Sal Covarrubias

Forest Restoration Technician

Born in the coastal town of San Pedro, California, Sal grew up in the city. At 12, he moved to Tennessee and later attended the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. He started college as a Civil Engineer but quickly switched over to Forestry having grown to love the mountains and all things nature. While in college he began to appreciate the complexity of various ecosystems and their dependence on fire. Having graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Forestry, focusing on Restoration and Conservation he immediately went on to pursue his passion for fire. Sal traveled back to his home state to work on a fire crew in Whitethorn, California. After spending the summer fighting fires and getting lost in the Coastal Redwoods, he began to miss the Appalachian Mountains and wanted to return. In the spring of 2024, Sal found EcoForesters and has since made WNC his home. Outside of work, Sal enjoys running further and faster than he should, watching Star Wars, building Legos, eating, and relaxing.