Actress Betty White, 88, was made an honorary member of the Forest Service on Tuesday, November 9, 2010 in a special ceremony held at Washington’s Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. The Forest Service presented her with a badge, a ranger’s Stetson hat and a Smokey Bear toy.

Betty White loves animals and is also dedicated to protecting the forest. White said in an interview with CBS News, the “Wilderness is harder and harder to find these days on this beautiful planet, and we’re abusing our planet to the point of almost no return. In my heart I’ve been a forest ranger all my life, but now I’m official.”

Betty White: aka Forest Ranger (CBS.com News Report)

U.S. Forest Ranger Betty White (ABC.com News Report)