BLM New Mexico has new state director – Rio Rancho Observer

Melanie Barnes, Bureau of Land Administration New Mexico state director (Courtesy of BLM)

Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal

Melanie Barnes first interacted with the Bureau of Land Administration 18 years in the past as a College of New Mexico graduate scholar researching restoration ecology.

In Could, Barnes stepped into the position of BLM New Mexico state director.

She stated “it’s an honor” to handle public land for folks and wildlife.

“Once I labored on uncommon crops, I realized that the primary motive that species are endangered or uncommon is due to habitat loss,” she stated. “I actually needed to get on the opposite facet of that habitat equation, which is land administration.”

Barnes will oversee 800 staff, 13.5 million acres of public lands and 42 million acres of federal minerals.

The federal company’s New Mexico workplace additionally regulates land in Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas.

Barnes has held numerous positions with the BLM in New Mexico since 2007 and has been performing state director since June.

The company’s four-state area generated $22.5 billion in financial output in 2020 – a lot of it funded by oil and fuel leasing.

The BLM research how you can defend land and water, and endangered species from vitality growth.

In southeast New Mexico’s lesser prairie rooster habitat, the BLM limits when drill rigs can function through the uncommon chook’s mating season.

Barnes stated she’s additionally pleased with the work to spice up renewable vitality on public lands.

“We’re seeing massive will increase in photo voltaic challenge purposes in our Las Cruces workplace, and wind vitality purposes in our Roswell workplace,” Barnes stated.

State officers wish to protect cultural landscapes as out of doors recreation visits improve.

The New Mexico company is contemplating adopting an initiative just like Utah’s “Respect and Defend” program.

That marketing campaign trains volunteers to watch archaeological websites.

BLM nationwide director Tracey Stone-Manning stated such leaders as Barnes are necessary because the company “proceed(s) to rebuild.”

“Her pure sources and land administration expertise and deep understanding of New Mexico will profit the communities and constituents we serve,” Stone-Manning stated in an announcement.

The federal company’s headquarters moved from Washington, D.C., to Grand Junction, Colorado, below the earlier administration.

Of the 328 positions moved, solely three BLM staff relocated to Grand Junction.

The present Inside Division stated the upheaval led to a “important lack of institutional reminiscence and expertise.”

The company plans to maintain the Colorado workplace as a Western bureau headquarters, but in addition desires to revive the D.C. nationwide places of work.