wardens also respond to natural disasters and public safety emergencies.

Information sessions are not mandatory, and anyone interested in applying who meets the DNR’s minimum requirements is encouraged to submit an application. The information provided during these sessions are beneficial for understanding the recruitment process.

Learn more about this remarkable career at https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/ WardenRecruitment.