Name: Norm Benson

Occupation: Writer

Years of Service with California Department of Forest and Fire Protection (CDF): 31

I left CDF and State service in June of 2004 on a long-planned retirement and I haven't looked back. I just wondered "What's next?" During my years with the State I had thought that the doings of foresters in CDF carried  nascent stories.  I didn't know where to begin.

My last gig with CDF was as the Forest Manager for Boggs Mountain Demonstration State Forest. I administered 3,500 acres of ponderosa and mixed conifer forest for the people of California. There is only a small part-time staff during the summer. For most of the year, it was just one guy. I was responsible for the timber, recreation, budget, road layout, maintenance and design, demonstrations and experiments, planning, law enforcement, timber sales, and other forest functions. As the Forest Manager, I was required to be a Peace Officer under section 830.2 of the California Penal Code. In addition to that, there were assignments to emergency incidents such as wildland fires.

While at BMDSF I started the group that became the non-profit Friends of Boggs Mountain. They are a good bunch of folks who could use your support.

Before that I was responsible for developing and coordinating resource management training for CDF. And before that, I was the Asst. Forest Manager at Mountain Home Demonstration State Forest in the Sierras, north of Yosemite.

My B.S. degree is in Forestry from Humboldt State University and I'm a Registered Professional Forester with the state of California (RPF #1918).

I'm married with two terrific sons from my first marriage. They are 25 and 24, and live in Scotland and San Francisco, respectively.

To stay fit, I enjoy hiking, jogging and aerobic exercise. I have finished several half-marathons. I have hiked to the top of Half-Dome and back (17 mile round trip) several times.

In May of 2003, my wife Mary and I attended a fundraiser for the Petaluma High School Library Boosters Club and met a writer sitting quietly signing copies of her books. Sarah Andrews writes the Em Hansen mystery novels. Her protagonist, Em Hansen, is a forensic geologist. I got to chatting about the stuff I did and Sarah said, "Sounds like you've got a book in you--why don't you join my writers' group?" and Timber Beast was born. I'd been thinking for years that I'd like to write a book someday.  And hey, if a geologist can solve mysteries, then by gum so could a dirt forester.