Idaho
January 2007 Edition |
Idaho Partnership Receives BLM “Cooperative Conservation” Award
Assistant Secretary C. Stephen Allred honors participants in "Fire-Up for Summer!" program
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Idaho State Office. Department of the Interior Assistant Secretary C. Stephen Allred on December 19 presented the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM’s) prestigious national “Cooperative Conservation” award at a special ceremony in Boise, Idaho.
The award was presented to representatives of the “Fire-Up for Summer!” program, a partnership effort of the Idaho BLM, Meridian School District and Northwest Nazarene University.
The BLM award recognizes collaborative conservation achievements, and this particular award recognizes the importance of connecting today’s youth with the environment. “As this country has become more urban, our youth have become more and more distant from the land that sustains us in so many ways,” said Assistant Secretary Allred. “We need to recognize efforts that educate and connect young people to their public lands.”
The “Cooperative Conservation” award recognizes collaborative activity among a diverse range of entities, including federal, state, local and tribal governments; private for profit and nonprofit institutions; as well as other nongovernmental entities and individuals. This particular award recognizes the importance of educating and involving today’s youth with the environment.
“Now in its fourth year, the “Fire-Up for Summer!” program is helping students learn about wildlife fire behavior, its effect on natural ecosystems and what can be done to minimize rural communities’ susceptibility to wildfire,” Allred said.
BLM employees use the students’ findings to give homeowners suggestions on improving their homes’ resistance to wildfire. They also provide treatment options for fire-prone vegetation in and around the study areas, which will improve the communities’ overall resistance to wildfire. To date, the students’ work has benefited not only public lands and resources but also numerous homeowners in the communities of Garden Valley and Silver City.
The Award Ceremony
Opening the Award Ceremony at the BLM Idaho State State Office, Idaho BLM State Director Tom Dyer said, "We would like to welcome all of you here today to witness the presentation of the prestigious Director’s Cooperative Conservation award. The Director of the Bureau of Land Management has selected a very deserving youth education program here in Idaho and its sponsoring partnership. With us today to present this award is Assistant Secretary of the Interior, C. Stephen Allred."
Assistant Secretary Allred said, "It is my pleasure to be here in Idaho to present this award to the 'Fire-Up for Summer!' program. The Director’s Cooperative Conservation award recognizes collaborative activity among a diverse range of entities, including federal, state, local and tribal governments, private for profit and nonprofit institutions, as well as other nongovernmental entities and individuals. The Fire-Up for Summer! program and this partnership truly exemplifies these characteristics."
Allred went on to say, "The result is a mutually beneficial and quality program for high school students; a program that educates the participants about wildland fires and much more, and benefits the partners and public lands at the same time. This award also recognizes the importance of educating today’s youth on the natural environment and connecting them in a very practical and 'real' way with the public lands we in the Department of Interior have the honor to administer. These students have remarkable potential and I feel confident that the future promises great things based upon what I see here!"
State Director Tom Dyer presented the Conservation Award to each of the following groups:
BLM Idaho State Office
Staff from the Office of Communications and the State Fuels Program provided the first seed money and program development work for the Fire-Up for Summer! Program. Also, GIS staff provided technical assistance in field data gathering techniques and equipment selection to ensure compatibility with BLM systems and protocols. From this beginning, the program has expanded its funding sources and focus and, now in its fourth year, is going strong!
Fire-Up Instructor Team
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Without the dedication of this team, there would be no Fire-Up! Program. Bob Beckwith, Gina Lockwood, Steve DeMeers and Tobey Jossis manage and teach this three-week summer course. They have spent countless hours in training along side BLM field staff, troubleshooting problems with equipment and developing site specific curriculum to ensure the course will give students a “real world” experience as land management scientists.
They also ensure that the data gathered will be useful and pertinent to the agency. Based on the Fire-Up! course model, the team was awarded a grant by NASA and are currently working on a grant application for the National Science Foundation for additional program support. We can’t thank you enough; we are very lucky to have such outstanding individuals educating our youth.
Meridian School District
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In addition to hiring fine professional teachers on the Fire-Up! Instructor Team, Meridian School District provides facilities, computers and allows student recruitment by the instructor team in its high schools. The school board approved the course and offers students an elective science credit upon successful completion. The School District has demonstrated its commitment to partnering for education; thank you.
Northwest Nazarene University
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Northwest Nazarene University is the fiscal agent for the Fire-Up Program. They provide tremendous outreach support and technical assistance in writing grants. They generously provide an in-kind match by waiving all administrative fees, and offering participating students the opportunity to earn four credits upon successful completion of the course. Fire-Up has found a great friend at NNU and so has Idaho BLM.
BLM Boise District Office
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If there were no on-the-ground support, again, there would be no Fire-Up for Summer! Program. The fire program at BLM’s Boise District has defined and outlined the projects for the program. They have provided funds to support them, trained teachers in data gathering protocols, assisted with plant identification and GIS, and loaned camp supplies and equipment…, just to name a few things. Staff has also come to the classroom; presenting on various subjects to prepare the students for their days in the field. Thanks to the Boise District for making Fire-Up for Summer! a wonderful field experience and connecting both students and teachers to the public lands.
(Contact: Shelley-Davis Brunner, 208-373-4020)
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