The Bureau of Land Management's (BLM) Participation in Partners Outdoors 2008 DD: 11/15/2007

United States Department of the InteriorBUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENTWashington, D.C. 20240http://www.blm.gov November 1, 2007 In Reply Refer To:8300 (250) P EMS TRANSMISION 11/02/2007Information Bulletin No. 2008-011 To:                   State Directors                        Attn:    All Associate State Directors                                    All State Recreation Leads                                    All State Monument Managers                                    All State Partnership Coordinators                                    All State NLCS Program LeadsFrom:               Assistant Director, Renewable Resources and PlanningSubject:           The Bureau of Land Management's (BLM) Participation in Partners Outdoors 2008DD: 11/15/2007Program Area:  National Landscape Conservation System, Partnerships and Recreation and Visitor Services.Purpose:  This Information Bulletin (IB) announces the Partners Outdoors 2008 Annual Workshop scheduled for January 13 - 16, 2008, at Snowbird, Utah, and solicits BLM participation.  The BLM contingent usually includes the Director and/or Deputy Director and representatives from the Division of Recreation and Visitor Services, Office of the National Landscape Conservation System, and each BLM State organization.Policy/Action:  Each State Director (SD) is invited to nominate one individual from his or her state to attend Partners Outdoors 2008.  The SD’s nomination package should include the nominee’s name, title, address, phone number, fax number, and e-mail address; an informal head and shoulders photograph preferably taken in an outdoor setting; a brief (not to exceed one-half page) biography suitable for publication in the Workshop’s program; and an indication as to whether or not the nominee has previously participated in Partners Outdoors.  The package should also provide the name of the nominee’s supervisor as this information is required for completing the training form (SF-182) used in the procurement process.  Attachment 1 provides a convenient checklist to verify all the required information is included.Time Frame:  The SD’s Partners Outdoors 2008 nomination package should be submitted electronically by November 15, 2007, to Hal Hallett at e-mail:  hal_hallett@blm.gov.Budget Impact:  The Division of Recreation and Visitor Services (WO 250) will pay the $450 tuition for the Washington Office participants and one representative from each State.  The tuition includes all materials and certain meals offered in conjunction with the Partners Outdoors 2008 Workshop.  All other travel expenses are the responsibility of the participant’s home office.  Planned BLM attendance is 15 employees.Background:  The Partners Outdoors program was initiated in 1992 to bring together future leaders from federal recreation-providing agencies and the recreation industry to accomplish two goals: (1) reinforce an awareness of shared customers and interdependence of the public and private sectors, and (2) encourage partnership-based actions to better serve recreation visitors to public lands.  Major actions have occurred as direct outgrowths of Partners Outdoors meetings and dozens of other advances have developed as participants have maintained contact long after the formal sessions adjourned.  Specific accomplishments of the Partners Outdoors program are listed in Attachment 2.The BLM annually participates in the Partners Outdoors Workshop along with the American Recreation Coalition (ARC), the Recreation Roundtable, the National Park Service, the U.S.D.A. Forest Service, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Bureau of Reclamation, and the Federal Highway Administration.Attachment 3 describes the theme of Partners Outdoors 2008 along with information about participation, accommodations, transportation, displays, outcomes and attire.  Using the participant list provided by BLM, ARC will make the lodging reservations.  Participants should not contact the hotel about room reservations until they are contacted by the ARC with instructions to call the hotel to confirm their room reservation with a credit card.In addition to listing the agenda and biographical information about each participant, the Partners Outdoors 2008 notebook contains literature germane to the Workshop theme.  The BLM participants are encouraged to submit material for inclusion in the notebook.  The submission process involves first contacting the ARC to describe the material.  Upon receiving ARC approval to include the material in the partners Outdoors 2008 notebook, please provide 150 copies, three-hole punched, directly to the ARC at its Washington office.  Photocopied material should be printed double-sided when possible.The proposed program is provided in Attachment 4.  All nominees will receive an updated draft agenda to help them make the necessary travel arrangements.  The final agenda will be included in the participant notebook provided during onsite registration.Directives Affected:  None.Coordination:  This IB was coordinated with the ARC, the Recreation Roundtable, the Assistant Director for Renewable Resources and Planning, and the Director, Office of National Landscape Conservation System.Contact: Hal Hallett, Division of Recreation and Visitor Services, Bureau of Land Management, 1849 C Street, N.W., MS 302 LS, Washington, D.C.  20240; telephone: 202-452-7794; fax: 202- 452-7709; e-mail:  hal_hallett@blm.gov.  Signed by:                                                                   Authenticated by:Deb Rawhouser                                                          Robert M. WilliamsActing, Assistant Director                                          Division of IRM Governance,WO-560Renewable Resources and Planning  3 – Attachments            1 – Partners Outdoors 2008 Nomination Package Checklist (1 p)            2 – Partners Outdoors: A Tradition of Action (2 pp)            3 – Partners Outdoors 2008: Unlocking the fun and benefits of the outdoors to all Americans, and especially youth. (3 pp)               4 – Partners Outdoor 2008 Proposed Program (4pp)