Bureau of Land Management
Volunteer News

Profiles of BLM's 2005 "Making A Difference" National Volunteer Award Winners

Arizona BLM Associate Director Carl Rountree, BLM Deputy Director Jim Hughes, Jeff Landis, and Interior Deputy Secretary Rebecca Watson at the Volunteer Awards Ceremony May 11.
JEFF LANDIS
BLM Yuma, Arizona, Field Office

For close to five years, Jeff Landis has been the Volunteer Host at BLM-Yuma's Oxbow Recreation and Wildlife Area, where he's served as the primary steward for 436 acres of specially-designated public lands along the Lower Colorado River .  Thanks to Jeff’s gift for community outreach and his spirit of partnership, Oxbow now draws visitors from all over for a wide variety of recreational pursuits.  Jeff has engaged partner organizations to contribute labor and materials to improve the site, and he’s personally nurtured hundreds of native plants in the area, which was once overrun with invasive vegetation.  The tree nursery that Jeff developed in 2004 has greatly enhanced wildlife habitat at Oxbow, which harbors two Federally-listed endangered species.  Under Jeff's attentive supervision, Oxbow has become a prime example of how intensive recreation and sensitive natural resources can coexist on public lands.

Barb Williams (third from left) with Jim Hughes, Jim Abbott of the BLM California State Office, and Rebecca Watson.

BARBARA WILLIAMS
BLM Folsom, California, Field Office

Barbara Williams, a daily volunteer with BLM’s Folsom Field Office, has devoted thousands of hours to advancing BLM’s missions.  Most notably, Barb has created a thriving volunteer program for the Field Office, recruiting scores of new volunteers for public lands projects spanning the Sierra Nevada foothills and the Central Valley.  In addition, she has helped to build and maintain BLM-Folsom’s web page, having spent many hours obtaining training in web-development software.  Barb enthusiastically works beside the volunteers she's recruited, pulling weeds, picking up trash, planting native species, and whatever else is needed.  Her work with rare plants and habitat restoration has been of particular impact within the Pine Hill Preserve, the Red Hills Area of Critical Environmental Concern, and the Cosumnes River Preserve.  And if that isn't enough work for one person, Barb also sees to the "little things" that do so much for BLM’s public image: office and visitor center landscaping, personally greeting BLM public-meeting attendees, and creating an overall atmosphere of warmth, welcome, and cooperation.
Larry Haight (third from left) with Jerry Merideth of BLM's Montana State Office (far left), Jim Hughes, and Rebecca Watson.

LARRY HAIGHT
BLM Lewiston, Montana, Field Office

Since retiring from the U.S. Post Office in 1992, Larry Haight has spent every summer as a volunteer with BLM's Lewistown Field Office, serving as:  Volunteer Host at Judith Landing, on the Upper Missouri River National Wild and Scenic River;  river patrol volunteer; and riparian assistant.  In each of these capacities, Larry has helped BLM to promote wise use and a fuller public appreciation of the public lands.  At Judith Landing, a remote recreation site, Larry has provided critical rescue services to unfortunate outdoor recreationists, and has been instrumental in facility repair and maintenance.  As an assistant in BLM riparian research, he has performed riparian vegetation studies and maintained exclosures, i.e., fences designed to exclude destructive wildlife from sensitive riparian areas.  Larry has also been a special ambassador for BLM, having developed working relationships with local ranchers and other landowners in order to foster BLM's stewardship messages within local communities.

Willie Stephenitch (third from left) with Jim Hughes, Meg Jensen of BLM's Arizona State Office, and Rebecca Watson.

WILLIE STEPHENITCH
BLM Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, Nevada

Willie Stephenitch, a long-term volunteer at BLM's Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area (NCA), has conducted extensive educational outreach with NCA visitors and the local community through media contacts and hands-on projects.  For example, she designed and developed “Trash Bash Day,” a semi-annual clean-up event at Red Rock, and has also increased volunteer participation in the NCA's annual photo contest.  Willie plays an integral part in the NCA's annual "Tortoise Trot" trail run and "Red Rock Day" volunteer work event, and she has improved media relations for the Friends of Red Rock Canyon organization in and around Las Vegas Valley.  Most of the programs and events with which Willie has been involved have received enhanced community visibility and participation as a direct result of her efforts.  Willie has even managed to increase both involvement in Red Rock events and awareness of public land management issues by Members of Congress.

