FIRST  NAFSR JOHN  R. MCGUIRE AWARD RECOGNIZES WALT SCHLOER

Forest Service Chief Dale Bosworth presented Bend/Fort Rock District Ranger Walt Schloer an award Monday for his outstanding performance in managing one of the agency's largest and most complex districts for 23 years.

Bosworth presented Schloer the National Association of Forest Service Retirees' John R. McGuire award at the Inn of the Seventh Mountain, during a Pacific Northwest regional meeting. The newly established award is named in honor of John McGuire, who served as Forest Service chief from 1972 to 1979, and helped draft the National Forest Management Act.

"I'm very honored by the award and I appreciate this recognition by the association," Schloer said, after receiving a plaque from Bosworth.

The National Association of Forest Service Retirees is a non-profit

organization of former agency employees who lend expertise and experience in the management of national forests by providing non-ideological perspectives. 

It selected Schloer for the award for his expertise in managing the

district, ability to gain public support for vegetative management projects and community service.

Schloer's million acre district is larger than many national forests. He manages an $8 million annual budget, and leads a workforce of about 120 permanent employees, 100 temporary workers and hundreds of volunteers.

Together, they administer the Newberry National Volcanic Monument, Lava Lands Visitor Center, Deschutes River Trail and much of the Three Sisters Wilderness. In addition, Schloer and his staff manage a recreation program that includes 1,110 miles of trails, 52 campgrounds, 37 boating sites, more than 200 caves and a nationally recognized Off Highway Vehicle trail system.

Schloer oversaw revisions of the Mt. Bachelor Ski Resort master plan in 1986 and 1996, helping it become the northwest's largest ski area. His innovative approach included construction of the resort's summit lift with helicopters, avoiding the need to construct roads to the site.

He was also instrumental in acquiring Wild and Scenic River status for the Upper Deschutes River and a National Scenic Byway designation for the Cascades Lakes Highway.

During the past 10 years, the Bend/Fort Rock Ranger District commercial timber program has had the biggest commercial timber program with lowest unit costs of any single district in Oregon or Washington. Schloer has continually used small commercial harvests during this period to improve forest health and reduce hazardous fuels, while providing for wildlife needs. 

Last January, the Rotary Club International recognized Schloer's community service work when it presented him with its Service Above Self Award, the highest honor a Rotarian can receive. Only 140 members have received the award, among its 1.3 million worldwide volunteers.

His international relief work with the Rotary includes water projects in Mexico and building schools in Vietnam.

Schloer served in Army intelligence in Vietnam from 1962 to 1964 and began his Forest Service career in California on the Inyo National Forest. He has also worked on the Angeles, Sequoia, San Bernardino and Los Padres National Forests. 

Schloer and his wife Harriett have resided in Bend since 1980.