ASPEN — Scott Snelson has been named the new Aspen-Sopris District ranger, the U.S. Forest Service announced Wednesday.

Snelson will take the district's top post on March 29, according to the White River National Forest supervisor's office. He currently is the forest staff officer for Fish, Watershed and Soils in the Tongass National Forest, working out of Sitka, Alaska. In that position, he guides resource protection and restoration for the 17-million-acre temperate rain forest.

Snelson is filling a position vacated by Irene Davidson, who transferred in October. Snelson said in a prepared statement that he and his family, as avid outdoor enthusiasts, are excited about moving to the Roaring Fork Valley to do the things they love, like skiing, hiking, camping, fishing and hunting. He and his wife, Heidi, have two daughters — one in college and one in high school.

“I am honored and humbled by the opportunity to be part of the Aspen and Sopris Ranger Districts,” Snelson said. “The rich and mature partnerships that are already formed and the passion for the White River National Forest from the folks [who] live there and the people serving with the Forest Service are already apparent to me. I am looking forward to being part of this amazing community and landscape.”