The Federal Bureau of Land Management, or BLM, is looking for local help managing its Alaska lands. BLM is looking for rural Alaskans willing to sit on their Resource Advisory Council. BLM Public Affairs Specialist Melinda Bolton says that the bureau specifically needs better representation from rural Alaskans because they are the ones who live near BLM lands.
“This is their backyard, ” Bolton said. “This is a really great opportunity for them to have a direct influence and direct impact on the way we manage the land in their backyard. They can work two to three times a year with our state director to make recommendations right to him.”
Residents of the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta are no strangers to the role of advisory councils. Many sit on groups advising both the federal and state governments on managing wildlife and fisheries. Bolton says that being on another council does not prevent a person from being considered for the BLM’s advisory group.
“It actually, in my opinion, makes you an even better candidate for being part of this council because you understand some of the federal advisory committee laws, and you understand how they already work, and you understand that building consensus is really important," Bolton said.
The BLM Resource Advisory Council meets three times a year. People can nominate themselves or someone else. For more information on how to apply, contact Melinda Bolton at mbolton@blm.gov. The BLM Alaska Resource Advisory Council has four vacancies, and Bolton says that the plan is to put forward eight candidates for consideration by the White House.