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PROFESSIONAL AWARDS PROGRAM

Editor - Tom Allen - tjccinnv@ctnis.com

HISTORY

In 1989, the members of the Foundation decided to encourage and recognize exceptional and outstanding work of BLM Employees, through a nomination process by their supervisors and peers. An annual Professional Manager award was established. This program was followed by an annual Posthumous/Distinguished Honor Award in 1993, and by a Professional Technician Award program in 1995. In 2000, the posthumous award criteria was expanded to allow consideration of living retired BLM employees, and the name of the award was changed to Outstanding Lifetime Service Award. Special awards are granted for exceptional displays of performance.

Award Recipients

Outstanding Public Land Professional Managers/Managerial-Administrative

Outstanding Public Land Professional Technicial/Operational

* Bill Baker, Theresa Hanley, Andy Payne, Joe Russell, Glen Burkhardt, John Sabala, Curtis Jensen and Dennis Smith

Outstanding Public Land Professional Group Award

2001-- Garth (David) Squires, Dwayne Anddrews, Bill Milton, Miles City, MT Field Office

Lifetime Service Award

BLM 50th Anniversary Decadal Awards were made in 1996

PLF Volunteer of the Year Award to recognize outstanding efforts on behalf of the Foundation.

2000 - Gary Bauer- Special Posthumous Recognition Award

A Special Onetime Founder's Award was given to President George Lea, VA. - 1998,

Lifetime Service Awards -- 2007

PLF presented Lifetime Service Awards to Irving Senzel (posthumously), Bill Leavell, and Delmar Vail (see pictures)  Irving Senzel was the BLM’s Assistant Director for Legislation and Plans when he retired in 1975.  His daughter Louise on behalf of the Senzel family accepted the award.  Bill Leavell served the BLM in various field locations, in Washington, D.C., and as District Manager at Price, Utah, and State Director in Oregon/Washington.   Del Vail was District Manager at Cedar City, Utah; the Folsom and California Desert Districts in California; the Denver Service Center Director, and State Director in Idaho.  The citations for the recipients are printed in the Monitor.

Awards Presented at 2007 PLF Annual Meeting

Louise Senzel receiving the Life Time Achievement Award in honor of her father Irving Senzel from George Lea, President of PLF

Del Vail Receiving the Life Time Achievement Award from Matt Millenbach

Ed Spang Receiving Bill Leavell's Life Time Achievement Award from George Lea

Barbara Guest Receiving the Volunteer of the Year Award from George Lea-(The PLF Volunteer of the Year Award was given to Barbara Guest for her work in helping plan, organize and conduct this Annual Meeting )

LIFETIME SERVICE AWARDS:

J. Russell "Russ" Penny - Outstanding Lifetime Achievement Award (Posthumously) for 2004 with the following citation:

The Public Land Foundation grants to J. Russell "Russ" Penny, posthumously, it's Outstanding Lifetime Achievement Award. The foundation provides this Award annually to deserving current or deceased members who have perpetuated and enhanced the proud tradition of public service. Russ exemplifies that tradition through a lifetime of managing and protection of the Nation's Public Land Resources and other service for the public good.

Russ devoted 36 years of his adult life to service to his country. He was a pioneer in the development of the grazing program. He started in 1937 in what is now Wyoming's Rock Springs District as Range Examiner for the Interior Department's Division of Grazing. He was instrumental in getting the Advisory Board system off the ground in that District. Stationed in Kemmerer, he negotiated early range line agreements. He moved the District Office from Green River to Rock Springs. In late 1943 he joined the Marine Corps and served until 1946. On his return he was assigned to the Regional Office in Billings. Among his many other assignments he was tasked to develop a work plan for the region. This was a first effort for BLM and laid out work load, costs and personnel by District. It was very well received. Russ attended Harvard University during the 1950-51 school year. With a Masters Degree in Public Administration in hand he joined the Washington Office Division of Range Management. His work on regulations and legislation influenced Bureau wide operations. He was also the senior author of a published History of the Advisory Board and Grazing District System, co-authored by Director Marion Clawson.

When Russ left Washington D.C. in 1954 he started his career as a State Director. He was the first to have that position in Idaho. He later served in Montana, Nevada and California. He was skilled at dealing with user groups, politicians and the Washington hierarchy. He had knack for juding people and their skills. He made sure his people were well developed and challenged to reach their full potential. He took a keen interest in all the resources he was charged with managing. Attention getting fire events seemed to follow him. The Idaho 1956 fire season, the Sieben Fire in Montana, Charleston Mountain and the 1964 Elko Fire Storm. Each of these events motivated Russ to push for better equipment, better training and better followup rehabilitation to protect the soil and vegetative resource. Even as the Elko Fires were burning he was developing a soil stabilization rehabilitation program. He followed up with securing the funding to get the job done. Perhaps the Crown Jewel in his career was his work on the California Desert that would bring protection and management to that National Ecosystem Treasure.

The Public Land Foundation is honored to recognize Russ with this Award.

Posthumous Lifetime Service Award

Mark E. Lawrence, Sr. was born January 29, 1910 in Missoula, Montana and died December 19, 1997 in Medfol:d, Oregon. His life was devoted to many public service causes, including the proper management of the nation's public lands in four different agencies. He attended public schools in Missoula and following his graduationl from Missoula County High School in June, 1929, attended and graduated fron the University of Montana with a Botany degree In June 1934, While attending the university, he began his natural resource management training by working as a trail crew laborer, fire lookout and seen area mapper in the Clearwater and Selway National Forests in northern Idaho during the summers of 1930-1933.

