1. U.S. Department of the Interior
Bureau of Land Management-Eastern States
Winter 2007
In this Issue
Page
State Director’s Message ......................................... 2
BLM-ES Partners with the University of
Wisconsin .............................................................. 4
Este Stifel to Lead the Lower Potomac Field
Station ................................................................... 4
Jupiter Inlet Barracks in Florida Dedicated ......... 5
Southern States Receive Over $2 Million .............. 5
Iowa Land Records Now Available ........................ 6
Cooperative Control of Exotic Weeds in Florida... 6
Fuel Reduction at Lathrop Bayou in Florida......... 7
Midwest Natural Resources Group ........................ 7
MOU Provides Job Learning for Phillips School
Students................................................................. 8
BLM-ES Photos ....................................................... 8
Looking for BLM Gold ........................................... 9
BLM-ES Happenings .............................................. 10
WH&B Adoptions in the East................................. 10
Former STEP Student Lands a Career in
Natural Resources................................................. 11
E-mail Briefs............................................................. 12
Comings & Goings ................................................... 12
I
n early January 2007, BLM-Eastern States (BLM-ES)
welcomed a new Associate State Director, Alan Barron
Bail. A 28-year veteran of BLM, Barron comes from
Prineville, Oregon, where he served as District Manager
for the Prineville District Office.
He held previous BLM positions which included
stints as Special Assistant to the BLM Deputy Director
in Washington, D.C.; Area Manager for the Klamath
Falls Resource Area in Oregon; Branch Chief for the
Redding Resource Area in California; Supervisor for the
Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas Acquired Minerals Project
in Oklahoma; Realty Specialist in the Grand Junction
Resource Area in Colorado and the Oklahoma Resource
Area in Oklahoma; and Range Technician in the
Battle Mountain District in Nevada.
New Year Brings a New Associate State Director
to BLM-Eastern States
Story and photo by Peggy Riek, Writer-Editor, BLM-Eastern States
Alan Barron Bail, Associate State Director,
BLM-Eastern States
F
or months BLM-ES’ employees had been
preparing for two special events to be held
at the Meadowood Special Recreation
Management Area (SRMA), located on the Mason
Neck Peninsula in northern Virginia. These events,
a wild horse and burro (WH&B) adoption and the
opening of a new hiking/equine trail, were bound to
draw large crowds to the site from nearby States and
the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area.
BLM-ES Draws Crowds to
Virginia for a Taste of the
West and the Opening of a
New Hiking/Equine Trail
Story and photos by Peggy Riek, Writer-Editor,
BLM-Eastern States
Continued on page 3
Continued on page 3

2. Vantage Winter 2007
State Director’s Message
Michael D. Nedd
State Director, BLM-Eastern States
BLM-ES’ primary program areas include:
* Energy and Mineral Resources;
* Wildland Fire;
* Wild Horse and Burro Adoption and
Compliance;
* Natural Resources;
* Lands and Realty;
* Cadastral Survey; and
* General Land Office Records Automation.
In my last Vantage message I discussed our natural resources program and various
BLM-Eastern States’ (BLM-ES) efforts going on at several of our priority natural
areas open to the public in the East. I also briefly mentioned that in 2007 we would be
expanding our efforts at BLM-ES to reconnect the bright youth, our Nation’s most valuable
asset, to nature and the environment.
Americans are spending less of their free time outdoors in nature. Reports show
a trend in our country toward a loss of connectivity between people, especially children,
with the natural environment. This disconnect has resulted in a Nation of people who are
experiencing more health-related issues due to inactivity.
Today’s youth experience the outdoors through their schools, youth groups, and
families. Beyond these experiences, studies show that much more involvement is needed to
spark a greater interest in helping them to learn about nature and the environment, as well
as becoming knowledgeable about recreational opportunities on their public lands. In fact, in many areas of our country,
including the East, 85 percent of population who live in urban settings don’t even realize public lands exist outside their
backdoor, just waiting to be discovered.
To change this scenario, the BLM is developing a comprehensive strategy that focuses on our programs in three
primary areas—environmental stewardship, education, and healthy families. This strategy calls for reconnecting children
with nature through schools and educational programs, engaging children in nature and promoting stewardship through
structured youth activities, and creating and promoting active participation in the outdoors with opportunities for
family-friendly recreation.
As Guardians of the Past and Stewards for the Future, we at BLM-ES are committed to getting the American public,
especially our youth, involved in nature and the environment through recreational opportunities and activities provided at
various natural areas in the East. We will teach them how to be responsible future stewards while having fun.
