12/27/05 Bennett retiring as Idaho BLM director

Since 2002 he's served as Idaho state director for the Bureau of Land Management but K Lynn Bennett only has a few days left before he retires. After more than 30 years with BLM Bennett has seen a positive difference in the land and its resources. BENNETT "Generally the range is in better condition than it has been for a long time with the exception of course of some places where we've had some extreme fires and cheat grass invasion and some new problems have come up in the last say 15 years." A strong proponent of multiple use Bennett says he tried to listen to what people say about the 12 million acres his agency manages in Idaho. BENNETT "To open that door up and get anybody that wants to come in an visit and help us to make decisions and get their input into what BLM does. And I hope I've done that, I don't know. That's kind of where I wanted to go." And his successor will have to deal with the recently approved Jarbidge agreement that ended what would have been a costly legal battle between grazing interests and environmental groups. BENNETT "That includes getting started on the new land use plan for that area and follow through there." Bennett says he plans to return to the farm in Minidoka County, to property he owns and will call home in retirement. Today's Idaho Ag News Bill Scott