Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Forest Service and NACo Renew Public Lands Management Partnership Sign MOU to Continue, Strengthen Working Relationship WASHINGTON, D.C. - The Bureau of Land Management (BLM), the U.S. Forest Service (FS) and the National Association of Counties (NACo) have officially renewed their longstanding partnership thatallows them to tackle public lands issues across boundaries. By signing the Memorandum of Understanding, the BLM and FS recognize the important role counties play in locally based decision-making and the need to emphasize a landscape-level approach across local, state and federal boundaries.

FORRELEASE:
March14,2013
Contacts: Cynthia Moses‐Nedd (BLM), 202.912.7446 RandyPhillips(FS),703.887.3239
Ryan Yates (NACo), 202.942.4207 BureauofLandManagement,U.S.ForestServiceand
NACoRenewPublicLandsManagementPartnership
SignMOUtoContinue,StrengthenWorkingRelationship
WASHINGTON,D.C.–TheBureauofLandManagement(BLM),theU.S.ForestService(FS) andthe
NationalAssociation ofCounties(NACo)haveofficiallyrenewedtheirlongstandingpartnershipthat
allowsthemtotacklepubliclandsissuesacrossboundaries.
BysigningtheMemorandumofUnderstanding,theBLMandFSrecognizetheimportantrolecounties
playinlocallybaseddecision‐makingandtheneedtoemphasize alandscape‐levelapproachacrosslocal,
stateandfederalboundaries.
Theagreement,signedMarch3,establishesaframeworkfortheBureau,theForestServiceandNACoto
workcooperativelytoaddressfire,weedmanagement,planningandotherareasofcommonconcern,as
wellasseekcreativesolutionstoissuesimpactinglocalcommunitiessuchasrecreation,grazing,wild
horsesandburrosandenergydevelopment.Itensuresthatbroadlinesofcommunication areopenedto
countyofficialstocontributetofederallandmanagementinitiativesandpolicies.Atanationalandlocal
level,thegroupswillcollaboratetoproactivelyaddresspotentialconflictsandachieveresultsthat
benefiteach organization.
“Countiesarekeypartnerson‐the‐groundinthesuccessfulmanagementofpubliclands,”BLMPrincipal
DeputyDirectorNeilKornzesaid.“TheBLMvaluesthespiritofpartnership,goodwillandcooperation
wehaveenjoyedinthislongstandingrelationship.”
“It’sessentialthatwecontinueourstrong,productivepartnershipwiththeNationalAssociationof
Counties,”saidU.S.ForestServiceChiefTomTidwell.“Weappreciatetheassociation’sinterest and
participationinthewidevarietyoflandmanagementissueswefaceeverydayonforestsandgrasslands
‐more‐
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acrossthecountry.”
NACoPresidentChrisRodgerssaidheispleasedthatourfederalpartnersrecognizetheuniqueroleand
perspectivecountiesplayinthemanagementofpubliclands.“Thisagreementstrengthensour
intergovernmentalrelationshipsandensuresthatcountyofficialshaveinputonfederaldecisions
affectingcountiesandcommunities.”
TheBLMisafederalagencythatmanagesapproximately245millionacresofpublicland,primarilyinthe
West,and700millionacresoffederalmineralresources.Inaddition,theBLMisresponsiblefor
managingpubliclandsscatteredthroughoutthe31statesborderingon,andeastoftheMississippiRiver.
Theagency’smissionistosustainthehealth,diversity,andproductivityofthesepubliclandsfortheuse
andenjoymentofpresentandfuturegenerations.
TheForestServiceisalandandresourcemanagementagencyoftheU.S.DepartmentofAgriculture
responsibleformanagingandprotectingapproximately193millionacresofpubliclands.The Forest
ServiceprovidesleadershipinthemanagementoftheNation’sstateandprivateforests,forestresearch,
andinternationalassistancefortheprotectionandsoundmanagementoftheworld'sforestresources.
NationalAssociation ofCountiesisanationalorganizationthatrepresentscountygovernmentsinthe
UnitedStates.Foundedin1935,NACoprovidesessentialservicestothenation's3,069counties.NACo
advancesissueswithaunifiedvoicebeforethefederalgovernment,improvesthepublic'sunderstanding
ofcountygovernment,assistscountiesinfindingandsharinginnovativesolutionsthrougheducationand
research,andprovidesvalue‐addedservicestosavecountiesandtaxpayersmoney.
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