Bureau of Land Management's Participation in Partners Outdoors 2009; DD: 11/15/2008

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIORBUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENTWASHINGTON, D.C.  20240http://www.blm.gov October 7, 2008 In Reply Refer To:8300 (250) P EMS TRANSMISION 10/16/2008Information Bulletin No. 2009-003 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:           Bureau of Land Management's Participation in Partners Outdoors 2009DD: 11/15/2008Program Area:  National Landscape Conservation System, Partnerships and Recreation and Visitor Services.Purpose:  This Information Bulletin (IB) announces the Partners Outdoors 2009 Annual Workshop scheduled for February 1 - 3, 2009, at Cambridge, Maryland and solicits the Bureau of Land Management’s (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 2009.  The Nomination Package Submission and Checklist form, Attachment 1, should be used for submitting the nomination. This package should include the nominee’s name, title, office, address, phone number, fax number, cell phone number (optional) 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 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 is structured as a convenient checklist to verify all the required information is included.Time Frame:  The nomination package should be submitted electronically by November 15, 2008, to Kevin Chesley at e-mail:  Kevin_Chesley@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 meals and group transportation offered in conjunction with the Partners Outdoors 2009 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 2009 along with information about participation, accommodations, transportation, displays, outcomes and attire.  Using the participant list provided by the BLM, the ARC will make all initial lodging reservations.  Participants should not contact the hotel about room reservations until after they are contacted by the ARC with instructions to call the hotel to finalize their room reservation with a credit card.In addition to listing the agenda and biographical information about each participant, the Partners Outdoors 2009 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 2009 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 preliminary 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.Manuals/Handbooks 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 and Recreation and Visitor Services (WO-250.Contact:  Hal Hallett, Division of Recreation and Visitor Services, at 202-452-7794, or by e-mail  hal_hallett@blm.gov or Kevin Chesley, Division of Recreation and Visitor Services, at 202-452-0379, e-mail kevin_chesley@blm.gov.  Signed by:                                                                   Authenticated by:Edwin L. Roberson                                                     Robert M. WilliamsAssistant Director                                                       Division of IRM Governance,WO-560Renewable Resources and Planning  4 – Attachments         1 – Partners Outdoors 2009 Nomination Package Submission and Checklist (1 p)         2 – Partners Outdoors: A Tradition of Action (2 pp)         3 – Partners Outdoors 2009: Using the Transition to Thrive (2 pp)            4 – Partners Outdoor 2009 Preliminary Program (2 pp)