He began his natural resource management career in June 1934 as a Blister Rust Checker with the U.S. Forest Service at Noxon, Montana and also worked as a Boundary Surveyor and Timber Cruiser on National Forests in both western Montana and northern Idaho. During the winter and spring of 1935, while doing post graduate studies in Botany at the University of Montana, he passed the Junior Range Examiner exam and was assigned as a trainee with the Soil Conservation Service In Pullman, Washington in June 1935. In July 1935. he became a Technical Forman (Forestry) with the SCS Range Section and participated in range reconnaisances of the Fort Hall Indian Reservation in Idaho and public lands in northern Malheur County, Oregon near Beulah. In September. 1935 he became . CCC instructor at SCS Camp 0-8 at Beulah where he served until March 1936. At this time he was transferred to Pocatello, Idaho where he continued to serve as a CCC Instructor at SCS Camp I-6 for two years. During his time at Pocatello, he married Alice A. Brunson. of Missou1a, Montana his wife of 61 years.. In March 1938, he was appointed as a Range Surveyor and transferred to the SCS Mobile Range Survey Crew that was headquartered at Spokane, Washington. From 1938 until September 1940. he was involved in completing range surveys on Indian reservations for the Bureau of Indian Affairs and on public lands administered by the U .S.Grazing Service in Oregon, Washington and Idaho. Of particular note, was the crew's completion of the first cooperative survey with the Grazing Service of Oregon's Bonanza Grazing District #1 (now part of the Lakeview District). Completed in April 1939, it was done under a 1937 Memanndum of Understanding between the Secretary's of Interior and Agrriculture.

In November 1940, due to employee reassignments between the Departments of Agiculture and Interior he was one of four members of the SCS Mobile Survey Crew transferred to the Grazing Service at Pocatello, Idaho. After serving as a Range Surveyor at Pocatello in March 1941 he was transferred to Burley, Idaho where he served as a Range Examiner under District Grazier Scoop March. During his time at Burley, he was also assigned to the squaw Butte Range Experiment Station in Oregon where he and Howard Delano completed the facility's first range survey. In October 1942, he took a six month leave of absence from the Grazing Service to assist with World War II training efforts, and swerved as a civilian hydraulics instructor for fighter planes at the U>S. Army Air Corps Technical Training Command in Lincoln, Nebraska. In March 1942, he returned to the Grazing Service at Shoshone, Idaho as a Range Examiner under District Grazier, Jack Keith until May 1946.

During the "McCarnn Vacation" that began in May 1946. he was detailed to the U.S. Department of Justice to complete range surveys of the former Utee Indian hunting grounds in the vicinity of Grand Junction and Rifle, Colorado. Following the reorganization of the Grazing Service into the Bureau of Land Management, he was reassigned from the detail as a Range Examiner in January 1947, and became a charter member of the BLM at Shoshone, Idaho under District Range Manager Jack Keith. He remained in Shoshone setting up grazing administration until July 1949, when he transferred to the Vale, Oregon District and worked under District Range Managers Martin Galt and A. K. Hansen. In 1952 he served as chief of party for the range survey of the Soldier Creek Grazing Unit near Jordan Valley, Oregon. As with many range surveys it was controversial with the ranchers but was upheld by the Hearings Examiner during the range adjudication hearings that followed. One of the recommendations of the survey was to improve forage and range conditions through range rehabilitation practices that were later implemented during the Vale Project. During this time, he also served as a range survey instructor for new range conservationists. During March 1953, he was sent on a special detail to the headquarters office in Washington, D.C. to prepare halogeton and range survey instructions.

In November 1953, be transtened to the Medford, Oregon District when: he spent the remainder of his career working on O&.C Forest laads.. He served as the District Range Specialist under District Forest Manger Eugene Peterson until 1957 and as a Forester under District Manager Ross Youngblood from 1958 until 1962. He continued to work as a Forester under District Manager, Donald Schofield until 1964 when he became the Reource Manager for the South Area and later the Northeast Area in 1966. In 1968 he became the District Forest Rehab Specialist and Fire Control Officer, the position he served in until his retirement in March 1973.

He enjoyed history and writing and during the years 1962-73. wrote articles for BLM's "Our Public Lands". One was on locating the lost Buck Rock tunnel started by the original O&C .Railroad in the Siskiyou Mountains but never finished, and the second on the history of the Pilot Rock area.. Due to his background in Botany he studied and prepared prepared detailed files on the unique and diverse plant communities of the Medford District and encouraged their recognition and protection. The files also became valuable to future Botanists hired by the district. He was also a member of the Siskiyou Pioneer Sites Foundation dedicated to the preservation, identification and recognition of the settlers and historical sites in southwestern Oregon. In 1966 and 1967 he wrote articles on their annual yearbooks on the history of the Buck Rock tunnel and the Medford Corporation's logging railroad.

In retirement, he was an active member of the Southern Oregon Historical Society, and served on their Trail Committee that placed historical markers on trails and structures, many of them on the lands administered by the Medford District. He wrote and published the memoirs of his life and career entitled "Wood Chips and Trail Dust" that is on file at the PLF archives in Phoenix, AZ along with an oral history recorded by Pat Clason. He also wrote the "History of the Greensprings Mountains" highlighting the grazing, forestry and other natural history of the lands administered by the Medford and Lakeview districts. Copies were given to both districts and the western portions of the mountains are now part of the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument administered by the Medford District.

