(Worland, WY) — Bureau of Land Management Range Management Specialist Derek Trauntvein has received the Wyoming Stock Growers Association (WSGA) 2021 Outstanding Range Professional Award.
“The strong working relationships that you have built with grazing permittees in your area incentivize cooperative approaches to grazing management that foster healthier rangelands,” said WSGA Executive Vice President Jim Magagna in a letter to Trauntvein. “You have demonstrated dedication to your profession and the work that you do.”
Trauntvein has worked at the BLM Worland Field Office for almost nine years, including time as the fire planner for the BLM Wind River/Bighorn Basin District. He had no idea that he had been nominated for the award.
“I have learned through my career that managing public rangelands is as much about developing personal working relationships between the range users, our grazing permittees, and the BLM, as it is about the science,” said Trauntvein. “Being on the ground with permittees to perform monitoring and rangeland health assessments, develop annual grazing plans, and work on improvement projects has provided me the opportunity to build great relationships with them.”
The annual award recognizes contributions to the livestock industry made by range professionals with high professional standards and dedication to building strong working relationships with livestock producers.
“Derek has shown commitment to effective public land management while working with livestock operators, the public and many other key stakeholders in the Worland Field Office area to improve rangelands,” said BLM Wyoming State Director Kim Liebhauser. “We are so fortunate to have Derek and employees like him across BLM Wyoming.”
For more information about WSGA visit www.wysga.org.