The Bureau of Land Managements (BLM) 2011 Excellence in Interpretation or Education Awards: Announcement of Winners

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIORBUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENTWashington, DC 20240http://www.blm.govOctober 5, 2011In Reply Refer To:1115 (172) PEMS TRANSMISSION 10/12/2011Information Bulletin No. 2012-002To:                   All WO Officials, AFOsFrom:              Assistant Director, National Landscape Conservation System and Community PartnershipsSubject:           The Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) 2011 “Excellence in Interpretation or Education” Awards:  Announcement of WinnersWe are pleased to announce the selection of four winners in the BLM’s 2011 “Excellence in Interpretation or Education” Awards competition.  They are:GOLD AWARD winner:  Julie Clark, Arcata Field Office, California.  Park Ranger Julie Clark is the driving force behind “Outdoors Cool!” a program designed to get young people outside to experience nature on BLM public lands.  Through a website and Public Service Announcements that aired on television and in movie theaters, Julie has developed an effective way to promote the inherent value of nature and outdoor recreation to children in California and elsewhere.SILVER AWARD winner:  Emily Hoerner, Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument, California.  Through a series of hiking programs, informal interpretation, volunteer training, “table kits,” and collaboration with partners, Emily has fostered visitor understanding of, and compliance with, domestic dog restrictions within the monument’s critical wildlife habitat.  These programs have resulted in “compliance without conflict,” promoted mutual understanding, and facilitated constructive discussion about this and other controversial visitor use issues within the monument.SILVER AWARD winners:  Gary Koy and David Jamiel, BLM Elko District Office, Nevada.  Gary Koy and David Jamiel have worked tirelessly to grow Nevada’s California National Historic Trail Interpretive Center from a dream to a reality.David Jamiel’s extensive knowledge of Western American history enabled him to lead the development of an interpretive plan for the new center while also facilitating a seamless working relationship among the BLM and the various public, private, tribal, and non-profit partners.  Gary Koy’s innovative use of traveling exhibits and special displays has offered visitors diverse opportunities to learn, while also providing a “sneak preview” of the Center’s final design.  This has allowed over 10,000 people to explore the trail center’s themes, as well as learn about the interpretive process that goes into building a facility such as this one. SILVER AWARD winners:  Carrie Simmons, BLM El Centro Field Office, California, and Jenny Blanchard, BLM Anchorage Field Office, Alaska.  Archaeologists Carrie Simmons and Jenny Blanchard created an interactive interpretive poster and developed a downloadable audio tour to assist both on- and off-site visitors in exploring the Yuha Desert, an important natural and cultural heritage area that previously offered no interpretation programs or materials.  Through the team’s efforts, over 5,000 school children, 150,000 web visitors, and 1.3 million off-highway-vehicle users have been able to see the Yuha in a new light, gaining understanding of and a sense of stewardship for this unique resource.Our award winners have been invited to attend the “Excellence in Interpretation” awards ceremony on November 10, 2011, to be held in conjunction with the National Association for Interpretation’s (NAI) 2011 National Workshop.  This year’s workshop will be held November 8-12, 2011, in Saint Paul, Minnesota.  Winners of the Hiram M. Chittenden Award (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers), Sense of Wonder Award (U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service), Gifford Pinchot Excellence in Interpretation and Conservation Education Award (U.S. Forest Service), Freeman Tilden Award (National Park Service), and NAI’s Master Front-Line Interpreter and Master Interpretive Manager awards will also be acknowledged during this ceremony.Congratulations to our award winners and thanks to all who participated in this year’s awards competition.  Should you have any questions, please feel free to contact Brianna Candelaria, BLM’s National Lead for Interpretation, at (202) 912-7583 or BCandela@blm.gov.Signed by: Robert T. Ratcliffe, Acting Director, National Landscape Conservation System and Community PartnershipsAuthenticated by: Robert M. Williams, Division of IRM Governance, WO-560