WASHINGTON – The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) will honor some of their most dedicated volunteers this week at the agency’s 2019 Making a Difference National Volunteer Awards. Volunteers play a critical role in helping the BLM welcome millions of visitors annually to more than 245 million acres of public lands across the American West.

The annual awards, which recognize exceptional volunteer service on BLM-managed lands, will be presented during a special awards ceremony on Wednesday, May 22 at 1:00 p.m. EDT in Washington, D.C., and live via video teleconference on www.blm.gov/live. 

“It’s important to recognize and celebrate the contributions made by our dedicated volunteers,” said Secretary of the Interior David Bernhardt. “I’m continually humbled and inspired by the enthusiasm and hard work of these outstanding individuals as each of you have made a lasting impact on our public lands. Thank you on behalf of the places you safeguard for all Americans, and thank you on behalf of the people whose lives you’ve touched through your generosity.”

In 2018, over 30,000 volunteers contributed nearly one million hours of service, providing the equivalent of more than $24 million in labor and enabling BLM to help more Americans experience their public lands. These hard-working volunteers help monitor trails, manage wild horses, keep campers safe, and provide environmental education, interpretation, and other visitor services.

“The BLM has only about 9,000 employees to sustainably manage hundreds of millions of acres of public lands for a range of multiple uses. While our employees are exceptionally dedicated, the support they receive from our volunteers is essential to helping our agency achieve its mission for the American people,” said Casey Hammond, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Land and Minerals Management, exercising the authority of the BLM Director. “It is a privilege to recognize these incredible people for their tireless efforts.”

The 2019 awardees and their BLM nominating offices are:

• Tracy Greenwood, Lifetime Achievement, Mother Lode Field Office (CA), for consistent management of the Briceburg Visitor Center at the Merced River Recreation Area since 2000.
• Walt & Kathy Horsfall, Lifetime Achievement, Safford Field Office (AZ), for their service to the Gila Box Riparian National Conservation Area, collecting data on hundreds of miles of roads around the Gila Box Riparian NCA.
• Phil & Chriscinda Jamison, Lifetime Achievement, Northeastern States District (ES), for more than 15 years in support of the Wild Horse and Burro Program in the BLM Eastern States Office.
• Thomas Parkinson & Peter Kearns, Outstanding Achievement, Grand Canyon-Parashant National Monument (AZ), for 400 hours of volunteer service in 2018, contributing to multiple programs on the Parashant.
• Pedal United Chapter of IMBA, Group Excellence, Billings Field Office (MT), for helping to develop more than 28 miles of mountain bike trails and a trailhead facility over the last four years.
• Blake Ramos-Manz, Sergio Ramos-Manz, & Dylan Brennan, Outstanding Achievement, Wild Rivers Recreation Area (NM), for helping to manage the Wild Rivers Recreation Area, including five campgrounds, 27 campsites, and over 36 miles of trail.
• Roy Thornton, Outstanding Achievement, Cottonwood Field Office (ID), for his volunteer service at  the BLM's Cottonwood Field Office recreation sites and campgrounds over the last eight years

A national panel of BLM specialists and partner organization representatives selected the winners for their exceptional contributions to conservation and management of public lands. 

For more information, please contact Linda Schnee, BLM National Volunteer Program Lead, at (202) 912-7453 or lschnee@blm.gov. 

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The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 Western states, including Alaska. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Diverse activities authorized on these lands generated $96 billion in sales of goods and services throughout the American economy in fiscal year 2017. These activities supported more than 468,000 jobs.