LIFETIME SERVICE AWARDS

Richard (Dick) Thompson

The Foundation provides this award to serving members who have perpetuated and enhanced the proud tradition of public service. The PLF was proud and honored to present its Lifetime Service Award to Richard (Dick) Thompson at a special ceremony in the Nevada BLM State Office on March 18, 2008. Richard Thompson received his degree in Forestry from the University of California in 1953.  He then started his career with the Bureau of Land Management in the dense O & C forest lands of the Roseburg District.  He had already served in World War II within the confined spaces of a submarine and still applauds those days of honored service to his country.   With his potential, he was destined for suit and tie even while scrambling on the brush-covered slopes of the O & C. His tenure in BLM encompasses a major transition and adjustment period for BLM.  In the early 1950's, a relative few employees administered the principal programs of grazing, mining, land and O & C timber.  Talented staff like Richard advanced through the ranks to keep BLM abreast of the increasing demands on the wealth of public domain resources.  During his era, the Bureau had to develop more comprehensive planning and budgeting systems, public input processes, address new programs such as wilderness and conservation areas, wild horses, endangered species, and much more.  With this never ending tide of emerging interests, orientation and management of employees also had to become more sophisticated. Richard became one of those leaders from the very beginning with the talent and foresight to help BLM grow with the times, even with such limited budget and staffing.  At his very start, while hacking logging road survey lines through O & C mountain jungles or posting timber sale boundaries on precipitous slopes, he had the BLM vision.  He was soon a Unit Forester managing the heavy quotas for sustained timber harvest in the Coastal Ranges of the Roseburg District.  He did this with the same special thoughtfulness that would stamp the rest of his career.  Richard is one forester that could walk again through those mountainous areas these 60 years later and still be proud of his conservation practices. BLM needed leaders of Richard's caliber and so he rose quickly in our family type agency that quickly spotted talent.  Richard has that unique package of loyalty, integrity, intelligence, character, interpersonal skills, foresight, vision, insight and decision making ability that not only served the Bureau in time of need, but the demanding public.  Even in the tough conflict situations that are often a part of public land management, he always enjoyed the respect of the public, his staff and his peers.  His outstanding ability in that respect allowed him to make hard decisions while keeping everything on even keel.   Because of such competence, he was called upon by the BLM Management Team to fill key management positions where his specific abilities for the job at hand were needed.  Richard was an employee who went wherever and whenever he was needed to support the BLM mission.   He started as a brush ape, a term of endearment in western Oregon, soon became a Unit Forester, went to Alaska to serve the Fire Program, honed his Bureau-wide outlook on the Resource Staff under Ed "Moose" Zaidlicz in Washington, D.C., became Redding District Manager, then Boise District Manager, onward to Associate State Director Of Alaska and finally served as the Denver Service Center Director.  His abilities and service in these positions put him at the very heart and soul of the Bureau. While a District Manager at Redding, he set an example of how BLM could positively involve the public and user groups in classifying public lands for retention or disposal under the 1966 Multiple Use Act.  He also gave new impetus to the district's forestry program.  Of major importance during his Redding tenure was serving on the California Management study team that developed the programming and budgeting system adopted Bureau-wide in the 1960’s, which still is the engine driving BLM operations.   As the one District manager on the study team, his experience, analytical skills and teamwork style greatly contributed to developing a program and budgeting scheme that fed off the planning system. Richard was well suited for his next assignment as Boise District Manager (1969 - 1970) involving a larger staff and unique programs such as management of The Birds of Prey Area.  His tenure there was cut short by the request to become Director of the Denver Service Center.  Richard's interpersonal skills and ability to handle complex work relationships would serve the BLM well in this new role.  He managed the vast multiple responsibilities of the Service Center that includes everything from payroll, personnel, automation, new technology, budget tracking, staff support and more.  His ability to network with the Bureau Management team and Washington office staff greatly facilitated the Service Center's role and operations. Richard was universally known by the Management Team as a person who consistently did an outstanding job on every assignment no matter how difficult or complex.  As Alaska Associate State Director in the early 70's,   Richard was assigned the lead to coordinate a key State Selection transfer involving critical future land use.  The conveyance included the 2,000-acre Campbell Creek Tract that buffered the Chugach State Park and the Municipality of Anchorage.  Without his skillful coordination with the public, Local Government and the State of Alaska, these lands might now well be the sites of housing developments.  Instead, these thirty years later, the tract still lies in natural state enhanced by the BLM's Science Center serving both the Park and Municipality.  BLM had to coordinate consensus among these major parties of complex interests, as our agency did not have authority to condition the conveyance. Richard motivated those he dealt with whether they were clients, peers, those he supervised or other BLM employees with whom he came in contact.  He served on the Cauldron team, BLM's new employee orientation program, at the time.  Richard's contact and work with new employees provided the understanding, vision and motivation to be the best they could be.  In him, they saw a role model for public land Management in changing times. Richard Thompson came into the BLM at time when resource interests were less complex.  His skills and abilities were embedded, just waiting of the era when his special talents would be sorely needed. By the mid-sixties, multiple-use conflicts and user demands on the public lands were fast accelerating. As his management responsibilities increased, he was well equipped to help the Bureau meet increasing challenges.  As he moved ever upward, he became even more instrumental in keeping BLM abreast with the times.  He did this in a way that served both the public and BLM.  Richard has few equals in his ability to enhance BLM's image, even while dealing with controversial matters in complex times.  The PLF is pleased to grant its Lifetime service Award to Richard Thompson

William L. "Bill" Mathews

The Public Land Foundation grants to William L. "Bill" Mathews It's Outstanding Lifetime Service Award. The Foundation provides this Award annually to deserving members who have perpetuated and enhanced the proud tradition of public service. Bill exemplifies that tradition through a lifetime of service in managing and protecting th~. Nation"s Public Land Resources as well as rendering other service to the public.

