Kanab Volunteer Selected to Win the BLM’s 2008 National Volunteer Award for “Making a Difference”

Contact: Sherry Foot, (801) 539-4195

Washington D.C.—May 13, 2008—Scott Richardson of Flagstaff, Arizona, was among the eight outstanding individual and team volunteers selected to receive recognition at BLM’s 2008 “Making a Difference” National Volunteer Awards.  The awards were presented at a special ceremony at the U.S. Department of the Interior’s historic South Penthouse and Roof Terrace in Washington, D.C., on May 8. Ceremony speakers and presenters included Deputy BLM Director Henri Bisson, BLM Assistant Directors and Associate State Directors. 

The 2008 winners are some of our nation’s most enthusiastic volunteers, having donated significant time and effort in the year 2007 on behalf of America’s 262 million acres of BLM-managed public lands and natural/cultural resources. 

Utah’s winning volunteer, Scott Richardson, has donated a minimum of 500 hours per year, for the past four years, to the paleontology program at the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument.  In 2006, he discovered a complete skull and partial skeleton of a new type of ceratopsid dinosaur.  Almost unbelievably, in 2007, he followed up that find with another skull of the same kind of animal.  Scott’s discoveries comprise the only two known specimens in existence.  In addition, Scott has documented hundreds of important new vertebrate fossil sites, including several relatively complete dinosaurs skeletons with skin impressions preserved.  His work in the lab is no less exceptional. Richardson has been responsible for preparing important specimens for both research and public exhibit.  Without a doubt, Scott’s contributions have been critical to the success of the Monument’s paleontology program.
 
BLM, an agency of the U.S. Department of the Interior, recruits more than 20,000 volunteers each year to perform a variety of jobs, from campground host to archaeologist to educator.  In many instances, volunteers serve as BLM’s first point of contact with the public, playing an important ambassadorial role for the agency.  In some remote areas, campgrounds and other recreation sites would be closed were it not for volunteer assistance.  In order to acknowledge these invaluable volunteer contributions, BLM initiated its “Making a Difference” National Awards in 1995, holding its first recognition ceremony in 1996.  This year’s observance marks the twelfth annual presentation of these awards. For more information about this and other volunteer opportunities, visit our website at http://www.blm.gov/ut/st/en.html.