FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:  November 10, 2008

U.S. Forest Service Recognizes Local Partners with Regional Awards

Two local partners, who have helped the San Juan Public Lands Center over the years to manage Bureau of Land Management and National Forest lands in southwestern Colorado, were recently honored by the U.S. Forest Service’s Rocky Mountain Regional Office. 

The Rocky Mountain Regional Forester’s Honor Award for Recreation Partner of the Year was presented to Trails 2000. The Durango non-profit volunteer organization has worked for two decades to help engage the public in the planning of trail proposals on federal lands in southwestern Colorado. Trails 2000 has coordinated trails across jurisdictional boundaries, built and maintained trail systems for recreation and commuting, and provided educational opportunities for trail safety, courtesy and land stewardship. Since 1990, the group has provided annually up to 3,000 hours of volunteer work for trail maintenance and public involvement, valued at more than $500,000.

“This award recognizes all of the work our volunteers have contributed to our trails for the past 20 years and the importance of volunteer work on public lands,” said Mary Monroe, Trails 2000 Executive Director.  “We are honored to receive such a prestigious award on behalf of our volunteers.”

The Rocky Mountain Regional Forester’s Honor Award for Regional Partner of the Year went to Ken Francis, Director of the Fort Lewis College Office of Community Services. Working with a coalition of partners, his efforts helped raise $4.39 million of funding for the San Juan Skyway from Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO) in its latest round of land conservation grants. This grant builds on earlier successes, including acquisition of $5.7 million for the Skyway from GOCO in 2004 and $14.1 million of Land and Water Conservation Funds for the Red Mountain Project. Over the years, Francis has been involved in many other community projects with public lands ties.  He has worked closely with the San Juan National Forest in providing support for its Land Management Plan Revision through a Challenge Cost-Share Agreement.  He and his staff have functioned as conveners and facilitators of several community meetings to encourage public participation in the planning process, as well as developing some of the technical documents related to the Plan.

“It is an honor to have received this award,” Francis said, “but it must be shared with the many excellent partners who were essential to these team efforts.”

For more information, contact Thurman Wilson, San Juan Public Lands Center Manager for Planning, 970 385-1246.

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