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CLEAR Temp: 82 °F Wind: N at 4 mph Friday, August 29, 2003 SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map EXTRA HomeLife Magazine Joy Magazine Tempo A & E RogueValleyAutoFinder RogueValleyHomeFinder Real Estate Showcase Wellness Connection Newspaper in Education Prime Times Outdoor Journal Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People CLASSIFIEDS Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Find Everything E SOUTHERN OREGON Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar ABOUT US FAQ What's New Advertise Home Delivery Classified Ad Employment Contact Us Media Kit Email Story to a Friend August 5, 2003 New BLM district manager ‘up for new challenges’ By PAUL FATTIG Mail Tribune MANAGER WANTED: Must be able to manage 861,786 acres of forestlands, watersheds and grasslands. Requires extensive knowledge of forestry, grazing, geology and biology. Must inspire 360 employees and deal delicately with members of the public, most of whom have diametrically opposing views on how to manage the land. Such are the demands on a Bureau of Land Management Medford District manager, and Tim Reuwsaat said he’s ready for them. "I’m always up for new challenges," said Reuwsaat, who took the job three weeks ago. "We have some excellent people here ... this is a great place to be." Reuwsaat, 49, knows full well the requirements of public land management: He has been a BLM employee since 1977, doing everything from riding herd on wild horses in Nevada to herding budgets in Washington, D.C. Advertisement He succeeds Ron Wenker, who was appointed the agency's state director in Colorado last year. A 1977 graduate of Colorado State University with a bachelor’s in range and forest management, Reuwsaat worked in the agency’s national headquarters in Washington, D.C., for six years. His first job in D.C. involved spending 18 months in the BLM’s budget office. In 2000, he was named the deputy group manager of rangelands, soil, water and air for the agency nationwide. He later became the group manager. That job included implementing the National Fire Plan and the Healthy Forests Initiative. Reuwsaat also has led the BLM's Sustainable Working Landscape Initiative. The goal of that national project is to improve the long-term health and productivity of public rangeland while sustaining jobs and local economies. Reuwsaat earlier had worked in the West, including serving as an acting district manager in Ely, Nev. He figures his new job will call on all aspects of his experiences, particularly the oftentimes thorny forestry debate of what to cut and what to leave behind. "There is always some controversy surrounding any type of activity involving forest products," he said. "The challenge is to do what we said we were going to do in the Northwest Forest Plan and emphasized in our district resource management plan. "I consider our resource management plan a contract with the public. It is multi-faceted, and protects and restores habitat. But it also has a commitment for maintaining a commercial timber output to help sustain the economy of southwest Oregon." His goal will be a balanced approach, he said. "The challenge is to approach implementation by working with our publics to reduce litigation," he said. "We need to make sure we explain ourselves well and to listen to the public out there. "But if we are litigated, we need to make sure we are successful." He and his wife, Tina, have two grown sons. She recently received her master’s degree in the history of American decorative design at the Smithsonian Institution in D.C. The Reuwsaats are selling their 1904 Victorian home in Manasses, Va., and have made an offer on a 1908 Victorian home in Phoenix. "This area has a great climate for growing things," said Reuwsaat, who is also looking forward to trying his hand at fly-fishing in the Rogue River. Reach reporter Paul Fattig at 776-4496 or e-mail him at [email protected] Printer Friendly Version Email Story to a Friend Subscribe Archive: Click to Search Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2003 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Website Feedback A D V E R T I S E R S SPECIAL SECTIONS Rogue Valley Auto Finder Rogue Valley Job Finder --> Rogue Valley Home Finder Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Tempo Real Estate Showcase Food for Thought Hike of the Week Wellness Connection Outdoor Journal Moving to Southern Oregon? Volunteer Openings Prime Times