Bill spent nearly forty years striving to balance the many conflicting demands on the Public Land resources. His career ran from the Grazing Service era through the creation of the Bureau of Land Managernent and it's later transformation into a multiple use agency. He was a major player in th~se events. He joined the Grazing service in 1942 but.soon entered the military. After his military service he rejoined the Grazing Service in the Burley District and is one of the remaining survivors of the "McCacren Lay Off' which shunted him to the Justice Department to do inventories on the Ute Reservation. When BLM rose from the ashes of the Grazing Service and the General Land Office, Bill returned to the Burley District where he served as District Manager for seven years. He became the Boise DM in 1956 and later served as Idaho Range and Forestry Officer. He was soon called to.serve in Washington D.C. where he.toiled for eleven years, first as Branch Chief for RangeOperations and later as Chief of the Watershed Management Division. These were formative years in which BLM would become a multiple use agency. Bill played a definitive role in making this happen. Bill became Idaho State Director in 1970 and had that role for nearly ten years. With his skill and keen judgement he steered BLM Idaho through crucial events and changes including the National Environmental policy Act, the Wild Horse and Burro Act and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act.

Bill's non-agency tasks include chairing the local Combined Federal Campaign in 1973 and heading the arraignment for the 1974 national Society for Range management meeting. He has been President of the local chapter of NARFE and of the Idaho NARFE Federation. He is a volunteer for an organization that transports elderly people to their medical appointments.

Bill was recognized with the Presidents Award from the Idaho Chapter of the Society for Range Management, by the University of Idaho for his long support of the Point Springs grazing research. He was honored in 1980 by the Idaho Statesman newspaper with it's Portrait of a Distinguished Citizen.

The Public Land Foundation is honored to recognize Bill with this Outstanding Lifetime Achievement Award.

Burton W. "Burt" Silcock

The Public Land Foundation grants to Burton W,"Burt" Silcock it's Outstanding Lifetime Achievement Award. The Foundation provides this award annually to deserving members who have perpetuated and enhanced the proud tradition of public service. Burt exemplifies that tradition through a lifetime of service in managing and protecting the Public Lands and for giving other service to the public

Burt devoted 34 years to the wise use of the of the Nations natural resources. After a year with the SCS in Texas as a Ranch Planner, He joined BLM to work on the Missouri River Basin Studies. He soon became the Lander Wyoming District Asst District Manager and later served as DM for the Pineda!e and the Worland Districts. As a Wyoming Manager he was nvolved in grazing adjustments and erosion and flood control projects. In 1959 Burt became the Range and Forestry Officer for the Idaho State Office where he worked to upgrade BLM's fire fighting capabilities and to guide grazing adjudications and the emerging forestry program: A new assignment took him to Cheyenne as Asst. State Director in charge of the Land Office and the Lands and Minerals. program. His experience in three Districts and two.state offices.took him next to Alaska as the State Director. During his six years there, he managed an aggressive classification program under the C&MU Act encompassing 32 Miliion acres on 32 tracts. He also guided a modernization of Alaska's Fire Program. He was also the Interior Secretaries representative on the Joint Canada-US study of the Yukon River. In June 1971 Burt became the National BLM Director. During the next two years he steered BLM through the turbulance of implementing the National Environmental Policy Act, the Wild Horse and Burro Act, as well as keeping alive the Federal Organic Act for BLM. He continued to have Alaskan ties including the Pipeline and the proposed Native Claims Settlemerit Act. Burt returned toAlaska 1973 to be the Co-Chair of the Joint Federal-State Land Use Planning Commission. In that role he was instrumental in developing recommendations that would guide land conveyances the Trans-Alaska Pipeline and other land and resource issues. He retired in 1977.

On his return to Idaho he. worked with the Ore-Ida Boy Scout Council and became active in the Oregon-California. Trail Assn. He worked with BLM. and the Idaho State Historical Society to locate and mark these pioneer wagon trails. He participated in the commemorative wagon train that crossed the west, ending in Oregon.

Burt has been recognized for his many services including the Interior Secretary's Excellence of Service Award, the Presidential Management Improvement Award and American Motor's Conservation Award. Utah State University gave him their Distinguished Service Award in 1984 and a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2000.

The Public Land Foundation is honored to recognized Burt with this Outstanding Lifetime Achievement Award.

Marvin Klemme was granted our Outstanding Public Service Posthumous Award for 2003 with the following citation:

Marvin Klemme was born December 7, 1900, in Commerce, Missouri, and died August 7, 1992 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. His life was devoted to many public service causes, including the proper management of the nation's public lands. Enlisting in the US Marines for 5 years, he served in Santo Domingo during that country's revolution and had the distinction of being a part of the Color Guard at the funeral of US President Warren Harding.

He attended the Ranger School at the Univ. of Idaho, earned a B.S. Forestry degree from the Univ. of Washington, and received a master's degree from Yale. He was a park ranger in Colorado, checked game harvests in Wyoming, and graded and measured harvested logs in eastern Oregon. He was appointed a Forest Ranger with the US Forest Service in Colorado and later selected as one of the first twenty members (No. 7) of the newly formed federal Division of Grazing, in 1935 (In 1938, it became the Grazing Service). He helped organize grazing districts in the west half of Utah and the Arizona Strip.

