Phoenix District volunteers earn America the Beautiful passes, honoring America’s heritage of volunteerism on public lands
As the nation commemorates and celebrates the 250th anniversary of American independence, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is spotlighting its extraordinary volunteers. Their dedication strengthens communities, protects cultural heritage, and deepens the public’s connection to America’s shared landscapes.
The BLM and other federal land management agencies recognize volunteers who contribute 250 hours of service on public lands with an America the Beautiful volunteer pass. This pass, which grants free entry to more than 2,000 federal recreation sites nationwide, honors a long tradition of stewardship that has shaped public lands for generations.
In Phoenix on February 28, BLM Arizona celebrated three exceptional Arizona Site Steward volunteers. Hassayampa Field Office archaeologist Jessica Bland and Arizona State Office lead Brooke Wheeler honored volunteers Diane Seago, Lee Chandler, Alex Nadesan, and Bill Pool by awarding America the Beautiful passes for completing over 250 hours of service to the BLM.
As of late February, the volunteers contributed:
Diane: 1,042 hours of service
Lee: 698 hours of service
Alex: 401 hours of service
Bill: 343 hours of service
These milestones represent countless days spent outside monitoring cultural heritage sites and reporting vandalism to public land managers. For Phoenix District Office, the site stewards form a dedicated cultural heritage volunteer workforce. They contributed over 3,600 hours last year to the BLM, which equals $127,000 in economic value. Their volunteerism demonstrates how individual commitment creates lasting impacts on public lands and services local communities and individuals.
A lifelong passion for stewardship
For volunteer Bill Pool, becoming a Site Steward volunteer was a natural extension of his lifelong passion for archaeology and the outdoors. His interest deepened during his years fighting fires at Mesa Verde National Park in the 1970s and 80s. After decades of hiking and exploring cultural sites across Arizona, he joined the program five years ago.
Bill says his favorite part of volunteering is the community it creates. “I enjoy the networking opportunities with other Site Stewards and archaeologists,” he said.
His work has expanded beyond site monitoring to assisting with surveys of Indigenous trails, historic routes, and cultural landscapes across Arizona. Outside of monitoring, Bill values the program’s outreach and interpretive work, which allows him to share why cultural sites require careful treatment and responsible visitation.
For Bill, stewardship is grounded in education and respect. He notes that the sites they help protect “represent a contemporary connection to ancient cultures,” and he hopes more Arizonans will recognize and help preserve that connection.
Value of volunteering
Jessica Bland, who oversees the site monitoring volunteer program as an archaeologist in the Phoenix District’s Hassayampa Field Office, echoes Bill’s recognition of the value volunteers bring to public lands.
When she joined the office in 2023, one of her first priorities was building a strong working relationship with the BLM Site Steward volunteers. Through the program, the volunteers helped her become familiar with the resource area. The area spans more than one million acres of BLM-managed land around the Phoenix-metro area, including the Agua Fria National Monument.
Over the last two years, she has continued monitoring sites with volunteers, participating in trainings, and maintaining regular communication with coordinators to support ongoing stewardship needs.
Jessica says one of the most rewarding parts of her work is collaborating with volunteers whose dedication strengthens the program.
“I love working with volunteers most because of their passion and knowledge,” she said. “Public land volunteers eagerly share their time because of their commitment to giving back and their appreciation for the nation’s natural and cultural resources. Volunteers are extra eyes and ears on the land, interacting with visitors and passing on important information about resource conditions to BLM staff. They are essential for us to accomplish our mission.”
Join the legacy of stewardship
The BLM and other Department of the Interior agencies invite you to get involved by supporting the stewardship of our nation’s treasured landscapes.
In Arizona, various opportunities are available through BLM offices and partners to help keep public lands clean, trails thriving, wildlife protected, and cultural heritage preserved.
Like Bill, Lee, Diane, and Alex, volunteers who complete 250 volunteer hours through qualifying federal agencies can earn an America the Beautiful Volunteer pass. To find an opportunity near you, visit Volunteer.gov and start your own journey of service.
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