BLM-ES’ Meadowood Special Recreation Management Area’s (SRMA) partnership with Gunston Elementary
School in Virginia is a prime example of our commitment to getting more youth outdoors. At the end of the school
day, students in grades 2-4 leave the school property and walk through the wooded area that connects the school to the
SRMA. On site at the SRMA, the students enjoy an after-school environmental education program and learn about the
watershed, reptiles and amphibians, and plants and bird identification through “hands-on” activities. In other areas in the
East, connecting children with nature programs is being conducted through the efforts of our highly trained staff, partners,
and volunteers in Jackson, MS, and Milwaukee, WI. These programs include learning about teamwork, survival skills in
the woods, forestry, pollution, protecting the environment and engaging in physical activities such as canoeing, camping,
fishing, hiking, and soil/water monitoring.
By encouraging children to be healthy and informed,
we will be helping to create healthy adults who will one day
be active in their communities and knowledgeable about their
public lands and the environment. And with recreation and
education leading to increased physical outdoor activities,
we will look forward to seeing an improvement in the overall
health of our Nation’s families, children, and communities.

3. Vantage Winter 2007
Barron is most proud of his work leading the
Klamath Falls Resource Area for 7 ½ years, where he
helped to acquire and begin the restoration of the Wood
River Wetlands and develop several innovative forest
health projects. His non-BLM jobs included working as an
assistant foreman at a building materials store in Kailua,
Hawaii, and as a ranch hand on a ranch near Elizabeth,
Colorado.
Barron was born in Wichita, Kansas. He holds a
B.S. degree in Range and Forest Management from the
Colorado State University. He also attended the University
of Hawaii and the University of Northern Colorado.
Barron is married to Kristin Bail, who works for
the BLM’s National Landscape Conservation System.
New Associate State Director...continued from page 1
At sunrise on October 14, 2006, BLMers from the
Lower Potomac Field Station, the Milwaukee Field Office,
and the State Office were hard at work getting ready for the
throng of people eager to adopt one of America’s “Living
Legends” gathered from the western rangelands, or to take
part in the formal opening ceremony of the newest hiking/
equine trail, Meadowood West.
Adoption and Trail Opening...continued from page 1
The excitement then moved to another area
of the Meadowood SRMA, where local residents
and BLMers listened to remarks made by Virginia
Congressman Tom Davis, one of the key individuals who
assisted with BLM’s acquisition of the 800-acre property
formerly known as Meadowood Farm on October 18,
2001. BLM-ES State Director Michael Nedd remarked,
“Acquiring this beautiful area was the first opportunity
for BLM to manage surface lands in the national capitol
region and play a key role in providing public recreational
opportunities and open spaces in areas which are
threatened by urban sprawl.” The new Meadowood West
Trail sign was unveiled to conclude the ceremony.
Other activities for the day included a
nature and bird walk led by representatives from
the Audubon Society, a control-line model airplane
flying demonstration, and a fundraiser provided by
representatives from Simple Changes, Inc., a non-profit
therapeutic riding program which provides riding services
for physically, emotionally and mentally challenged
children and adults at the Meadowood SRMA.
(At center) Virginia Congressman Tom Davis, BLM-ES’
State Director Mike Nedd (left), and Environmental
Education Specialist Theresa Jefferson, help students from
Washington, D.C. and Virginia schools plant a tree during
the formal opening ceremony of the new hiking/equine
trail, Meadowood West, in Lorton, VA.
The crowds spent the early hours before the
adoption studying the animals. Then at the designated
hour, Acting BLM Deputy Director for Operations
Mike Ferguson, BLM-ES’ State Director Mike Nedd, and
Lower Potomac Field Station (LPFS) Manager Este Stifel,
began the day’s activities with opening remarks, leading
right to the kick-off of the wild horse and burro adoption.
As the auctioneer presented information about the
34 horses (including geldings, mares, and yearling horses)
and 8 burros, potential adopters quickly shouted out
their bids. Of the 42 available animals, 28 horses and
6 burros were adopted to good homes. An extra feature at
the adoption was the presence of previous adopters who
came with their adopted, gentled animals to share their
experiences.
U.S. Army Chief Warrant Officer 4, Jeremy Light,
shows off Lonesome, an adopted Caisson horse,
while visiting with Acting BLM Deputy Director
Mike Ferguson and BLM-ES’ Lower Potomac Field
Station Manager Este Stifel at the Meadowood SRMA
in Lorton, VA.
NaturalResources

4. Vantage Winter 2007
R
iparian corridors are complex ecosystems
that provide an avenue for plant and wildlife
movement, protection of natural resources, and
green space buffers for human recreation. Islands located
within river corridors coalesce to form forest patches that
serve as habitat “stepping-stones” for species establishment
and migration. The BLM-Eastern States (BLM-ES) has
administrative authority for 11 public islands located in
the Washington, Ozaukee, and Milwaukee County areas
of the Milwaukee River in Wisconsin. Urban development
is rapidly taking place in the Milwaukee River watershed,
and conservation of the watershed is a high priority of the
public as well as State and local governments.