In December 1935, he was assigned as the first regional grazier of Oregon and developed Grazing District and grazing unit lines, create user advisory boards, and issued grazing licenses. He worked closely with then Colonel (later Army Chief of Staff) George Marshall, of Vancouver Barracks, to establish ten Civilian Conservation Corps camps for the public lands and the results of their efforts still show today in boundary fences, water developments, and access roads throughout eastern Oregon. His guidance and efforts were reflected for many years in memoranda issued over his name from the Regional Office he established in Burns, Oregon.

He authored "Home Rule on the Range", in 1984, which tells of the efforts made in those early days of the Grazing Service. He worked to obtaining passage of the federal Pierce Act, authorizing the Service to lease private and state lands, which were intermingled with the federal land, and in the establishment of the Squaw Butte Experiment Station near Burns.

In 1939, he resigned his position, and made a trip around the world, including a Siberian venture, of which he wrote of his observations in "A Grazier Goes Abroad". He then re-entered the Marine Corps during World War II, as a recruiter. He then began a 15 year career serving overseas as a foreign service officer where he helped displaced persons from prison camps in Germany, supervised wood cutters working in those areas, and helped build water catchments near Mt. Olympus in Greece. He later wrote a book, "The Inside Story of UNNRA" on his experience.

He became a world traveler, a financial contributor and 61-year member to the Society of American Foresters, and established scholarships at the Universities, which he attended. He gave his 1000-acre farm to Oklahoma State University, which is known today as the Marvin Klemme Range Research Station.

It has been said of him that, "He was one of the fairest persons ever known", "What he told you, you could take to the bank", "He loved the land and did everything he could to preserve it", " He knew how to ask the right kind of questions and was never known to do anything without thinking it through". He was a short man in stature, neatly dressed, and courteous and tall in his manners, and bearing. He was instrumental in developing the proper and practical methods of establishing a continuing legacy of management of the public land and its resources at a critical time. His continuing interest in the public lands, and to the profession of land management entitles recognition by the Public Lands Foundation for this pioneer manager, through the Foundation's Outstanding Lifetime Service Posthumous Award. Sept. 19, 2003-Eugene, Oregon

Lifetime Service Awards:

Howard Delano

Howard R. DeLano was born July 4, 1913, in Elmonica Station, Northwest Oregon. He graduated from Oregon State University with a Forestry degree in 1939, and began a career of public land management that spanned 34 years, until his retirement in 1972. He advanced from a professional range examiner with the US Grazing Service/Civilian Conservation Corps in eastern Oregon, to Asst. Grazier, Baker District, before enlisting in the Navy where he served as a naval officer in the Aleutians.

Returning to the Grazing Service, which became a part of the new Bureau of Land Management (BLM) he was appointed Asst. Vale District Manager, then Acting Jordan Valley District Manager, Acting Vale District Manager, and in 1953, was appointed Burns District Manager. During these years he was highly successful in carrying out grazing administration, range adjudication, soil and water improvements, land exchanges and other district duties to improve the condition and proper utilization of the public's lands. He was especially successful in obtaining range user and other public's cooperation in these activities, and in training and developing district employees in the proper conduct of the public's business. Examples of his achievements while in district management include land exchanges to benefit water needs for servicing the rangelands, the proposal for a Steens Mountain Access route to benefit all members of the public, the withdrawal of key areas for future recreation use, and the emphasis on completing range adjudication, eliminating livestock and other trespass, and improving range conditions through range reseedings, livestock and wildlife water facilities, and needed allotment and boundary fences. He was especially instrumental in working with the congressional delegation and others in helping propose and obtain the Vale Project program, one of the nations' most significant nationally supported land management programs.

In 1958, he was assigned to the BLM Area office with staff responsibility for the soil and moisture program in Oregon, California, and Washington Upon closure of the Area Office, he was appointed Chief of Range Management, Watershed, and Wildlife of the Oregon State Office with staff responsibilities in Oregon and Washington. During his tenure, he emphasized the selection in his staff of key natural resource specialists in wildlife, soils, hydrology, and recreation, and created a multiple use-oriented staff which was to help lead the BLM in the range, forest, water, and human activity resources. During this time he also served on a detail to Nigeria to help advance BLM activities in aiding that country's resource management program.

Upon leaving government service, Howard has continued to closely follow the course of public land management and having an influential voice with members of the professional societies, the rangeland users, and the public, has often raised the voice of reason on controversial land management subjects. He has served as President of the NW section of the Society of Range Management, as President of the Portland Chapter of the Soil Conservation society, as President of the Western Oregon Hereford Assoc, and of the Clackamas Co. Livestock Assoc., and as Vice President of the Oregon Cattlemen’s Assoc, all offices in which he has been able to advocate and emphasize the need for proper management of the BLM lands.

He is now President of the Oregon Gelbvieh Assoc, and he continues to operate a significant number of prize-winning livestock on his ranch in Western Oregon. He maintains close contact with BLM employees and retiree sand land users and is extremely well regarded by all. His career has been significant; he has made a positive impact on the public's lands, especially of the Northwest, but his influence has been far reaching in terms of the national BLM programs. During all this time, he has been and is regarded as an excellent family man and friend. He is well qualified and deserving of the recognition of the Public Lands Foundation for its Outstanding Lifetime Service Award. Sept. 19,2003-Eugene, Oregon

Ross Youngblood was born circa 1911 and attended grade schools in California. A talented football player, he faced the options of attending college as a player or in directing his life towards other avenues. Encouraged to study forestry, he decided on Oregon Agricultural College (Now Oregon State University). He worked various jobs such as sewing sacks on a thrasher, swamping, pruning grapes, driving trucks, pulling lumber from a green chain, working in a gold mine, and as a foreman of a large farm. He worked at times as a Special Student of the CCCs, an agent for Blister Rust Control, a range management specialist, a camp boss of a large Blister Rust forest camp, and on other similar work. He received his Forestry degree from Oregon in 1938. In 1939, he was hired by the 0 and C Administration as a forester working on CCC projects.

