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National Public Lands Foundation Honors BLM Employees for Exceptional Professional Achievements (03-29-12)
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Director Bob Abbey honored two BLM employees today at a Washington, D.C., reception held by the Public Lands Foundation. David P. Rosenkrance and Mark “Sparky” Taber were presented with national awards for their extraordinary dedication and superior professionalism in public lands management.
The first honoree is David P. Rosenkrance. David, who served the past two years as the Field Manager for the BLM Idaho Challis Field Office, was the Foundation’s Outstanding Public Lands Professional for 2011 in the managerial and administrative category. Throughout his career, but especially over the last two years in Challis, David has demonstrated a commitment to public lands management. He has worked tirelessly to support the BLM mission and manage our country’s natural resources for multiple-use. He is an excellent leader who takes a positive, proactive approach to employee development. His initiatives as Field Manager have proven effective despite tight budgets and serve as successful examples Bureauwide.
The Foundation also honored Mark “Sparky” Taber, a resource specialist in the BLM Colorado Grand Junction Field Office, as the Outstanding Public Lands Professional for 2011 in the technician category. The award recognizes Sparky for his dedication to eradicating noxious weeds in western Colorado over the past decade and for his superior work with the BLM’s Off-Highway Vehicle Safety Program. His contributions have significantly improved the safety training program for BLM employees and enhanced the Bureau’s ability to provide quality, “hands on” ATV training
“Our job at the BLM is public service, and these BLM employees represent public service at its very best. I salute both David and Sparky for their commitment to the stewardship of America’s public lands and for their exceptional passion and dedication,” BLM Director Bob Abbey said.
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," Public Lands Foundation President Henri Bisson said.
“The Public Lands Foundation awards, now in their 24th year, constitute special professional achievement and courage. They are awarded for far more that simply good performance,” Bisson concluded.
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 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.
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