For the Thirteenth Year, BLM Recognizes Volunteers
Who Are “Making a Difference” on Public Lands
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Julie Jacobson, Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Interior, Land and Minerals Management, was the featured speaker during the 2008 BLM Volunteer Awards ceremony. |
Featured speaker Julie Jacobson, Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Interior, Land and Minerals Management, expressed her gratitude for the hard work BLM volunteers put into helping the agency fulfill its challenging multiple-use mission: “To carry out The day-to-day responsibilities of public land stewardship, BLM needs the help of individual citizens—people who love the public lands, and who are willing to volunteer their time and energy in a spirit of sacrifice and service.” Additional speakers included BLM Deputy Director Henri Bisson and Elena Daly, Director of BLM’s Office of the National Landscape Conservation System & Community Partnerships.
Those honored this year were recognized for achievements ranging from trail planning to major dinosaur discoveries. Thousands of BLM volunteers make significant contributions on America’s 258 million acres of public lands each year, performing numerous functions in every aspect of public land management. Many of these jobs, such as campground management and trail repair, would simply not get done without volunteer support. In 2007 alone, for example, BLM volunteers donated almost 1.3 million hours of service, with an estimated value of more than $25 million—equivalent to the work of over 700 full-time employees.
Each year since 1996, BLM has honored the most exceptional of these volunteers, as well as BLM employees who work with volunteers, through its “Making a Difference” National Volunteer Awards program. This program supports the President’s call for increased service to America, and is also part of the “Take Pride in America” initiative.
To learn more about the accomplishments of BLM’s 2008 “Making a Difference” honorees, please
click here.