Terry and Darrell Wade.

DARRELL & TERRY WADE
BLM Ely, Nevada, Field Office

As part of their volunteer service with BLM’s Ely Field Office, the Wades oversee the Nevada Heritage Stewardship Program, which they established as a non-profit organization under the auspices of the Nevada Archaeological Association.  In 2004, they led eight basic-training workshops—which produced a cadre of more than 100 new site stewards—and organized a statewide site steward recognition program.  In association with the workshops, Darrell and Terri oversaw production of a revised Site Steward Training Manual and educational slide shows.  They also assisted in the establishment of the Tri-State Archaeology Education Group, developing a teacher’s kit and personally making presentations to three school classes.  As a result of their stewardship activities in 2004, 68 sites in 40 archaeology districts were monitored, resulting in accurate location of cultural features, repair of vandalized structures, clean-up of unauthorized dumps, and numerous other improvements.

Gordy Hicks (center) of the Socorro OHV Program with Jim Hughes and Rebecca Watson.

SOCORRO FIELD OFFICE OFF-HIGHWAY VEHICLE PROGRAM
BLM Socorro, New Mexico, Field Office

At BLM-Socorro’s 6,000-acre Gordy's Hill Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) Area, Socorro OHV Program volunteers have helped educate visitors on the unique natural, cultural, and recreational resources of this highly scenic locale.  The group has been particularly active in resource management activities such as Global Positioning System (GPS) mapping of existing and proposed OHV routes.  They have also contributed many hours to site design, visitor-use data collection, photo monitoring, boundary marking, and assessment of OHV impacts at sensitive sites such as springs and prehistoric pueblos.  Group members serve as instructors at annual volunteer training sessions and are skilled in the principles of both the Leave No Trace and Tread Lightly! ethics programs.  BLM estimates that in 2004 alone, more than 7,000 people visited Gordy’s Hill; thanks to the efforts of the Socorro OHV Group, BLM is seeing vast improvements in recreationists’ awareness of the public lands as well as visitor understanding of ethical outdoor behavior.

Matthew Birnie of the Jefferson County, Oregon, government (third from left) with Jim Hughes, Jim Kenna of the BLM Oregon State Office and Rebecca Watson.

JEFFERSON COUNTY ADULT & JUVENILE COMMUNITY JUSTICE PROGRAM
BLM Prineville, Oregon, District Office

As part of court-mandated community service requirements, the hosted workers of the Jefferson County Community Justice Program have forged critical partnerships for public lands conservation across three counties in central Oregon.  They have assisted BLM’s Prineville District in removing dumps from public lands, rehabilitating trails, revegetating denuded areas, and repairing resource damage due to vandalism.  In 2004 alone, Justice Program workers were responsible for removing more than 150 tons of garbage, posting signs along large sections of trails, planting acres of native vegetation, and removing over two miles of old wire fence from BLM lands.  In addition, Justice Program participants, both juveniles and adults, have become educated about public land management issues, and have developed increased appreciation and respect for both the public lands and their local communities.

Manuel Guerra (second from left) with Jim Hughes, Rebecca Watson, and son Michael Guerra.

BLM EMPLOYEE WINNER
MANUEL GUERRA
BLM Las Cruces, New Mexico, Field Office

As the BLM-Las Cruces Field Office's Recreation Facility Manager, Manny oversees activities at four busy BLM recreation sites, each of which is staffed by a Volunteer Host whom he personally supervises.  In 2004 alone, he directed volunteers and contractors in remodeling the visitor center, Volunteer Host quarters, and student housing at the Dripping Springs Natural Area.  Manny also oversaw the opening of new trails in the Organ Mountains, having been instrumental in preparing the site for hiker use.  In the eyes of BLM staff, volunteers, and site visitors alike, Manny possesses that rare combination of diverse technical abilities, exceptional people skills, and impeccable character.  A truly dedicated employee, he is voluntarily on call 24 hours a day, every day—including his so-called "vacations."  Despite extraordinary job pressures, Manny performs his many duties efficiently, professionally, and always with good humor, never saying "no" to a task that needs doing.  Manny stands as a shining example of what BLM can achieve when employees and volunteers work together.

Last Updated: May 25, 2005

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Bureau of Land Management
Environmental Education and Volunteer Programs