In 1942, he was assigned to timber management activity and transferred to the Portland Office with multiple responsibilities in blister rust control, fire control, public relations work, timber cruising, land examinations, and related land management efforts. In 1944, he was appointed as District Forester for what is now the Coos Bay district. In that capacity, he helped develop and apply the 0 and C forest management program, and related procedures such as for acquisition of rights of way, and other related aspects of the forest management program. During this time, a number of new employees worked for him and he trained and managed the work force in such a way that the work was accomplished quickly and accurately and many of these employees went on to high positions in the bureau and other agencies.

In 1957, Ross Youngblood transferred to the Medford District in Oregon as District Manager, (a new name for the position), undertaking multiple use responsibilities in one of the bureau's most significant and demanding districts. One of his major accomplishments while there was to take action to withdraw 0 and C land ^{1/4 mile wide on each side of the Rogue River for recreation purposes, a major step in those days}

^{In 1962, Ross transferred to Fairbanks, Alaska, as district manager, where he assumed responsibility for the largest district in BLM with major Engineering, Lands and Minerals Management, Fire Control, Range and Forestry, and Land Office functions. During his tenure there he made major progress in clarifying lines of authority and responsibility and brought resource management into all programs under his responsibility. In 1966, he transferred to the WO, Division of Program Management as a staff forester responsible for duties involving cadastral survey, road construction, and rights-of-way-and a variety of other tasks involving the 0 and C lands in western Oregon. His last responsibility as a bureau employee was as Chief of the bureau's Branch of Access and Rights-of-Way Office in the headquarters office. He retired from the Bureau of Land Management in 1970, after a distinguished career as a public land manager, and a leader of employees. Upon retirement from the BLM, he served as a forestry consultant in the Peace Corps in Nepal from 1970-72, and in Tunisia from 1972-74, returning to live in Medford, Oregon.}

^{He received many awards over the years including the Unit Citation in the BLM Technical Resource Group for excellence in preservation of Alaska's natural resources and fragile environment in connection with the proposed Trans-Alaska Pipeline, and The Department of Interior's Distinguished Service Award, recognizing his years of superior Federal Service. Ross Youngblood is well qualified and deserving of the recognition of the Public Lands Foundation for its Outstanding Lifetime Career Award. September 19, 2003- Eugene, Oregon}

 Call for Nominations: Outstanding Public Lands Professional & Technical/Operational

July 21, 2008 -- Dear BLM Office Manager:

One of the principal goals of the Public Lands Foundation is the support of professionalism in public land management. Over the past few years the honored role of the professionally trained career civil servant has been frequently undermined.   It is important that the public understand the dedication and integrity professional employees bring to their job each day.  If our public lands and resources are to continue to be managed in the interest of future generations it is imperative that the stature of the BLM career professional be publicly reinforced, recognized and respected.

To help achieve this objective, the Public Lands Foundation has established two Outstanding Public Lands Professional Awards, one for the Technical/Operational disciplines and one for the Managerial/Administrative. This is the 20^th year we have given these national annual awards to active or recently active BLM employees who have demonstrated outstanding professional performance during the past two years.  These awards are focused on recent accomplishments rather than a career of service with BLM.

 We invite you to identify, by November 1, 2008, those individual(s) that in your opinion are deserving of national recognition.  Send their nominations, following the enclosed criteria, to Tom Allen, PLF Awards Chairman, preferably via email to tjccinnv@ctnis.com  .   Or, mail to Tom Allen at, HC 64 Box 90, Deeth, NV 89823.  Nominations that were not selected for an award last year will be included in this year’s consideration.

The Awards Committee will review the nominations, select awardees in each category and secure concurrence from the PLF President.  All nominations will be posted to our web site.  We would appreciate receiving your nominations on line in Word format.  A digital photo of your nominees may also be included for our use.  Please check the Awards section of the PLF website at www.publicland.org  for more information about PLF and our awards program.  An Awards Ceremony, in the BLM Director’s office followed by a tour, meeting the leadership of several national organizations, will honor the award recipients in Washington, D.C. early next year.

We would appreciate it if you could announce these awards in your newsletters and post to your bulletin boards.

Thank you for your participation in our national award program.  The outstanding achievement of BLM employees deserves the recognition you give when you nominate them for a PLF award.

Sincerely, Tom Allen, Chairman, Professional Awards Committee

Enc: Award Criteria.

Please remember PLF during the 2009 fall CFC campaign.  For purposes of the combined Federal Campaign we are using the assumed name or, “doing business as (dba)” name, of “Conservation and Protection of Public Land”.  Note that our CFC number is 11786.

2008 -- AWARD CRITERIA

MANAGERIAL/ADMINISTRATIVE AND TECHNICAL/OPERATIONAL OUTSTANDING PUBLIC LAND PROFESSIONAL EMPLOYEE AWARDS

Purpose

These two awards are given for the purpose of perpetuating and enhancing the proud tradition of professional public service in BLM’s stewardship of entrusted lands and resources.  It is intended that this form of national recognition will foster BLM employee pride and productivity as well as stimulate the public’s interest in their federal resources and the quality of their agency's management.  These Public Lands Foundation awards are reserved for the most prestigious performance that warrants national interest.  The awards are not to recognize just good performance, but are for the purpose of recognizing recent outstanding professional accomplishments by managerial and technical staff employees within two years prior to nomination or three years for those non-selected nominees whose nomination carry over from the previous year.

