Outstanding Public Lands Professional Awards - 1998

Technical/Operational Category

Michael Albee
Michael Albee

MICHAEL ALBEE, Wildlife Biologist for the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Little Snake Field Office in Craig, Colorado, has been named Outstanding Public Land Professional for 1998 by the Public Lands Foundation.  The award will be presented to Mike on January 25, 1999, in Washington, D.C. at a special awards ceremony in the BLM director’s office.

Foundation President George Lea announced the selection, which recognizes Albee for outstanding dedication and following the highest professional standards while working on the Colorado-Utah Black-footed Ferret Reintroduction Project.  “Mike was always ready to employ new and innovative ways to ensure success in the effort to reintroduce the endangered ferret.  Towards this effort, Mike has always put the project ahead of personal goals.  He has exhibited great leadership to build consensus with local land owners, state and local governments, and other interest groups in developing successful recovery plans under sometimes controversial conditions,” Lea said.  “He championed the establishment of local black-footed ferret working groups to address the concerns of all public land interests and users groups over the reintroduction of the ferret in northwest Colorado.”

This entire project had the formula for failure because of the controversy associated with the recovery of an endangered species and the potential to impact land uses.  Mike not only made the difference, he is the difference in the success of reintroduction of the ferret back to its original habitat in Colorado.”  Accomplishing this significant and sensitive project has not been easy.  Mike overcame many obstacles, took risks, and exemplified courage and tireless effort while keeping the project moving forward.  To do this, Mike had to achieve consensus among competing interests.

“This is another example of a professional career employee’s willingness to chart new directions in protecting natural resources,” Lea said.  “All too often the public does not appreciate the contributions that many thousands of hard-working federal career employees make in protecting and managing the public lands.  We hope this recognition of Mike’s work will help the real owners of these lands to better understand and appreciate the high ideals and integrity that BLM employees bring to this difficult task each day.  We want the public to know how lucky they are to have employees like Mike.”