U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT NEWS RELEASE
Lewistown Field Office
Lewistown Field Office
| Contacts: | Craig Flentie 406-538-1943 |
Jacobs Honored for Her Work at Interpretive Center
Connie Jacobs, Director of the Bureau of Land Management’s Missouri Breaks Interpretive Center in Fort Benton, Montana, has been awarded the 2009 Silver Star Award for Excellence in Interpretation by the BLM’s Division of Education, Interpretation & Partnerships.
This national level award is given in recognition of exceptional work with partners and communities to create meaningful interpretive experiences and materials for public land users.
Specifically, Jacobs was recognized for her instrumental role in developing “A Journey Through the Monument” a middle-school educational program about the Upper Missouri National Wild and Scenic River and the Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument. This two and a half day program provides a great opportunity for students to learn about unique geological formations, Native American tipi rings, homesteads, Lewis and Clark, aquatic ecology, water sampling and safe camping and canoeing protocols on the Upper Missouri River. This information is packaged in an overnight float and camping trip that makes it fun and easy for the kids to learn by doing.
A Journey Through the Monument is a real homerun and has become a highlight for the Fort Benton seventh grade students. Information about this program is spreading and other schools are now interested in participating.
“Connie is more than deserving of this award. The Journey Through the Monument program is a huge asset for the Interpretive Center and we certainly appreciate Connie’s involvement with designing this program,” offered Gary Slagel, manager of the Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument.
Connie has been invited to accept this award at the Excellence in Interpretation Awards Ceremony this November, in Hartford, Connecticut.
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.
Lewistown Field Office 920 NE Main Street Lewistown, MT 59457