Review of Draft Annual Report Templates for Bureau of Land Management Wilderness and Wilderness Study Areas, Wild and Scenic Rivers, and National Scenic and Historic Trails

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

January 29, 2010

In Reply Refer To:

6100 (170) P

EMS TRANSMISSION 02/18/2010

Instruction Memorandum No. 2010-058

Expires: 9/30/2011

To:                   All Field Office Officials                      

From:              Director, National Landscape Conservation System and Community Partnerships

Subject:           Review of Draft Annual Report Templates for Bureau of Land Management Wilderness and Wilderness Study Areas, Wild and Scenic Rivers, and National Scenic and Historic Trails                                               

DD:  04/15/2010

Program Area:  Wilderness and Wilderness Study Areas; Wild and Scenic Rivers; and National Scenic and Historic Trails.

Purpose:  This Instruction Memorandum (IM) requests field review of the attached draft templates for annual state-level reports on Wilderness and Wilderness Study Areas, Wild and Scenic Rivers, and National Scenic and Historic Trails.

Policy/Action:  Officials are requested to provide comments on the format and content of the attached draft templates for annual state-level reports on Wilderness and Wilderness Study Areas, Wild and Scenic Rivers, National Scenic and Historic Trails, and the excel workbook that will accompany these reports.  Reports will be initiated for Fiscal Year (FY) 2009; staggered due dates for these initial reports are proposed in the attached draft templates.  In developing these draft report templates, National Landscape Conservation System (NLCS) Washington Office (WO-171) staff has attempted to balance the need for necessary information with concerns about State and Field Office workloads.  It is important that field officials review and provide comments and recommendations on these templates.  A subsequent IM requesting the FY 2009 reports will be sent out in the next calendar year.

Time Frame:  Please forward comments and recommendations to Joe Ashor, Wild and Scenic Rivers Specialist, (WO-171), at Joe_Ashor@blm.gov by April 15, 2010.  

Budget Impact:  Negligible.                                                                                                          

Background:  WO-171 has requested reports from National Monument and National Conservation Area (NM/NCA) managers since 2006.  The NM/NCA reports and accompanying photographs have been vital to the WO’s understanding and management of these designations.  The WO staff use these reports when developing budget justifications and guidance, briefing various levels of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) organization, responding to inquiries from the Department of the Interior and Congress, and creating a more cohesive sense of NLCS priorities and system needs.  The reports provide WO staff with relevant and accurate information about each unit, reducing the need for additional data calls.

A 2008 General Management Evaluation (GME) of the NLCS cited the NM/NCA reports as a positive management practice.  The strategy developed to address the GME includes an action to implement a similar data call for Wilderness, Wild and Scenic Rivers, and Scenic and Historic Trails.  Producing these reports will help fulfill Congress’ direction in the FY 08 Omnibus Interior Division Report F that BLM “present annual NLCS expenditure and outcome reports.” Expanding the reports to include Wilderness, Wild and Scenic Rivers, and National Scenic and Historic Trails will also provide agency and Department leaders and interested publics with an annual, objective analysis of the “state” of the NLCS. 

Manual/Handbook Sections Affected:  None.

Coordination:  Preparation of the attached templates was coordinated with State and Field Offices by way of email, telephone, and conference calls.

Contact:  If you have questions or concerns regarding this policy, please contact Jeff Jarvis, Division Chief, National Landscape Conservation System at 202-912-7170. 

Signed by:                                                                   Authenticated by:

James Murkin                                                              Bridget D. Williams

Acting, Director                                                          Division of IRM Governance,WO-560

National Landscape Conservation System

and Community System

4 Attachments

     1 – Draft 2009 Wilderness and Wilderness Study Area Report Template (4pp)

     2 – Draft 2009 Wild and Scenic Rivers Report Template (4pp)

     3 – Draft 2009 National Scenic and Historic Trails Report Template (4pp)

     4 – Draft 2009.NLCS.ReportDATA.xlsx (Excel workbook with 3 worksheets) (5pp)