#WeekofGratitude: Ten things we are thankful for
Oh, so many things to be thankful for! This week, we at the Bureau of Land Management want to share just a few as we gear up for #Thanksgiving.
1. Volunteers: We couldn’t do the work we do without the selfless work of our volunteers. The BLM values the thousands of volunteers who offer their time, skills and service to help care for the nation’s natural and cultural resources. Volunteers contribute to many BLM program areas, including recreation, wild horses and burros, cultural/ historical resources and environmental education/ interpretation. Our volunteers work with us to be good neighbors in the communities we serve.
2. Our BLM family: Our over 10,000 passionate employees work together in a family-friendly environment to find the best use for our public lands. From interns to those who have spent their career at BLM, our employees are proud civil servants.
Here at the BLM, we appreciate the sacrifice and contributions that veterans and military personnel have made and are proud to say, one in every five BLM employees has served in the United States Armed Forces.
BLM wildland firefighters and agency law enforcement officers work each day to keep the public safe and protect our country’s valuable resources. We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again. Thank you to our entire BLM family!
3. Kids: We love sharing public lands with kids! Our vision for education and youth programs is that young people, engaged from an early age in outdoor learning and recreation on the public lands, become the next generation of conservation stewards and leaders. Public lands encompass millions of acres where young people can pursue healthy recreational activities, spend time with friends and family, nurture their curiosity about plants and animals, and discover clues to our country’s past. Join the adventure near you!
4. Partners: Partnerships and inclusion are vital to managing sustainable, working public lands. The BLM has long depended on working with others – through partnerships – to enhance public lands and to carry out our multiple-use mission.
5. Public lands: Thanks to our country’s vast amount of public lands, we are able to enjoy quiet moments in serene wilderness areas, bountiful fishing on thousands of miles of rivers and streams, affordable grazing of livestock on healthy rangelands and endless opportunities for adventure. The BLM proudly serves as the stewards more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 Western states, including Alaska.
6. Cultural heritage and paleontology: From petroglyphs detailing Native American life to visible wagon ruts on trails that led to the West to ghost towns that give a look into the past, public lands are home to our country’s rich history. We are thankful that we can appreciate those who came before us when we visit cultural resources on public lands.
7. Energy independence: #PoweredbyPublicLands – public lands keep the lights on. The BLM has a strong history of meeting our Nation’s growing energy needs while at the same time leading the way in sustainable development. We seek to find innovative methods to benefit the public by supporting local economies and providing dependable domestic energy. Development of these energy sources economically benefits the Nation and states by providing revenue where the energy source is developed.
8. Recreational opportunities: Public lands make the perfect place to #OptOutside and appreciate America’s Great Outdoors. From mountain biking to horseback riding to hunting to off-roading, BLM-managed public lands offer spectacular backdrops to any outdoor recreational activity. Plan your visit today!
9. Natural resources: We are fortunate to live in place with bountiful natural resources, many of which are found on public lands. The BLM manages three types of habitats to support conservation as we pursue our multiple-use mission: rangelands, forests and wetlands. We develop and implement strategies for healthy native plant communities and soil, air, and water management across all three habitats. These strategies promote working public lands that benefit current and future generations of Americans.
10. American traditions: We value our nation’s history and traditions. The BLM was established in 1946, but its roots go back to the years after America’s independence, when this young nation began acquiring additional lands. At first, these lands were used to encourage homesteading and westward migration. The General Land Office was created in 1812 to support this national goal. Today, the BLM operates under the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 to manage public lands under a multiple-use and sustained yield mission for present and future generations.
