Request for Nominations for Natural Resource Conservation Awards for the 2010 North American Wildlife and Natural Resources Conference and Elk and Wild Turkey; DD: 12/21/2009; 01/15/2010; 01/20/2010
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIORBUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENTWASHINGTON, D.C. 20240http://www.blm.gov/December 15, 2009In Reply Refer To: 6500 (230) PEMS TRANSMISSION 12/17/2009Information Bulletin No. 2010-024To: All Field OfficialsFrom: Assistant Director, Renewable Resources and PlanningSubject: Request for Nominations for Natural Resource Conservation Awards for the 2010 North American Wildlife and Natural Resources Conference and Elk and Wild TurkeyDD: 12/21/2009; 01/15/2010; 01/20/2010Each year, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Director and the USDA Forest Service (FS) Chief recognize outstanding individuals, groups, and partnership achievements by natural resource professionals and partner organizations. This Information Bulletin (IB) is requesting nominations for the following awards:
- Conservation Project Award
- Conservation Partner Award
- Linda Siebert Career Achievement Award
- Karl Urban Celebrating Wildflowers Award
- Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation (RMEF) Elk Conservation Award
- National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF) Making Tracks Award
The BLM and FS Awards: The first three awards will be presented at the joint BLM/FS awards reception at the 2010 North American Wildlife and Natural Resources Conference in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on March 24, 2010. The first two awards, presented jointly by the BLM/FS, recognize the outstanding contributions made by individuals or organizations that demonstrate exemplary conservation and management of fish, wildlife and/or native plant resources on lands administered by the BLM/FS. The Linda Siebert Career Achievement Award is presented to a current or retired BLM employee who significantly contributed to the conservation of fish, wildlife and/or botanic resources over the course of their career. Any outstanding botanist, fisheries or aquatic biologist, wildlife biologist, BLM State Office program lead, or BLM manager is eligible to receive this award. State Directors are encouraged to nominate individuals for recognition.For the Karl Urban Celebrating Wildflowers Award, Conservation Project Award, Conservation Partnership Award, and the Linda Siebert Career Achievement Award, use the nomination form (attachment 1) and provide (either in paragraph or bullet format) how the nominee meets the nomination criteria, as well as, the overall benefits to fish, wildlife or botanic resources on Federal lands. Please limit submissions to two pages, and forward them electronically by January 20, 2010, to Geoffrey Walsh, Wildlife Biologist, Division of Fish, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (WO230).The RMEF and NWTF: RMEF -- Elk Conservation Award (see attachment 2): Nominees for the Individual Achievement must have actively worked in collaboration with both the BLM/RMEF. Candidates must have at least five years experience working in the area of researching, managing, conserving or enhancing elk habitat. For example, nominees for the 2010 Elk Conservation Awards must have actively worked on partnership projects since January 2005. Candidates must meet the following criteria through either successful program and/or project management:
- Individual Commitment
- Benefits to Elk and Elk Habitat
- Long-term
To nominate Habitat Enhancement programs and/or projects, both the BLM and the RMEF must have actively participated in the program or project. Projects initiated prior to 2010 may be considered for the award, but completion of the project must occur by the 2010 submission date. For projects having multiple phases or continuing over multiple years, the nomination must state a definite completion point and the product or accomplishment. The following are the evaluation criteria:
- Focused on Landscape/Watershed Scale
- Acreage Affected
- Habitat Type(s) and Importance of Habitat
- Diversity of Tools Utilized (e.g., prescribed burning, easements, weed control)
- Benefits to Elk and Other Wildlife Species
- Stewardship
The nomination of a partnership must include active participation by the BLM and the RMEF, as well as a diversity of other partners and include various approaches to facilitate landscape scale elk habitat enhancement and/or protection. The following are the evaluation criteria: Number and Diversity of Partners Involved Area of Importance (e.g., critical winter range, critical migration corridor, calving area) Acreage Affected Elk Conservation Award nominations must be submitted to Dwight Fielder, Chief, Division of Fish, Wildlife and Plant Conservation, (WO230) at dwight_fielder@blm.gov no later than January 15, 2010.NWTF -- Making Tracks Award (see attachment 3): The National Making Tracks with the BLM Award recognizes people and projects on BLM administered lands in four categories: Habitat Management Projects is a single year award for projects that best incorporate active wild turkey management into ecosystem management projects that significantly improve habitat for the wild turkey, Habitat Management Programs is a multiple year award that recognizes program accomplishments that benefits wild turkeys over multiple years, Partnership Achievement recognizes accomplishments in strengthening and expanding the partnership between the BLM and the NWTF, and Conservation Education is a multiple year award that recognizes accomplishments where the BLM has had substantial involvement in the planning or execution of Conservation Education Programs that highlight wild turkey restoration, management and conservation. Please send one form for each category (attachment 3), for which a person or a group is being nominated, to NWTF; Attention: Dale Tribby, BLM-Miles City Field Office, 111 Garryowen Road, Miles City, Montana 59301, by December 21, 2009. The award proposals will be submitted to the awards committee, which will evaluate the national award nominees in each category. The awards will be presented at the annual convention of the NWTF to be held February 18-21, 2010, in Nashville, Tennessee.These awards provide an excellent opportunity for the BLM Director and the FS Chief to recognize the hard work and professional dedication of BLM employees, individuals or organizations. The Federal lands play an important part to the success in protecting, and conserving wildlife or wildlife habitat, but this success is directly attributable to the support BLM and FS receives from the many individuals and wildlife organization working on the Federal lands. If you have any questions, or need additional information please contact Geoff Walsh, Wildlife Biologist by email at geoffrey_walsh@blm.gov or by phone at 202-912-7271.Signed by: Bud C. Cribley, Acting, Assistant Director, Renewable Resources and PlanningAuthenticated by: Robert M. Williams Division of IRM Governance, WO-5603-Attachments1 -- Criteria for Evaluating and Selecting NA Conference Awards Reception Nominees (3 pp)2 -- Nomination Form for RMEF Elk Conservation Awards (1p)3 -- Nomination Form for NWTF Making Tracks Awards (3 pp)