Public Lands Council

 

WASHINGTON (Oct. 20, 2020) – The Public Lands Council (PLC) today released the following statement recognizing recipients of the 2020 Rangeland Stewardship and Sagebrush Steppe Stewardship awards. These annual awards are given by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to those who have displayed exemplary land management and conservation practices.

Recipients of the 2020 Rangeland Stewardship Award include the mother and son team of Sophia and A.J. Hall and livestock producers Ted Blackstock, Daniel Richards, Tim and Jason Miller, Levi Loucks. Everyone mentioned has worked closely with federal and state agencies to rehabilitate public lands through the use of grazing and other management tools.

“Grazing on federal lands is a critical part of our country’s food supply chain but also in managing America’s grasslands and natural resources. Ranchers take land and habitat management seriously,” said PLC President Niels Hansen. “We all understand the importance of what we do and that is what makes these awards so prestigious. These awardees represent the best of the best when it comes to improving the land they work on,” 

The recipients of the Sagebrush Steppe Stewardship Award are Blair Ranch, LLC, of Belle Fourche, S.D., and the Jordan Meadows Collaborative, based in Orovada, Nevada. Both operations have made great investments in the reclamation of sagebrush habitats. Nevada rancher and past president of PLC, John Falen, is a key part of the Jordan Meadows Collaborative and has spent decades dedicated to the landscape and to the grazing community. John was also recently recognized as the recipient of the 2020 PLC President’s Award as a result of his outstanding contributions.

“I want to congratulate all of the 2020 winners and thank them for continuing the tradition of public lands ranchers as true conservationists and environmental stewards, I also want to thank the Bureau of Land Management for being productive and engaged partners with these operations. It is really something special to have the federal government recognize the importance of livestock production and grazing on public lands, year after year.”

The awards were announced by BLM Idaho State Director John Ruhs, during PLC’s 52nd annual meeting, that was held virtually in September.