| Contacts: | Erin Curtis, Public Information Officer, (970) 244-3097 |
BLM Colorado Honors Volunteer of the Year Award Recipient JudyAnn Files
Montrose, CO -- The Bureau of Land Management Colorado has honored JudyAnn Files with the 2009 Volunteer of the Year Award. This award recognizes individual volunteers or volunteer organizations for their outstanding contribution toward public land management throughout the year.
“The value of public land volunteers cannot be calculated or measured,” State Director Helen Hankins said. “We are truly grateful for their time and commitment to managing the natural landscapes we enjoy here in Colorado.”
Files volunteered 132 hours at the Uncompahgre Field Office visitor center in 2009, where she answered questions and directed visitors to the area’s recreational opportunities. Files relied on her extensive time spent recreating on public lands to educate visitors on land use ethics and the BLM.
“JudyAnn’s presence is invaluable in our visitor center,” said Barb Sharrow, manager of the Uncompahgre Field Office. “She brings with her a friendly personality, helpful attitude, and exceptional knowledge of the local hiking, biking and wintertime recreation spots. We are lucky to have such a wonderful volunteer.” “Her knowledge of the extensive selection of outdoor recreation books, maps, t-shirts, and countless other items for sale in the Uncompahgre Field Office bookstore, operated in partnership with the San Juan Mountains Association, has resulted in improved customer service and customers finding that special item they are searching for.”
As a retired school teacher and outdoor enthusiast, Files is committed to educating the community and getting people involved in caring for the public lands. In addition to volunteering for the BLM, she also volunteers for the UNCOM Fiscal Board and the Colorado Plateau Mountain Bike Trail Association.
To learn more about BLM’s volunteer program, contact Jack Placchi at 303-239-3832 or Jack_Placchi@blm.gov.
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land, the most of any Federal agency. This land, known as the National System of Public Lands, is primarily located in 12 Western states, including Alaska. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. In Fiscal Year (FY) 2011, recreational and other activities on BLM-managed land contributed more than $130 billion to the U.S. economy and supported more than 600,000 American jobs. The Bureau is also one of a handful of agencies that collects more revenue than it spends. In FY 2012, nearly $5.7 billion will be generated on lands managed by the BLM, which operates on a $1.1 billion budget. 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.
2465 South Townsend Avenue Montrose, CO 81401