In 2006, volunteers from the University of
Wisconsin assisted Milwaukee Field Office (MFO) staff
to complete a plant inventory on each island. More than
170 plant species were observed and identified as a
result of this initial effort. Collected plant specimens are
currently being mounted by students and deposited in the
University of Wisconsin-Field Station Herbarium, where
students and faculty will use the specimens for botanical
identification for generations to come.
Fieldwork has also revealed wide variation in
vegetation composition between the islands, most notably
with the presence and extent of exotic invasive plant
species. Non-native plants displace native plants and can
spread quickly into natural areas, monopolize resources,
and exclude native flora and fauna. The MFO staff intends
to continue working with the University to map the extent
of invasive species. The resulting information will aid
with environmental planning and management efforts
of BLM-ES and many organizations within the
BLM-Eastern States Partners with University of Wisconsin
Volunteers to Examine Milwaukee River Public Domain Islands
Story by Jill Hapner, Student Temporary Employment Program (STEP), BLM-Eastern States, Milwaukee Field Office
BLM-ES Milwaukee Field Office STEP student Jill Hapner
and Dr. James Reinartz, from the University of Wisconsin,
identify and record plant species colonizing the Milwaukee
River Public Domain islands in WI.
Milwaukee River Basin, efforts which were recently
endorsed by the BLM Director’s 2007-2012 emphasis to
manage forests to achieve healthy, productive watersheds.
BLM’s presence on the islands has also
promoted island stewardship with adjacent private
landowners and fostered agency participation with the
Milwaukee River Basin Partnership, a group of more than
40 local conservation government agencies, non-profit
organizations, and individuals. BLM-ES MFO Resource
Specialist June Wendlandt is coordinating stewardship
activities and encouraging community involvement with
these partners and local agencies to remove debris and
control invasive species on the islands. A stewardship
project is underway for September of 2008.
I
n early September 2006, Lower Potomac Field Station
Manager Este Stifel reported for duty at the Meadowood
Special Recreation Management Area in Lorton, VA.
Prior to BLM, Este worked as a Project Director
for the Southern Blue Ridge Project with The Nature
Conservancy. Este earned a B.S. degree from Trinity
College in Hartford, CT, majoring in environmental studies.
She also holds Master’s degrees in Business Administration
and Environmental Management from Duke University in
North Carolina.
Este Stifel to Lead the BLM-ES Lower Potomac Field Station
Este Stifel, BLM-ES
Lower Potomac Field
Station Manager
NaturalResources
PhotobyPeggyRiek
PhotobyJuneWendlandt

5. Vantage Winter 2007
On December 7, 2006, the old U.S. Navy Jupiter
Inlet Barracks, located at the Jupiter Inlet
Lighthouse Park in Florida, was dedicated as a
museum in a ceremony marking the 65th anniversary of
the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. The 7,000-square foot,
World War II Era U. S. Naval housing building was recently
renovated by the Town of Jupiter and the Loxahatchie
River Historical Society. The Barracks building is the
only remaining building from the complex called Station
J, whose primary function was to help locate German
submarines that were torpedoing ships off the Florida Coast.
In 2004, the BLM issued the patent for Lighthouse
Park to the Town of Jupiter, allowing them to pursue grant
money for the much needed renovations. The building will
be home to the Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse and Museum, as
part of Lighthouse Park. About 100 individuals were in
attendance including several veterans who had survived
the Pearl Harbor attack.
Jupiter Inlet Barracks in Florida Officially Dedicated
Story and photo by Shayne Banks, Public Affairs Specialist, BLM-Eastern States, Jackson Field Office
On December 7, 2006, BLM-Eastern States Jackson
Field Manager Bruce Dawson spoke to attendees
at the U.S. Naval Jupiter Inlet Barracks dedication
ceremony in Florida about the partnership between
the BLM and several local entities involved in the
renovations of the barracks.
Southern States of Arkansas, Louisiana and Mississippi to
Receive Over $2 Million from Federal Oil and Gas Lease Sale
By Michelle McClanahan, Public Affairs Specialist, BLM-Eastern States
B
LM-Eastern States (BLM-ES) brought in over
$7.8 million through the Competitive Oil and
Gas Lease Sale held at its Springfield, Virginia,
office on December 14, 2006. Of the 192 parcels offered,
153 parcels of Federal subsurface mineral estate were
sold within the Ouachita, Ozark, and St. Francis National
Forests in Arkansas; the Kisatchie National Forest in
Louisiana; and the Bienville, DeSoto, and Homochitto
National Forests in Mississippi. Over $2 million will go
to the States of Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi
from the sale.
