BLM Desert District Manager Announces Retirement

After 33 years of public service, California Desert District Manager Steven Borchard has announced his retirement, effective January 1, 2010. Borchard assumed his duties as district manager in January 2006

In announcing his retirement to the desert district staff, he stated, “I have never worked with a more dedicated and professional group of people than I have as desert district manager. A person serves as a public servant because they want to and the staff that I managed across this desert conservation area demonstrated that with passion every day.”

During his tenure, Borchard managed the vast 10.5 million-acre California Desert District comprised of public lands in the lower third of California, including the California Desert Conservation Area (CDCA), created by Congress in 1976 to protect the desert's special values. The CDD also includes 300,000 acres of scattered parcels in the south coast area.

A native of Ventura County and a graduate of U.C. Davis, Borchard’s career included assignments in Idaho, Nevada, northern California, and as riparian and wetlands program lead for BLM in Washington, D.C. in 1998. He then became the deputy group manager for rangeland resources in 2001. Prior to his desert district assignment, he served as a congressional fellow assigned to the U.S. Senate to work on public land policy issues.

Associate Desert District Manager, Jack Hamby, will serve as acting district manager until the position is filled.