News : Welcome East Unit Park Ranger!

By Will Souer

Hello, my name is Will Souer and I am the newest Park Ranger for Benton County Conservation. I work primarily out of the river parks: Wildcat, Benton City, and Hoefle-Dulin, but you may see me at any of our properties as I work closely with our other Rangers and conservation staff to provide quality services for all Benton County residents and park users.

I grew up in rural Iowa by Lake Odessa outside of Wapello. My dad worked for the Iowa DNR and ran a taxidermy business out of our house so I was introduced to conservation and wildlife at a young age. I have been told that as a kid whenever Marty Stouffer's Wild America came on PBS I demanded everybody in the house be quiet so I could watch the show without any distractions.

I graduated from the University of Iowa in 2006 and was hired as a Deputy Sheriff by the Johnson County Sheriff's Office later that year. While at the Sheriff's Office I worked in both the jail and patrol divisions, providing general law enforcement and emergency services to the residents of Johnson County.

In 2014 I went back to school at Kirkwood Community College and started working toward a second degree in Parks and Natural Resources. When I wasn't working at the Sheriff's Office or attending class I volunteered as much as I could at the Iowa River Wildlife Unit and for the Bur Oak Land Trust. During my Kirkwood years I also worked as a Park Aide at Palisades-Kepler State Park. The conservation- related experiences at these different places helped me realize my dream was to work in the wild.

In 2016 I was hired by the Johnson County Conservation Board as a Park Ranger and worked there for two years before moving on to the Black Hawk County Conservation Board in 2018. In Black Hawk County I worked as a Park Ranger for a number of years before focusing on land management and habitat restoration type work as a Wildlife Conservationist.

My wife and I currently live in Center Point with our four kids ages 14, 12, 7, and 2 so I couldn't pass up the opportunity to come home and work in Benton County. When not at work most of my free time is spent running kids around to various school sports and music events. I am truly honored to be able to serve and protect the community to which our family belongs.

If you see me out and about in any of the Benton County areas, come say hello. I would love to hear what brings you to the area. Benton County has a lot to offer and I look forward to working with you!