Leases are awarded for a term of 10 years and
as long thereafter as there is production of oil and gas in
paying quantities. The Federal Government receives a
royalty of 12 ½ percent of the value of production and
each State Government receives a 25-percent minimum
share of the bonus bid and royalty revenue from each lease
issued in that State. For this Sale, bonus bids, filing fees,
and rental revenue amounting to over $5,825,137 will go
to the U.S. Treasury and over $2,005,020 will be shared
by the affected States. “Production from these leases could
help reduce America’s dependence on foreign oil and help
reduce our heating bill because of increased domestic gas
production,” said Michael Nedd, BLM-ES’ State Director.
BLM-ES held a very successful 4th
quarter
Competitive Oil and Gas Lease Sale at the State
Office in Springfield, Virginia, on December 14,
2006.
EnergyandMineralsPartnerships
PhotobyPeggyRiek

6. Vantage Winter 2007
S
ince mid-December 2006,
researchers have been able to
visit the General Land Office
(GLO) Records Web site at www.
glorecords.blm.gov to view the long-
awaited Iowa land patent records. Over
145,000 records have been scanned
and posted to the Web site for viewing,
completing the 13 Eastern Public Land
States (AL, AR, FL, IL, IN, IA, LA,
MI, MN, MO, MS, OH, and WI).
The January 2007 map shows
the progress of the General Land Office
Records Automation project, from East
to West, for the BLM’s GLO Records
Web site images. For more information,
contact BLM-ES’ GLO Records
Automation Branch Chief Patricia
Tyler, at (703) 440-1786, or visit the
GLO Web site.
Long-awaited Iowa Land Patent Records Now Available Online
By Patricia Tyler, Branch Chief, General Land Office Records Automation, BLM-Eastern States, Division of Land Resources
Cooperative Control of Exotic Weeds Helps Improve
Biodiversity and Protected Habitat in South Florida
Story and photos by Faye Winters, Wildlife Biologist, BLM-Eastern States, Jackson Field Office
Now that this initial removal is completed, the
area will be added to the annual sweep to pull and treat
invasives throughout the Jupiter Inlet Natural Area.
Through this project, $12,500 of nonfederal funds,
plus over 40 hours of “in-kind” project support from
professional and support staff in Palm Beach County
and the Town of Jupiter were contributed.
A
t Jupiter Inlet, Florida, the Town of Jupiter, Palm
Beach County, and BLM-Eastern States have
worked together to complete the initial removal
of woody and herbaceous exotic plants on 9 acres of
public domain land. BLM assisted the Town of Jupiter
in successfully applying for county grant monies which
was matched by the BLM.
In early December, a contractor removed a
dense bank of exotic Brazilian pepper growing around
the perimeter of the tract. Along Beach Road and Jupiter
Lighthouse Park parking area, the trees were cut, stump-
treated, and removed from the site. In other portions of
the tract not accessible to vehicles, the prolific pepper
and other trees such as Australian pine and schefflera
were girdled and injected with herbicide. These will die
in place. Over the next year the plants will drop their
branches and become covered by native oaks and sand
pine. The crew also pulled and treated invasive vines,
particularly rosary pea. This aggressive vine produces
poisonous red seeds resembling its namesake. The crew
worked around flagged federally- and state-listed plants
found in the interior of the tract, where the endemic
scrub community remains intact.
(Before, left) and (After, above) –
A dense bank of exotic Brazilian
pepper was removed around the
perimeter of the tract.
GeneralLandOffice
NaturalResources

7. Vantage Winter 2007
NaturalResourcesWildlandFire
H
abitat improvement issues continue to be addressed
at the Lathrop Bayou tract in Florida following the
management plan developed for the tract. This
work is being accomplished through the use of prescribed
burning, special status species monitoring, controlling exotic
species, and regional coordination in support of federally
listed species management. This BLM-Eastern States’
administered tract is already closed to mining, is a rights-of-
way avoidance area, and is closed to motorized vehicle use
as a result of earlier planning decisions. The first prescribed
burn was completed and a second burn is being planned for
spring 2007.
In the interim, the Jackson Hotshots have been
putting their sawyer skills to good use. They spent several
days during the week of November 27, 2006, removing
ladder fuels and thinning overly dense slash pine. They
also thinned a large portion of the tract in preparation for
the spring burn. All their hard work also helps to improve
the habitat conditions for the endangered red-cockaded
woodpeckers known to live on the tract.
