National Fish, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Workshop Portland, Oregon, April 2-6, 2007 DD: 03/28/2007

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20240
http://www.blm.gov

March 15, 2007

In Reply Refer To:
6500 (WO-230) P

EMS TRANSMISSION 03/27/2007
Information Bulletin No. 2007-062

To: AFOs and WO Officials

From: Assistant Director, Renewable Resources and Planning

Subject: National Fish, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Workshop– Portland, Oregon, April 2-6, 2007 DD: 03/28/2007

The Division of Fish, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (WO-230) is sponsoring a national workshop that will focus on providing the tools and training required for state fish, wildlife, botany, and threatened and endangered species program leaders to be effective and successful in carrying out their duties. The workshop is scheduled for the week of April 2-6, 2007, at the Hilton Portland and Executive Tower located at 921 SW Sixth Avenue, Portland, Oregon.

The target audience for this workshop includes: national and state program staff, Renewable Resources Branch Chiefs, Deputy State Directors, along with field office staff that have state, regional or national responsibilities in the fish, wildlife, plant conservation or threatened and endangered species program area. This meeting will be the first opportunity in two years for the Washington Office and State Office staff leads to jointly address changing budget and policy direction in order to improve operational efficiency and legal/policy sufficiency in program delivery. Program leads have identified core cross-cutting issues that will benefit all participants as well as issues unique to fish, wildlife, plant conservation and threatened and endangered programs. A draft agenda for the workshop is attached (Attachment 1).

The theme for this workshop is “Managing for Excellence–The Role of the Fish, Wildlife, Special Status Species and Plant Conservation Programs in a Changing Organization”. This meeting will address current and emerging issues centered on policy, budget and communications among and across states and programs. Key issues relating to budget development, execution, performance, roles and responsibilities of national and state program leads, workforce planning and development of recommended strategies to address a changing organization.

The Fiscal_Year (FY) 2007 PTA provided early notification regarding a planned workshop. The FY 2007 Annual Work Plan will contain additional information on the workshop. Funding for attendance to the workshop was provided to each state in the FY 2007 Annual Work Plan.. The states will be responsible for funding travel for each individual.

A draft agenda for the workshop is attached (Attachment 1) along with logistical information on lodging (Attachment 2). We are also requesting that each State Office designate a point of contact to coordinate any pre-workshop assignments, registration for participants, and any other information that needs to be shared with the workshop planning committee.

Individuals need to register to attend the conference. Please complete the attached (Attachment 3) registration spreadsheet for each state, be sure to list each individual that will attend the conference from your state. Send the completed spreadsheet to Jill Silvey via e-mail at jill_silvey@blm.gov by March 28, 2007.

Contact: Dwight Fielder, Division Chief, Fish, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (WO-230) at 202-452-7761 or Jim Dryden, Deputy Division Chief, (WO-230) at
202-452-7711.

Signed by:
Authenticated by:
Jim Murkin
Robert M. Williams
Acting, Assistant Director
Division of IRM Governance,WO-560
Renewable Resources and Planning

3 Attachments
1 - Draft Agenda-Fish, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Program Leaders Meeting (1p)
2 - Travel Information for FWB Program Leaders Meeting (2 pp)
3 - Registration Spreadsheet (2 pp)