Shoshone staffer honored for work to modernize forest permits

Posted 1/9/20

A Shoshone National Forest staffer was part of a team that recently received the U.S. Forest Service’s highest award.

Anita Harper, a Cody-based realty specialist for the Shoshone, was …

This item is available in full to subscribers.

Please log in to continue

E-mail
Password
Log in

Shoshone staffer honored for work to modernize forest permits

Posted

A Shoshone National Forest staffer was part of a team that recently received the U.S. Forest Service’s highest award.

Anita Harper, a Cody-based realty specialist for the Shoshone, was among a group of Rocky Mountain Region employees recognized “for updating how the Forest Service interacts with its more than 77,000 permitting customers,” the agency said in a news release, adding that, “The team cut the agency backlog in half, increased annual permit revenue by $15 million and provided direct online access to popular permit types.”

On top of that, Harper also received the region’s 2019 Randall Karstaedt Lands Achievement Award, which honors people who make outstanding contributions to the Forest Service’s lands programs.

“She is an exemplary Forest Service employee who can accomplish a lot with limited resources due to her positive, innovative approach to lands issues,” Acting Regional Forester Jennifer Eberlien wrote of Harper. “Since taking the lead of the lands program on the Shoshone, Anita has proven to be a tireless leader, team player, and outstanding face of the Forest Service with our public and partners.”

Beyond working to cut the number of backlogged/expired permits, Eberlien said Harper has mentored and trained others on lands and realty issues, kept “an important land exchange” moving forward, helped open lines of communication on a trio of complicated trespass issues in the Shoshone and become an expert on commercial motion and still photography.

“Forest Service employees at all levels recognize her as an achiever and someone who gives everything to further the agency,” Eberlien wrote. “She is creative, innovative, and always finds common grounds to build from even in the toughest of situations.”

Meanwhile, Harper received both the Chief’s and Under Secretary’s awards as part of the regional team’s work on “Special Uses Modernization.” Other members included Travis Fack from the Bighorn National Forest; Diane Hitchings, Debra Ryan, and Don Dressler from the Rocky Mountain Regional Office in Denver; and Hilary Santana and Devon Cotsamire from the White River National Forest in Glenwood Springs, Colorado.

The Forest Service Chief’s Award is the highest award given by the agency, and publicly recognizes employees who find innovative ways to embrace the mission and contribute to the Forest Service’s strategic goals. Similarly, the Under Secretary’s Awards focus on accomplishments that support the USDA’s strategic goals and objectives.

“Our employees and partners demonstrated remarkable innovation, creativity and dedication,” Eberlien said in a release. “I want to give my sincerest gratitude to those recognized as well as all of our 2,000 regional employees, across five states, for their part in delivering our mission every day.”

Comments