The Public Lands Foundation grants to Edwin L. “Ed” Roberson its Lifetime Service Award for excellence in public land management.  The Foundation provides this award to deserving BLM employees who have perpetuated and enhanced the proud tradition of public service.

Ed has dedicated 40 years of his life to public land management, beginning in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.  A planner by education and at heart, Ed served as an Outdoor Recreation Planner, Supervisory Environmental Specialist, Supervisory Mineral Resource Specialist, Special Assistant, Field and District Manager, Assistant Director for Resources and Planning, National Operations Center Director, and finally retiring in 2020 as the Utah State Director.

While Ed’s career took him to many places, including Alabama, Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Washington DC, it was his diverse Bureau-wide experience at multiple management levels (field, district, state, national, policy and operational) within the full spectrum of natural resources and support service programs that contributed to his hallmark approach of collaboration and engagement with employees, partners, and communities.

Ed had a thorough knowledge of the full breadth of Bureau programs and responsibilities, policies and procedures, and their interrelated nature.  He began the last phase of his career as Utah’s State Director with the unique challenges of increasing wild horse and burro populations, declining sage grouse populations, never-ending drought and wildfire issues, grazing-related rangeland health reform and changing national monument boundaries.

Over the years, Ed has received multiple awards recognizing his many accomplishments, especially his ability to nurture relationships with local community and other stakeholders.  Ed was respected for his ability to mentor and support his employees.

For his exemplary dedication to people, including his employees, and our nation’s public lands, the Public Lands Foundation is honored to recognize Ed Roberson with this Lifetime Service Award.

 

Edward W. Shepard, President

December 30, 2021