Mission
“The BLM’s mission is to sustain the health, diversity and productivity of the public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.”
The Bureau of Land Management Alaska
In Alaska, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) administers federal public land that includes majestic mountain ranges, vibrant wetlands, unique coastal marine environments and vast expanses of tundra – and the wildlife in these productive habitats. The BLM manages these lands for multiple uses in three broad categories: commercial activities, recreation, and conservation. The BLM, like the National Park Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, is a federal agency within the U.S. Department of the Interior.
A Partner for Stewardship of Alaska’s Lands
The BLM is committed to promoting the stewardship of healthy ecosystems and healthy communities now and for future generations. Community-based citizen stewardship begins with people taking care of special places. The Western Arctic Caribou Herd Working Group is important because it brings together a broad range of stakeholders who are actively involved in the management of the caribou.
Helping the Working Group
The BLM contributes to the efforts to monitor the Western Arctic caribou herd by providing logistical support such as gas for flights, purchasing caribou collars, supplying field personnel and more. The BLM helps with education and outreach in communities, involving high school students in activities such as collaring and weighing caribou during fall migration.
The BLM directly assists the Western Arctic Caribou Herd Working Group by funding and coordinating the Working Group’s annual meeting. This meeting is critical to facilitating communication and information between the people who use and manage this amazing resource – the caribou. To make the meeting a success, the BLM coordinates the numerous details, from last-minute, weather related air service changes, to translators for those whose first language may be Inupiat, Yupik, or Koyukon, and much more. The BLM’s background logistical set-up ensures successful meetings to help achieve the Working Group’s goals. Learn more at BLM Alaska.
Contact Information
Tom Sparks
Associate Field Manager
BLM Nome Field Station
907-443-2177