BLM RAC BACK IN THE SADDLE By Donald Amador
G
ood to see BLM Resource Advisory Council meetings starting again. Having served on a number of federal RACs over the years, I believe they provide an important forum for diverse interest groups to share ideas and build relationships in support of managed recreation on public lands. I have to commend the Biden Administration’s relaunch of BLM Resource Advisory Council (RAC) meetings in California. In 2019, Acting Secretary of the Interior, David Bernhardt, appointed me to serve on the BLM’s Central California RAC. Now it’s coming full circle as the first meeting of the BLM Central California RAC was February 24, 2021. This particular RAC advises the BLM on public land issues within the boundaries of the Bakersfield, Bishop, Central Coast, Mother Lode and Ukiah field offices, which comprise the Central California District. According to the agency website, the BLM maintains 37 chartered advisory committees located in the West. These include 30 statewide and regional Resource Advisory Councils; 5 advisory committees affiliated with specific sites on the BLM’s National Conservation Lands; and two others, including the National Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Board and the North Slope Science Initiative Science Technical Advisory Panel.
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RACs are sounding boards for BLM initiatives, regulatory proposals and policy changes. Each citizen-based council consists of 10 to 15 members from diverse interests in local communities, including ranchers, environmental groups, tribes, state and local government officials, academics, and other public land users. Regular RAC meetings are also open to the public. The Department of the Interior (DOI) established the RACs in 1995. RAC members vote on recommendations related to public land management and provide those recommendations to the designated Federal official who serves as liaison to the RAC. The Designated Federal Officer is usually a BLM line manager, such as the state director or district manager. Although RACs are solely advisory in nature, the contributions of RAC members are of great value to the BLM and have aided in the development of balanced decisions that serve the interests of all public land users. Upon the request of the Designated Federal Officer (DFO) the RAC may develop recommendations for BLM with respect to the land use planning, classification, retention, management, and disposal of the public lands within the area for which the advisory council is established and such other matters as may be referred to it by the DFO. The RAC can also make recommendations on programs and policies to increase outdoor recreation opportunities for all Americans, expand access for hunting and fishing on BLM land in a manner that respects the rights and privacy of inholders, and implementation of the agency’s regulatory reform initiatives. t’s great to get to see the Administration restart RAC meetings. It is an honor to serve on this RAC since most of my recreation and resource management career has been spent on public lands within the RAC boundary. Managed OHV recreation in the 21st Century is a sophisticated activity and has many moving parts which include construction of engineered trails, restoration of lands damaged by unauthorized use, law enforcement, maintenance of existing trail networks, protection of cultural resources, planning for new OHV areas, and education/safety programs. OHV is a significant contributor to the economy and an important part of the California state-wide recreation opportunity matrix. OHV recreation is also an important partner when it comes to addressing the growing threat of intense wildfires on both public and private lands. I look forward to working with other user groups on the RAC in support of access to, and resource management of, lands within the RAC’s project area.
Don Amador has been in the trail advocacy and recreation management profession for almost 29 years. Don is President of Quiet Warrior Racing/ Consulting. Don served as a contractor to the BlueRibbon Coalition from 1996 until June, 2018. Don served on the California Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation Commission from 1994-2000. He has won numerous awards including being a 2016 Inductee into the Off-Road Motorsports Hall of Fame and the 2018 Friend of the AMA Award. Don currently serves as the government affairs lead for AMA District 36 in Northern California. He may be reached via email at: damador@quietwarriorracing.com
