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Edward W. Shepard was sworn in as the State Director of the Oregon/Washington Bureau of Land Management (BLM) on January 8, 2007. Deputy Director Henri Bisson of the Washington, D.C. Headquarters came to the Oregon State Office in Portland to administer the Oath of Office. A crowd of about 150 friends and colleagues attended the ceremony, including a former State Director, leaders of other Federal and State agencies, and representatives from industry and environmental groups interested in natural resource issues.This is Shepard’s fourth tour of duty in Oregon, where he began as a public lands forester 26 years ago in Medford. Prior to his current position, Shepard began his career as a Forester in Rawlins, Wyoming. His other assignments with BLM include Assistant Director for Renewable Resources and Planning in the Washington Office; Deputy State Director for Resource Planning, Use, and Protection in Oregon / Washington; Deputy Director of the Office of Fire and Aviation at the National Interagency Fire Center in Boise; District Manager of the Coos Bay District; Chief of the Division of Forestry in the Washington Office; and Area Manager in the Roseburg District Office. Shepard is a Certified Forester with the Society of American Foresters (SAF) and held several elected and appointed offices and committee assignments with SAF. He was elected Fellow in 2006.In remarks delivered at the ceremony, Shepard noted that we have the luxury of discussing how to manage these lands now thanks to the great work of our predecessors. The BLM’s future must focus on meeting our legal obligations, and “making sure that the productive timber lands, spectacular views, wildlife and fish habitat, mineral riches, recreation options, and healthy watersheds can be sustained.”