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September 30, 2008 Contact:    Sarah Beckwith    307-347-5207 BLM Director Announces  Cody Area Wins 2008 Rangeland Stewardship Award Accepting the award were (left to right) Cody BLM Field Manager Mike Stewart, BLM Director Jim Caswell, Cody BLM Lead Rangeland/Fuels Management Specialist Jack Mononi, Guardians of the Range Executive Director Kathleen Jachowski, Jerry Altermatt of the Wyoming Game and Fish Department, and grazing permittees Gina and John Anderson of Greybull. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Director Jim Caswell announced that grazing permittees and other stakeholders in the Cody area are winners of the BLM’s 2008 Rangeland Stewardship Award for their collaborative rangeland management efforts. Director Caswell presented the award Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2008 in Twin Falls, Idaho, at a meeting of the rancher-based Public Lands Council. The BLM recognized all of the grazing permittees, as well as various groups and the general public, who have worked with the Bureau’s Cody Field Office staff. This is the first time the BLM has presented this particular award, known as the Rangeland Stewardship Through Collaboration award. "The high level of collaboration in Cody has made a distinct and positive difference in rangeland conditions throughout the area managed by the Cody Field Office," Caswell said. "These dedicated individuals accomplished more as a team than they would have by acting independently from each other. Consequently, this award recognizes the cooperative work of all involved partners." Accepting the award on behalf of a large group of cooperators were grazing permittees John and Gina Anderson of Greybull; Executive Director of Guardians of the Range, Kathleen Jachowski; and Jerry Altermatt of the Wyoming Game and Fish Department. BLM Cody Field Office range, fuels and wildlife staff: Tricia Hatle, Gerald Jech, and Destin Harrell (kneeling); Bryan McKenzie, Mike Stewart, Jack Mononi, and Criss Whalley (standing). Cody BLM Field Manager Mike Stewart and Jack Mononi, Cody BLM lead rangeland/fuels management specialist, also attended the presentation. "The purpose of the award is to recognize the large number of people that helped create a very special success story," Stewart said. "All these stakeholders and partners have done the work to develop and maintain good relationships and to be part of finding the solutions to resource challenges." Mononi added, "The entire Cody Field Office range, fuels, and wildlife staff agree this long term collaborative effort with the partners has resulted in improved land health on a landscape level for all who use and enjoy public lands." The list of stakeholders and partners who worked diligently with the Cody BLM range, fuels, and wildlife staff and are included in this award are Wyoming Game and Fish Department, Natural Resource Conservation Service, Wyoming State Forestry/Lands, Shoshone and Bighorn National Forests, Park County Extension Service, Park and Bighorn County Volunteer Fire Departments, Park and Bighorn County Weed and Pest Districts, Guardians of the Range, Wapiti Ridge Coordinated Resource Management members, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Foundation for North American Wild Sheep, Wyoming Wildlife and Natural Resource Trust Fund, The Nature Conservancy, Water for Wildlife, Friends Of A Legacy, Bighorn Basin Sage Grouse Working Group, grazing permittees, interested publics, and other private landowners and communities.  -BLM-