Contact: Jeff Krauss, 202-452-5128

National Public Lands Foundation Honors BLM Employees for Special Professional Achievement

Washington, D.C. – Bureau of Land Management Director Jim Caswell paid tribute to two BLM employees today at a Washington, D.C., reception held by the Public Lands Foundation, which presented national awards to the recipients for their dedication and professionalism in public lands management.

Karen Rice, who is the Associate District Manager for the Idaho Falls District, was the Foundation’s Outstanding Public Lands Professional Technician for 2008. The award recognizes Ms. Rice’s work for over 10 years on project oversight that protected wildlife habitat and promoted responsible recreational activities along the South Fork of the Snake River and in the Henrys Lake Area of Critical Environmental Concerns.

The Public Lands Foundation also honored Ramona Chinn, Deputy State Director for Alaska Lands, as its Outstanding Public Lands Professional Manager for 2008. The award acknowledges Ms. Chinn’s tremendous initiative and leadership, which reinvigorated the Alaska Land Transfer Program and increased her division’s productivity.

Public Lands Foundation President George Lea described the national awards, now in their 21st year, as recognition for actions by professional public land technicians and managers that "constitute special professional achievement, courage, and not simply good performance."

The two awardees’ achievements will be permanently inscribed on the "Hall of Fame Award" plaque at the BLM headquarters in Washington, D.C.

"This is another example of professional career employees’ willingness to chart a new direction in protecting and enhancing natural resources," Lea said. "We had many nominations for this award this year, and it is unfortunate that we cannot recognize them all in this manner."

The Public Lands Foundation is the only national membership organization dedicated solely to the protection and perpetuation of the National System of Public Lands under the administration of the BLM. It is a national nonprofit conservation organization whose members are primarily retired and active BLM employees. The full text and photos today’s events and other information on all Foundation programs and concepts can be found on the Internet at www.publicland.org.

The BLM manages more land – 256 million acres – than any other Federal agency. This land, known as the National System of Public Lands, is primarily located in 12 Western states, including Alaska. The Bureau, with a budget of about $1 billion, also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. The BLM’s multiple-use mission is to sustain the health and productivity of the public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations. The Bureau accomplishes this by managing such activities as outdoor recreation, livestock grazing, mineral development, and energy production, and by conserving natural, historical, cultural, and other resources on public lands.