Fuel Reduction at Lathrop Bayou in Florida
By Shayne Banks, Public Affairs Specialist, BLM-Eastern States, Jackson Field Office
Jackson Hotshot Crew members remove young slash pine
at the Lathrop Bayou Habitat Management Area. Thinning
and follow-up prescribed burns help to improve the habitat
for endangered red-cockaded woodpeckers and three
federally listed endemic plant species, which thrive in
fire-maintained, open park-like settings.
From November 28-30, 2006, BLM-ES Milwaukee
Associate Field Manager Timothy O’Brien
attended the Midwest Natural Resource Group
(MNRG) meeting in Chicago, Illinois, hosted by the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency, Region 5, the lead
agency for the MNRG.
Meeting topics included a report of the status
of implementation of the “Terrestrial Invasive Species
Action Plan within the Great Lakes Basin,” Federal agency
coordination on Tribal lands, wetland protection issues in
and around the Great Lakes, and other issues of concern to
Federal agencies in the Midwest.
The Great Lakes Terrestrial Invasive Species
Council (GL-TISC) led a 2-hour presentation on action
items from each agency’s member. BLM-ES Milwaukee
Field Office Resource Specialist June Wendlandt reported
on “Education and Public Awareness,” Bureau of Indian
Affairs Representative Herb Nelson led a presentation on
coordination on Tribal land, and the Great Lakes Regional
Collaboration, a sister organization to MNRG, presented a
Midwest Natural Resource Group Fosters
Joint Collaboration on Invasive Species
Story and photo by June Wendlandt, Natural Resource Specialist, BLM-Eastern States, Milwaukee Field Office
discussion on protection and restoration issues of wetlands
in the region.
The annual meeting was highly productive with
senior managers committed to addressing invasive species’
actions, signing of a memorandum of understanding, and
working on issues and projects throughout the Midwest.
(At left) Carmen Chapin, Chair of the GL-TISC,
leads a presentation at the Midwest Natural
Resource Group annual meeting held
November 28-30, 2006, in Chicago, IL.
PhotobyFayeWinters
NaturalResources

8. Vantage Winter 2007
BLM-ES Photos
BLM-ES’ State Director Mike Nedd and
Phillips School Program Director Trudy Bell
(seated) signed a memorandum of understanding
on January 12, 2007. (At right) Phillips School
Career Education Coordinator Karen Steshko
works with the young people at the school.
On January 12, 2007, BLM-ES and Phillips School,
Annandale Campus, became partners during a
formal memorandum of understanding signing
ceremony at the school campus.
Through this partnership, students with special
needs will have an opportunity to gain real life work
experience working at the BLM-ES office in Springfield,
VA. In turn, the students will become an essential part of
helping BLM-ES’ employees accomplish their mission.
Phillips School is recognized as a Department of
Education School of Excellence. In 1967, Dr. Lakin Phillips,
along with a few parents and friends, established the School
of Contemporary Education. Later the organization was
renamed Phillips Programs for Children and Families.
Today, the school provides two special education day
schools and vital community service programs, serving
MOU Provides Job Learning for Students
at Phillips School in Virginia
Last fall, professional trail builders from Trail
Dynamics in North Carolina spent 2 weeks at the
Meadowood Special Recreation Management Area
(SRMA) assessing Meadowood’s existing and planned
trails and teaching a mechanized trail construction
class to SRMA staff from four other area agencies.
Trail Dynamics flagged over 5,000 feet of new and
rerouted trails as identified in Meadowood’s project
plan and provided invaluable advice on how to manage
and maintain the trails we currently have at the site.
Class attendees began construction of the BLM-ES’
Meadowood trail for the east parcel and built 2,500 feet
of 5-foot-wide natural surface trail. The Meadowood
trail will connect the Wood Thrush Trail to the West
parcel. Most recently, in January, employees and
volunteers completed a bridge crossing on the trail.
In late November
2006, the BLM-ES’
Expanded Leadership
Team and staff met in
Shreveport, LA. While
in the area, the group
travelled to Barksdale
Air Force Base in LA,
where they toured an
oil and gas operating
facility on the site.
children with multiple disabilities such as behavioral
problems, and emotional and learning difficulties.
By BLM-Eastern States, External Affairs
PhotobyMichelleMcClanahanOn September 30, 2006, BLM-ES
partnered with the U.S. Customs
Border Protection, U.S. Bureau
of Reclamation, Northern Virginia
Regional Park Authority, other
State agencies, private companies,
and volunteers to provide a day in
the outdoors for disabled youths.
The youngsters learned about
boating, fishing, natural resources,
wildlife, and building bird houses.
This experience gave youths and
adults alike an opportunity to
appreciate America’s natural
resources. (At left) A youngster
proudly shows off his “big catch”
of the day.
