United States Department of Interior
Honor Award
Michael L Jensen
is hereby awarded this certificate of honor for Superior Service
For … the certificate doesn’t specifically mention … his outstanding work for the mustangs of Spring Creek Basin Herd Management Area. It’s been a long time coming – at least three years since we started trying to get some kind of BLM award to recognize Mike for his – literally – superior service and partnership.
We advocates had a small celebration for him a few years ago during an informal gathering of ourselves and Mike and his wife, Shawna (a Forest Service hydrologist), but it was really satisfying to see Mike recognized among his peers at a BLM meeting this week in Mancos. Stephanie Connolly, BLM Colorado’s Southwest District manager, also was in attendance (and took the above pic). Derek Padilla, our new Tres Rios Field Office manager, led the meeting (which wasn’t about awards until the end), and it was Joe Manning (pictured above at left), assistant TRFO manager, who introduced the award and Mike.
As Joe said, the wild horse and burro situation is “thorny,” and it is that and more. We’ve had our own challenges in Spring Creek Basin with (very much) less than “superior” service (!). Mike has smoothed out the rough edges and been a partner in every sense since his return to the herd’s helm almost (?) 10 years ago.
Mike is retiring this summer after 30 years with BLM – most of those spent in Dolores at what is now called Tres Rios Field Office. In the pic above, yours truly is grinning like a fool because 1) I was so happy for Mike to get this recognition, and 2) I was trying not to cry (which, as anyone who knows me can attest, even if they weren’t there, I completely failed to NOT do).
Mike says we’ll be OK – and we WILL be. Because of his leadership and vision in getting projects done such as the two new water catchments and his diligent work at updating our herd management area plan, which is stellar among such things. I’m not gonna miss him until I have to miss him (he laughs when I say (repeatedly) that I’m going to chain him to the cattle guard at the basin’s entrance so we don’t lose him), and I will write more later, but damn, I’m going to miss him.
Congrats, Mike. Your service IS superior, and we all are grateful for it.
Thanks to Stephanie Connolly, Derek Padilla, Joe Manning and, of course, Mike Jensen.
In attendance (Mike is pointing them out in the pic above) were VERY long-time (since the 1990s) volunteers and supporters of Spring Creek Basin mustangs Pat and Frank Amthor (who traveled from their home in New Mexico), and Kat Wilder, author of Desert Chrome and neighbor of the mustangs. Tif Rodriquez, another long-time supporter, advocate AND adopter of Spring Creek Basin mustangs Whisper and Asher (and other mustangs), unfortunately was feeling awful and wasn’t able to attend. (Thank you so much, Joe, for letting us know about Mike’s award so we could be there to support HIM!)
Spring Creek Basin Mustangs 
I’m so glad that Mike (of the water catchments) got recognition for his wonderful work for the Spring Creek bands – I hope & pray that when he leaves, the next “caretaker” lives up to his “standards”!
Congratulations, Mike!
Amen!
He will leave huge hiking shoes to fill. We have the overall support of Tres Rios Field Office managers, which also is huge.
I’m so happy Mike has been recognized for all of his extraordinary work helping our mustangs! And goodness, TJ; didn’t know he was near retirement. His shoes will be very hard to fill. A heartfelt thanks to him, and also thanks to all of the Spring Creek Basin royalty – including you! – pictured in these photos! You all are my heros.
Thanks so much, Sue. 😊 We appreciate the support of folks like you and Denny – and your mom!
What a wonderful way to honor Mike, and all that he’s done for the herd and the basin ! So glad you pursued this award TJ ! Mike has raised the bar and I hope you’ll enjoy working with whomever replaces him.
I know what you mean, but it’s so hard to think of anyone “replacing” Mike. Some people really are irreplaceable! 😄
WOW! So glad to hear Mr. Jensen finally got the recognition so deserved, but now he’s LEAVING????? 😦 Here’s hoping he is not so far away, that you can still seek his advice when more ‘thorny’ issues arise. I hope he enjoys a long and fulfilling retirement. He has earned it. But he will be sorely missed from SCB.
I’ve had two-some years to try to get used to the idea of Mike retiring … and I’m still not cool with it! 🤣 His home is in Southwest Colorado, and his wife has a few more years with the Forest Service, so I do think he’ll stick around.
How wonderful for Mr. Jensen! He has put in a lot of work for the horses and deserves it!
He certainly has done an enormous amount of work. His legacy to Spring Creek Basin’s mustangs is something to be wonderfully proud of!
Congratulations to Mike and all the advocates that advocate for the Spring Creek Basin Herd Management Area.
You deserve it.
Thanks.
Thanks, Uncle Tom. 😊 You’ve seen our mustangs firsthand and know how much we put into our work for them.
What a wonderful tribute to Mike and all the fabulous work he has done for our mustangs expand creek basin. I love the pictures. Great to see you with Mike and his wonderful award! Wow that’s a biggie! Good to see Pat and Frank Amthor and Kat in picture also. Congratulations to everyone and many heartfelt thanks from Karen and Floyd Day. Tif I hope you are feeling better whatever you are down and out with.
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Thanks, Karen, and also for your tireless efforts to promote Spring Creek Basin mustangs with your amazing, vibrant artwork! You’ve also followed and supported this herd for many, many years. 😊
Thank you TJ. 1997 was a turning point for me in learning about mustangs. 2003 was my golden year finding our Spring Creek Basin mustangs and then 2007 meeting you TJ and the Temples. My life and art have been immensely enriched by all of you.
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TJ, I’m happy for Mike, but so sorry you’re losing him. I know how much he means to you and your work. I often cite him and your work to others to show that there ARE some “GOOD GUYS” in the BLM.
Thanks, Ginger. 😊 I think there are a lot of very decent, *good* people in BLM (as everywhere) who just don’t get the recognition our folks do. As in every topic, bad news rules the headlines. I may be a former journalist, but I’ve always tried to highlight the good news whenever possible. … We just have a lot of good news here to promote!
I agree, TJ. We can’t paint BLM employees with the same brush. So many advocates blanket the entire organization as being “evil.” Certainly we hear the stories of those men and women BLM staffers who do awful things to our WHBs, and as you said, that gets the main attention for advocates. But we know there are caring people who do want to help, and they try, mostly unrecognized. Clare Staples of Skydog does a good job of telling her experiences with BOTH types that she works with, and she thanks the ones who help her in her efforts. You are fortunate to have had Mike, and the Tres Rios folks support you and your work, and I suspect it is YOU and your ability to be an excellent, friendly collaborator who has helped make it all possible. Mike and the Tres Rios folks deserve to be recognized, and we wish it was the “gold standard” for all BLM local areas!