Two BLM Employees Honored with Legends Awards By American Recreation Coalition

Two Bureau of Land Management employees were honored today by the American Recreation Coalition with its annual Legends Awards, which recognize Federal employees' outstanding achievements in promoting recreational opportunities that connect people to the outdoors.  Presented annually during Great Outdoors Week, the awards honor individuals from each major recreation-related Federal agency during a ceremony held in June in Washington, D.C.  This year's BLM honorees are public land managers Gary Pritchard-Peterson of California and James Goodbar of New Mexico.

"We are delighted by the American Recreation Coalition’s recognition of these two outstanding BLM managers," said BLM Deputy Director Steve Ellis. "Gary and Jim exemplify the very best in public service as they carry out their duties – labors of love, really – as stewards of the public lands."

The BLM's 2016 winners are:

Gary Pritchard-Peterson, manager of the BLM's King Range National Conservation Area (NCA), California.  Pritchard-Peterson has led the nation's first NCA as its sole manager for more than 24 years, overseeing the development of outstanding recreation and visitor services that have served as a model for land management practices throughout the BLM's National Conservation Lands System. Pritchard-Peterson led the creation and management of several multi-use trails and campgrounds within the NCA, including the iconic Lost Coast Trail. He also contributed to the establishment of the Paradise Royale Mountain Bike Trail System and Tolkan Terrain Park – a 23-mile network of world-class trails.  Pritchard-Peterson has formed lasting alliances with BLM partners and community members to enhance recreation, outdoor education, interpretation, and resource conservation on public lands.

James Goodbar, BLM National Cave and Karst Program Manager and New Mexico's State Cave Coordinator/Carlsbad Field Office Outdoor Recreation Planner. Goodbar, who has worked for the BLM for nearly 35 years, is an expert on recreational caving who is well-known for his substantial contributions in the field of cave and karst resource management.  An exceptional explorer, instructor, and author of national cave policy, Goodbar has served as the BLM’s media representative to promote public knowledge about cave recreation, safety, and stewardship.  Under the Federal Cave Resource Protection Act of 1988, Goodbar has collaborated with other Federal agency officials and drafted policy to protect and preserve national cave and karst resources.  Goodbar, who contributed to the establishment of the National Cave and Karst Research Institute located in Carlsbad, New Mexico, has conducted research and developed best management practices to prevent the spread of White Nose Syndrome, a deadly fungus killing millions of bats in caves in the United States and Canada.

The American Recreation Coalition, based in Washington, D.C., and formed in 1979, promotes public-private partnerships to enhance and protect outdoor recreational activities.  It confers its Legends Awards to individuals based on four criteria: fostering recreational opportunities; working with private-sector partnerships; using creativity; and community support for their work.