PhotobyGeoffreyWalsh
Partnerships
PhotobyJeffMcCusker
Photo by Shayne Banks

9. Vantage Winter 2007
B
LM-ES’ Land Surveyor Jerry Wahl loves a
treasure hunt, but he’s not looking for a chest of
gold. He is looking for answers to the past leading
to the discovery of old boundaries.
A land surveyor/litigation specialist for the
BLM-ES, Jerry comes equipped with 30 years of
experience as a surveyor and a passion for what he calls
“unraveling the mystery.” Armed with archival maps of
sometimes dubious accuracy (X does not always mark the
spot), Jerry dives into the search with a spark in his eye.
“With cadastral surveying, there is not always
a black and white. To unravel a case, you have to use
math and history. You have to know botany, geography,
geology, anthropology—all of the ‘ologies’––to come to
a conclusion about where a particular boundary might
actually be located,” Jerry said.
“Many of the earliest land surveys in the
United States were completed using the Metes and
Bounds System; that is, located by reference to landmarks
like creeks, trees, roads, or even a barn,” Jerry explained.
In 1785, Congress mandated the surveying
and sale of lands in the Northwest Territory using a
rectangular grid method, which was a vast improvement
over the Metes and Bounds System. This came later to be
referred to as the Public Land Survey System, PLSS for
short.
Looking for BLM Gold: Jerry Wahl’s Treasure Hunt
By Rebecca Snider, Volunteer, BLM-Eastern States, External Affairs
Boundaries under that system were marked with
monuments, usually a wooden post stuck in the ground, or
whatever material was at hand. “In the Rocky Mountains,
they used stones, or earth. In the prairies, surveyors dug
pits, and in Kansas, piles of buffalo dung or bones were
sometimes used to mark the spot,” Jerry said. The location
of a monument was marked with a witness or bearing
tree. Where trees existed, a nearby tree was blazed and
scribed, or carved, with identifying information to provide
a reference and witness to the corner location.
Over time, those types of monuments would
decay, be destroyed or just hard to find. Surveyors had to
become detectives and look for other indicators to help
locate where the original monument had been placed.
The BLM-ES’ archives, another resource for
Jerry’s research, date back to 1785. Dim and quiet, with
towering rows of books and map files, the archives house
records of original land surveys, most written with a
quill and ink. Clues can be found in field notes, notes
which surveyors used to describe their official surveys.
References are made to forts, graves, minerals, timber,
water, settlements, and even cattle trails. Another part of
the records involves the survey plats which are more like
a map showing the results of the survey and are often
very detailed. These plats are many times the first maps
showing the expansion of the new lands of our young
Nation.
Originally a physics major, Jerry has worked
surveying residential property as a young man and
eventually landed a job with the BLM in 1975, where
he has been “treasure hunting” for 30 years.
CadastralSurvey
This slender post is part of a monument from
the Louisiana Swamps. One end of the post is as
smooth as glass from being under water, and the
other end has rotted due to being exposed to the
elements.
BLM-ES’ Surveyor
Jerry Wahl researches
fragile documents for
clues in field notes to
find old boundaries
for surveys.

10. 10 Vantage Winter 2007
BLM-ES Happenings
From September 7-10, 2006, BLM-ES Jackson Field
Office (JFO) Public Affairs Specialist and several
volunteers staffed a booth at the MS State Championship
Horse Show at the MS State Fairgrounds, where over
500,000 people learned about wild horses and other
BLM-ES’ programs.
On September 14, Wildlife Biologist Maena Voigt and
Archaeologist Kelsey Lowe, who work through the
Environmental Careers Organization and are stationed at
the BLM-ES Jackson Field Office, made presentations to
60 5th grade students at an elementary school in Cape Coral,
FL, about their careers with the BLM and participated in a
number of environmental education activities.
In mid-September, BLM-ES’ State Director Mike Nedd
and surveyors, Mike Young, Ken Roy, Jennifer Piper,
and Erica Breton, attended a Cooperative Conservation and
Environmental Partnerships Listening Session in Brewer,
ME. Participants at the session included DOI Secretary
Dirk Kempthorne and other Federal agency personnel.
While in ME, State Director Mike Nedd accompanied
Mike Young on a site visit to the Cadastral Survey Project
Office in Old Towne, ME. During the visit, Mike assisted
the survey crew with monumentation of two camp lot
corners on South Branch Lake. The State Director’s name
will be entered into the official record of survey as a field
assistant.
The new Jackson Hotshot exhibit made its debut in
mid-October at the Mississippi State Fair, where
over 576,000 people learned about being “Firewise” and
BLM-ES.
On October 5, BLM-ES’ JFO personnel participated in
the Jackson State University’s Career Fair 2006, where
500 students learned about BLM-ES’ career opportunities.
