BLM's 2016 Public Lands Partnership Excellence Award

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIORBUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENTWASHINGTON, D.C. 20240-0036http://www.blm.govFebruary 23, 2016In Reply Refer To:1114, 1115, 8300 (420) PEMS TRANSMISSION 02/29/2016Information Bulletin No. 2016-031To:                   All Washington Office and Field Office OfficialsFrom:               Assistant Director, National Landscape Conservation System and Community PartnershipsSubject:           Bureau of Land Management’s 2016 “Public Lands Partnership Excellence” Award: Announcement of WinnerWe are pleased to announce the selection of the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM’s) 2016 “Public Lands Partnership Excellence” Award winner, Colorado Canyons Association of Grand Junction, Colorado.  The biannual Excellence award recognizes an interpretive association or friends group that has a formal assistance agreement with the BLM and has demonstrated exceptional support for the BLM’s interpretive, educational, and/or public outreach programs.  We thank all of the BLM offices that submitted nominations; as in the past, there were many excellent partner nominations, all deserving of recognition.About the Colorado Canyons Association (CCA):The Colorado Canyons Association (CCA) is the Friends Group for western Colorado’s three national conservation areas (NCAs).  CCA does amazing work fostering community stewardship of McInnis Canyons, Dominguez-Escalante, and Gunnison Gorge NCAs. In 2015, CCA developed several high-quality education programs to offer youth the opportunity to learn about public lands and natural resources in an outdoor classroom environment. CCA worked with the NCAs to formalize the curriculum for these programs to meet Colorado state education standards, and allow for teachers, volunteers, and partners to step in and help deliver these programs into the future. In addition to education programs, CCA organized and carried out three volunteer events as well as two citizen science projects in the McInnis Canyons and Dominguez-Escalante NCAs.  CCA also organized and promoted a 2015 National Public Lands day event in Gunnison Gorge NCA, which included trail work to improve public access to an important cultural site along the Gunnison River.CCA organized the Dominguez-Escalante riparian area monitoring project and McInnis Canyons trail monitoring program, in which local community members collect valuable riparian inventory data and trail condition data to inform BLM management decisions.CCA has greatly improved the BLM’s ability to provide excellent customer service; 2015 marked the first full year that a CCA employee was stationed at the front desk of the BLM’s Grand Junction Field Office. This “NCA Stewardship Coordinator” has been a valuable addition to the BLM office and has helped to serve the public and the NCAs’ education partners and volunteers. In addition, CCA has greatly improved the BLM’s ability to serve diverse audiences. The organization conducted a research project to determine which methods are most successful in reaching underserved populations, and also hired a bilingual intern who is working to translate all of the education program materials into Spanish.The efforts of CCA provide a valuable mechanism for involving the community in the management of public lands and help to educate the community about public land resources. CCA ensures that the BLM and the communities that support the McInnis Canyons, Dominguez-Escalante, and Gunnison Gorge NCAs can work together to preserve these special places.A representative of the winning organization has been invited to Spokane, Washington, to participate in an award ceremony in conjunction with the 2016 national convention of the Association of Partners for Public Lands (APPL), an umbrella organization for the many interpretive associations and friends groups that work to foster stewardship and appreciation of Federal and State public lands and historic sites nationwide. For additional information on the BLM’s “Public Lands Partnership Excellence” Award, please contact BLM National Interpretive Lead Brianna Candelaria of the Division of Education, Interpretation, and Partnerships at bcandela@blm.gov or (202) 912-7583.Signed by:                                                                   Authenticated by:Nikki Moore                                                                Robert M. WilliamsActing, Assistant Director                                           Division of IRM Governance,WO-860National Landscape Conservation System    and Community Partnerships