The Award

The awards consist of a personal engraved plaque, a certificate and a free one year membership to the PLF.  In addition, the name of the selected individuals will be added to the permanent plaque now mounted in the BLM Director’s conference room.

All active duty career BLM employees serving in a management, staff, or program positions are eligible for the awards. Typically, the awards will be granted to a single BLM employee but may be given to a unit that has performed so professionally that recognition should go to an entire unit.  The awards are intended to be focused on employees below the senior executive service level.

Nomination Process

Nominations may be submitted each year, at any time, prior to November 1 of the current year. Nominations are welcome from any and all sources including BLM employees and organizational units, PLF members, private interest groups associated with various public land issues, and local and state government officials.  For full consideration, a nominee’s professional performance must be documented against the published evaluation factors.  Candidates not selected for the award in the year nominated will be considered with candidates nominated the following year.

An Awards Committee will evaluate candidates and select an awardee in each category.  Concurrence in the selections is obtained from the PLF President.

Evaluation Factors

1) Demonstration of outstanding professional performance in relation to a particular major issue or challenge having national significance and broad public interest.

2) Holding to specific requirements of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act in the face of strong opposition from any source.

3) Exhibiting outstanding vision and foresight in the recognition of problems and opportunities that could significantly affect public land resources and moving to effectively address these matters.

4) Exhibiting outstanding personal courage and risk taking and/or making tough decisions to take controversial positions in favor of long term public interest in land conservation and protection, or evidence of exceptional professional peer and public recognition resulting from authoring professional articles of public interest, leadership by virtue of elective office in professional societies, and public awards for notable performance.

5) Exhibiting the sustained dedication needed to “make a difference” over time, in how BLM plans for and manages the public land resources.

6) Candidates for the managerial award will also be judged against their demonstrated ability to develop employees for future management and custody of the public lands.

No relative weights are assigned.

Nomination write-ups should address each of the relevant criteria by number

Criteria for selection of Lifetime Service Award

Purpose

This award is to be given by the Public Lands Foundation for the purpose of perpetuation and enhancing the proud tradition of dedicated public service in the BLM’s stewardship of entrusted lands and resources. It is intended that this form of national recognition will foster BLM employee pride and productivity as well as stimulate the public’s interest in their federal resources and the quality of their agents’ management. The award is reserved for the most prestigious accomplishments to the Bureau of Land Management programs that benefit the management of public lands.

The Award

A citation describing the nature and significance of the awardee’s achievements during his/her working years will be awarded.

An Honor Board on display at BLM National Headquarters will identify each recipient.

Nomination and Selection Process

The Public Lands Foundation’s Board of Directors will call for nominations annually. Each announcement will establish the format and time for submission. Nominations will be welcome from all sources, including BLM employees and organizational units, PLF members, interested groups associated with various public land issues, and local and state government officials. For full consideration, a nominee’s performance must be documented against the evaluation factors. Nominations will be first evaluated by an Awards Committee, appointed by the Board, using published evaluation factors.

Nominations not selected for an award the year submitted may be reconsidered by the Awards Committee the following year. The Board of Directors will select the winner of the award.

Candidate Eligibility

Any career BLM employee meeting the following criteria and evaluation factors is eligible: 1) Must have had a professional career that lasted at least 30 years, of which 20 years or more were with BLM. The Board may waive this requirement where the nominee substantially completed the specified time and his/her career was terminated by death or permanent disablement. 2) Must have endorsements of three individuals who were knowledgeable of the awardee’s accomplishments. This requirement may be waived by the Board of Directors when, in its judgement, endorsement by three individuals may be prevented by the lack of surviving witnesses.

Evaluation Factors

1) Notable performance with respect to major issues or challenges. 2) Evidence of public and professional esteem, e.g., number and variety of past professional, governmental, or civic awards. 3) Deportment as a BLM role model, including: a) Community service; b) Influence on peers and the public. and subordinates career development. c) Dedication as a public servant. d) Courage and initiative to enhance public stewardship of national resources; 4) Recognizable legacy attributed to awardee’s service in BLM; i.e., Did he/she exhibit outstanding vision and foresight in recognition of options that could affect public land resources, and initiate innovative action. 5) Any other factors that demonstrate the awardee’s committment and resourcefulness to warrant his/her recognition for furthering the stature of career public service.

2007 AWARDS

Dennis Stenger, Bureau of Land Management Buffalo, Wyoming Field Office Manager, has received the Outstanding Public Land Professional Award from the Public Lands Foundation.We are pleased to present Mr. Stenger with this award in recognition of his many years of service in management of  public land resources.  Dennis Stenger has proven himself, time and time again, as capable of tackling some of the most challenging multiple use issues in the nation, in some of the most high-profile and controversial settings in the West. Dennis  has served as manager in the Rock Springs office; as Field Manager in the Buffalo and Pinedale Field Offices, as Supervisory, Geologist in the Division of Minerals & Lands for the Wyoming State Office, and as Deputy State Director of Minerals in the New Mexico State Office. As Field Manager of the Buffalo Field Office, Dennis’s leadership during the development and implementation of the Powder River Basin Oil and Gas EIS ensured orderly and timely development of coalbed natural gas, as well as conventional oil and gas development while providing exceptional stewardship to all uses of the public land. As Field Manager of the Pinedale Field Office, Stenger’s leadership has been critical in ensuring the successful implementation of the Jonah Interagency Office – one of the first of its kind in the country. This office provides interagency oversight of mineral development in the Jonah area ensuring protection and enhancement of wildlife habitat. Dennis has exhibited outstanding personal courage and risk taking and making tough decisions to take controversial positions in favor of long-term public interest in land conservation and protection through out his career with BLM.