BLM-ES’ JFO personnel joined staff from the MS
Forestry Commission, the MS Museum of Natural
Science, and county Soil and Water Conservation Districts
at the Coahoma County, MS, Soil and Water Conservation
District’s 20th
Annual “Field Day” held on October 6, to
help educate over 500 students and teachers about wildlife,
forestry, natural resources, and the environment. JFO
personnel also provided the Lewis and Clark “Rocks
and Minerals” program.
On January 11, 2007, BLM-ES and U.S. Customs
employees donated 44 units of blood to help save lives
through the Greater Chesapeake Potomac Regional Red
Cross Blood Drive. Thanks to all who participated.
On October 21, BLM-ES’ MFO Geographic Information
Specialist (GIS) James Engstrom conducted the
Global Positioning System (GPS) navigation portion of
the “Thinking Spatially – a 4-H GPS/GIS Expedition.”
Jim facilitated a “hands-on” exercise collecting location
information for parks, sports facilities and cultural
structures in the downtown Milwaukee area. Information
collected by the students will be used on the 4-H Youth
Favorite Place Web site at www.youthfavoriteplaces.org.
In late October, BLM-ES’ Lower Potomac Field Station
Environmental Education Specialist Theresa Jefferson
presented “Watershed Non-point Source Model” to
60 Nokesville 4-H Club students in Nokesville, VA. During
the session, the students investigated the unique properties
and characteristics of water and its roles in the natural and
human-made environment. They also participated in a field
trip to a local waste water treatment plant in the area.
BLM-ES LPFS’ Outdoor Recreation Planner
Jeff McCusker led the Potomac Heritage Trial
Association members on an introductory hike on
December 3 through the Meadowood SRMA, beginning
at the Meadowood West trailhead and continuing on to
most other Meadowood trails, including some of the
Pohick Bay Regional Park’s trails.
WHB Adoptions in the East
WHB
B
LM-Eastern States (BLM-ES) Wild Horse
and Burro Adoption and Compliance
program continues to adopt America’s
“Living Legends” to good homes in the East.
Since October 1, 2006, 457 animals (384 wild
horses and 73 burros) have been adopted through
the efforts of the BLM-ES Jackson Field Office,
Milwaukee Field Office, State Office, and through
the January 2007 Internet Adoption.
Internet adoption horses are currently
available for pickup from various locations across the
country. The next Internet Adoption begins March 7.
For details, visit the wild horse and burro Web site at
www.wildhorseandburro.blm.gov/index.php.

11. 11Vantage Winter 2007
Christopher Carusona II, grew up in Ruidoso,
New Mexico. In 1994, he left New Mexico to
attend Eastern Washington University in Cheney,
Washington, where he earned a B.A. degree in Geology. He
went on to earn a B.S. degree in Conservation of Wildland
Resources (Forestry) from the University of Washington, in
Seattle, Washington.
In summer 2000, Chris landed a position in the
BLM’s Spokane Field Office in Washington State, working
in a Student Temporary Employment Program as a forestry
technician. He then became a geologist in the Student
Career Experience Program.
Christopher continued his BLM career as a
geologist in Lakeview, Oregon, working with locatable
minerals such as sunstones and perlite. In 2002, Chris
transferred to Lander, Wyoming, to assist with the
processing of oil and gas applications for drilling permits
(APDs) for the next 4 years for both Federal and Tribal
(Eastern Shoshone and Northern Arapahoe) minerals on
the Wind River Indian Reservation in conjunction with
the Bureau of Indian Affairs. In 2005, Chris worked in
Carlsbad, New Mexico, on a 3-month detail processing
APDs. He transferred to Vernal, Utah, where he worked
as a natural resource specialist, processing numerous oil
and gas APDs. Eight months later, he transferred to the
BLM-ES Milwaukee Field Office where he now works
as an environmental and planning coordinator.
Chris is the proud father of three children who all
like to fish and dance at Pow Wows. “My children enjoy
these type of dancing styles beginning with Tilson, age 11,
a fancy dancer, Andrew, age 9, a traditional dancer, and
Raquel, age 4, is a jingle dress dancer,” said Chris.
What controversial issues have you faced working with
the BLM? Shortly after joining the BLM in Vernal, UT,
one of my assignments included processing APDs proposed
in habitat of the Uinta Basin hookless cactus (Sclerocactus
glaucus), a threatened and endangered species. It took a
lot of collaboration with the U.S. Fish Wildlife Service
(USFWS), the operator, contractors, and BLM to move
the proposed road and/or pad to avoid a taking of the
Uinta Basin hookless cactus and to avoid threatened and
endangered fish habitat. Each proposed road and pad had to
be individually assessed on a case-by-case basis to ensure
Former STEP Student, Christopher Carusona,
Lands a Career in Natural Resources
By Martha Malik, Public Affairs Specialist, BLM-Eastern States, Milwaukee Field Office
that the Uinta Basin hookless cactus and fish habitat
were being avoided. I coordinated the field meetings
and other logistics to ensure that everyone was given the
opportunity to participate in the mitigation measures.
