MORENO VALLEY, Calif. - The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) today announced new appointments to the California Desert District citizen-based Desert Advisory Council (DAC) which advises the agency on over 10 million acres of southern California desert public land management issues. The DAC is composed of members with diverse interests and backgrounds.
"The Desert Advisory Council is a valuable panel of citizens that provides input and advice into the management of over 11 million acres of public land throughout the southern California desert," states Beth Ransel, California Desert District Manager. "I welcome the newest members and look forward to continuing the strong working relationship we enjoy with the council."
Resource Advisory Councils, such as the DAC, are composed of citizens chosen for their expertise in natural resource issues and help the BLM carry out its nation-wide stewardship of 245 million acres - the largest land portfolio of any Federal agency. The BLM has established 29 RACs across the West, where most BLM-managed land is located.
Each RAC consists of 10 to 15 members who represent stakeholder interests in public land management, such as conservationists, outdoor recreationists, ranchers, industry officials, tribal leaders, state and local government officers, academics, and others.
The BLM, an agency of the Interior Department, is responsible for managing various uses - such as outdoor recreation, livestock grazing, mineral development, and energy production - while conserving the land’s natural, historical, and cultural resources.
Below are the newly appointed members of the BLM California Desert District Advisory Council which will next meet on February 24-25, 2017 in Needles, Calif.:
* Michelle Long (transportation/rights-of-way)
* Frazier Haney (environmental protection)
* Paul Martin (non-renewable resources)
* Mariana Maguire (public-at-large)
Source: U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management