Kirk Halford, Bureau of Land Management Bishop Field Office Lead Archaeologist, has received the Outstanding Public Land Professional Technician Award for 2007 from the Public Lands Foundation.We are pleased to present Mr. Halford with this award in recognition of his many years of service in cultural resources management.Halford, a Bishop resident, started his federal career in 1984 as a volunteer lookout in North Cascades National Park. He worked at jobs including backcountry ranger, director of skiing at cross country ski resorts, and Forest Service and consultant archaeologist, before starting at the BLM Bishop office in 1994.Kirk’s  impact and influence extends well beyond the geographic boundaries of the Bishop Field Office. He has spearheaded a national archeology program initiative with each state historic preservation office in the United States to develop a common approach to cultural resources data sharing. Each BLM state now has tools available to share related cultural data quickly and easily with counterparts.   Kirk recently addressed volatile situation concerning a pinion pine fuels treatment research project by the Mono Basin Scenic Area in east-central California.  Although Native American communities around the site supported the project, intense opposition emerged from individuals outside the immediate area, alleging cultural resources were at risk.  He proactively and effectively communicated the project’s merits to the organizations, defused the issue’s emotional component, and demonstrated that there would be no impacts to cultural resources, allowing the project to proceed. He has proactively addressed universities’ continued demands to conduct archeological research on public lands while Native Americans demand limits to the extent of the research.  Kirk has worked successfully to increase the universities’ sensitivity to Tribal concerns by building increased collaboration and consideration of each group’s needs.   Halford is a member of the American Society for Archeology, the Society for California Archeology, and a designated appointee for the National Historic Preservation Board.  He has authored several articles published in scientific and archeological journals.  He has stimulated new theories related to the occupation of pre-historic peoples in the Volcanic Tableland north of Bishop.  Traditional beliefs hold that the area was sparsely populated during prehistoric times.  Kirk’s research and a growing body of evidence reveal the area may have been more densely populated than originally thought - leading to a re-evaluation of current theory. He has been a leader in forming the Society of California Archeology’s Site Stewardship Program.  This partnership between archeologists, BLM, Native Americans, and citizen volunteers was formed to protect cultural sites through systematic monitoring of archeological sites on public lands.  The program has saved the BLM thousands of dollars by augmenting the California BLM cultural resources program.

LANDSCAPE STEWARDSHIP AWARD

PLF has been searching for a way to recognize the help BLM receives from private citizens and/or private groups in its management of the public lands.  These concerned citizens make important contributions and are vital links between BLM and the communities.  They serve as examples of citizen-centered stewardship.  We believe the following Landscape Stewardship Award will provide the opportunity to recognize and thank  these citizen’s contributions.  PLF members and BLM employees are encouraged to submit nominations using the following criteria by August 1, 2008. We would like to present this award at our annual meeting in Park City in September.

Criteria for Selection

Purpose: Each year, BLM undertakes many projects that encourage the involvement of the general public.  The success of these efforts, such as land use plans, major development projects, and the analysis of public land issues, depends upon active public participation and collaboration.  PLF’s “Landscape Stewardship Award” honors the work done by these private citizens who work to advance and sustain community-based stewardship on landscapes that include, in whole or in part, public lands administered by BLM.

The Award

A citation acknowledging the nature and significance of the awardees achievements.

Candidates Candidates for the award include any private citizen or citizen group of the United States who, over the past 1-5 years, has demonstrated sustained outstanding leadership, vision, and purpose in contributing to BLM’s efforts and in motivating other citizens and institutions to work together to more effectively manage whole landscapes, including watersheds, planning or management units, and other land systems upon which people share a common interest. It is anticipated that most (but not necessarily all) candidates will not hold a position of formal authority, but will have dedicated substantial personal time and effort; provided informed input, sustained leadership, vision, and initiative; and acted out of a strong sense of personal commitment. The award can be granted to an individual, a group of individuals, or an organization that has performed to standards warranting the award.  More than one award per year may be granted to recognize the variety of work taking place in different locations and circumstances.

Nomination Process and Selection Process: Nominations may be submitted at any time and are welcome from any and all sources including BLM employees and organization units; PLF members; private interest groups associated with various public land issues; and local and state government officials.  For full consideration, a nominee’s performance must be documented against the following evaluation factors.  Candidates not selected for the award in the year nominated may be considered with candidates nominated the following year.

An Awards Committee will first evaluate candidates. The PLF Board of Directors will select the winner(s).

Evaluation Factors: Commitment of substantial time and effort towards a BLM landscape program, project or planning effort that helped significantly to carry it forward or to completion.2. Leadership, vision and purpose, in partnership with BLM, that helped motivate others.3.               Initiative to enhance stewardship of public resources.4. Other factors that resulted in greater trust, commitment and shared stewardship responsibility with and for BLM among people and institutions Please  send nominations by August 1, 2008  to Beau McClure, Director of Operations, Public Lands Foundation, 6510 W. Lucia Drive, Phoenix, Arizona 85083-7406; Tel/Fax:  623-587-7883; E-mail:  bcmcclure@cox.net

For more information on Awards, please contact Tom Allen - tjccinnv@ctnis.com or George Lea leaplf@erols.com or PO Box 7226, Arlington, VA 22207.

Last Edited: July 25, 2008

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