Off-Road Community Honors Retiring BLM Area Manager

Off-Roaders Honor BLM's Rich Burns 

QWR had the privilege to attend a formal OHV tour with Rich Burns, the soon-to-be retired Area Manager for the BLM’s Ukiah Field Office.  On April 15, various OHV organizations and clubs conducted a formal 4x4 tour to honor Rich’s 20+ years of service, commitment, and leadership as the unit’s area manager.

                                                         Rich Burns with Service Award

The Mendocino 4x4 Club presented Rich with an award citing his support for responsible OHV use on public lands.  Other organizations thanked Rich for his balanced approach to resource and recreation management.

OHV Trail at Cow Mountain Recreation Area

This event also doubled as a “passing of the torch” to the new Area Manager, Amanda James.  Amanda comes to Ukiah from her BLM post in Arizona.    She takes over the helm at the end of April.

Don Amador, QWR president and western representative for the BlueRibbon Coalition, states, “It has been an honor to work with Rich over the last 20 years on numerous recreation projects at the Cow Mountain OHV Area.  I have been most impressed with his strong commitment to serve all user groups in a fair and equitable manner.”

Designated Route Sign at Cow Mountain Recreation Area

“I believe Rich has been the epitome of what a land manger should be.  Both motorized and non-motorized recreationists have been well served by Rich and his staff since the mid-1990s.  I know off-roaders look forward to having the same substantive relationship with Amanda,” Amador concludes.

Bill McGibbon (AMA D36) Teams Up with QWR's Sound Team

2016 Sawmill and Crosscut Family Enduros

(Cow Mountain is home to several OHV events)

According to the BLM, the Ukiah Field Office includes approximately 270,000 acres of BLM-managed surface acres and 214,000 additional subsurface acres (mineral estate) in northern California. The geographic area includes all BLM-managed public lands within the counties of Marin, Solano, Sonoma, Mendocino (south of the City of Willits), Lake, Napa, Yolo, Colusa, and Glenn. Approximately 1.5 million people live within this region.