Additionally, I worked closely with the USFWS to
ensure we were on the same page and to minimize
formal consultations. Sometimes a formal consultation
was needed, but was streamlined with the USFWS
participating in the mitigation measures onsite.
What did this experience teach you and what do you
want to accomplish long term? I have learned that early
collaboration with other agencies and industry is essential
in moving proposals. This communication allows the
parties who are involved to know what is expected,
needed, and required to streamline the development of
Federal resources in a safe environmental manner.
What are your hobbies? I’m a student of my Tribal
Oneida language at the Southeastern Oneida Tribal
Services office here in Milwaukee. I enjoy fishing, big
game hunting, and off-highway driving in my 4 x 4
pickup with my children. I also enjoy most outdoor sports
such as downhill skiing, snowmobiling, and canoeing.
How do you envision your future role with BLM?
I look forward to expanding my experiences with the
BLM and eventually going into management. I have
found that my 6 ½ years’ experience with the BLM
has been both enjoyable and rewarding. I would like to
develop my leadership skills to participate in strategic
planning for the future of BLM prior to retirement. I
would also like to continue developing Federal resources
in a safe environmentally sound manner for future
generations.
Christopher Carusona, Environmental
and Planning Coordinator, Milwaukee
Field Office
WHB
PhotobyJimEngstrom

12. 12 Vantage Winter 2007
Eastern States Vision Statement––As Guardians of the Past,
and Stewards for the Future, Eastern States is committed to
sustaining the health, diversity, and productivity of the
public lands spanning the 31 states east of and bordering
the Mississippi River for present and future generations.
Vantage is published by the Bureau of Land Management-
Eastern States, Office of External Affairs, 7450 Boston
Boulevard, Springfield, Virginia 22153. For more informa-
tion about our office, please contact us at (703) 440-1713,
or visit our Web site at www.es.blm.gov. Editor: M.M. Riek
Field Offices: BLM-ES, Jackson Field Office
411 Briarwood Drive, Suite 404
Jackson, Mississippi 39206
BLM-ES, Milwaukee Field Office
626 East Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 200
Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202-4617
BLM-ES, Lower Potomac Field Station
10406 Gunston Road
Lorton, Virginia 22079
U.S. Department of the Interior
Bureau of Land Management
7450 Boston Boulevard
Springfield, Virginia 22153
OFFICIAL BUSINESS
PENALTY FOR PRIVATE USE, $300
Eastern States –– committed to sustaining the health,
diversity, and productivity of the public lands and resources in
the 31 states east of and bordering on the Mississippi River for
present and future generations.
Comings GoingsE-mail Briefs
New Employees.––Barron Bail, BLM-ES’Associate
State Director, Velvette Clayton, Procurement Analyst,
Colene Gearman, Human Resources Officer, and
Thomas Uran, Jr., Surveying Technician, State Office;
Denise Coleman, Staff Assistant, Lower Potomac Field
Station; Arlene Lenoir, Management Assistant, Jackson
Field Office; and Christopher Carusona, Environmental
and Planning Coordinator, Milwaukee Field Office.
Transfers.––Bill Fulcer, Associate Field Manager,
Milwaukee Field Office to Budget Officer, State Office;
Theresa Coleman, Deputy State Director, Division of Land
Resources, and Ruth Welch, Deputy State Director, Division
of Business Resources to BLM’s Washington Office; and
Michael Young, Cadastral Survey Chief, to U.S. Fish
Wildlife Service.
Retirees.––Bob Schoolar, Geographic Information
Specialist, Jackson Field Office; and Charles Bush,
Outreach Partnership Coordinator, State Office.
In Memoriam.––Bruce Miner, Survey Technician, Rolla,
Missouri, Project Office.
A special thanks to all our Vantage readers who filled out
the questionnaire in our Summer 2006 issue.
Your input is very valuable to BLM-ES.
General Land Office.–– “For some time, our fam-
ily has searched your records, and we’ve commented to
each other how much they have helped us. I would like to
take this opportunity to thank you, one and all, for mak-
ing this information available! From the policymakers to
the supervisors to the file clerks to the newest entry-level
employees––thank you!” Gene Hyden, Colorado Springs,
Colorado
“This website is fabulous. Those old plats are awesome.
Magna Cum Laude for all of you heros for making this
treasure trove available!!!” Ray Keig, Anchorage, Alaska