| Contacts: | Erin Curtis, Public Affairs Specialist, (970) 244-3097 |
BLM acquires key inholding in Gunnison Gorge NCA
Montrose, CO -- The Bureau of Land Management has acquired an important 552-acre inholding within the Gunnison Gorge National Conservation Area near Montrose through a partnership with the non-profit group The Conservation Fund. The 62,000-acre Gunnison Gorge NCA provides critical wildlife and riparian habitat, including 22 miles of the Gunnison River and 17,700 acres of wilderness area. The NCA supports a diverse range of recreational uses such as whitewater and flat water boating, trout fishing, hunting for big game, waterfowl and upland birds, hiking, mountain biking, backpacking, camping, horseback riding and designated areas for off-highway vehicle use.
“Bringing this inholding into public hands will enhance recreational opportunities in this area and preserve view sheds and critical wildlife habitat,” said Gunnison Gorge NCA Manager Karen Tucker. “The inholding could have been developed as a rural subdivision, which would have changed the character of this area and the adjacent Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park.”
The purchase of this inholding was a high priority nationally for the BLM. The Montrose County Commissioners, Delta County Commissioners, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Black Canyon Land Trust, and National Park Service also supported the acquisition.
“This property allows a continuous access route through the Gunnison Gorge NCA,” said Christine Quinlan of The Conservation Fund’s Colorado office. “I credit the Nicolas family for working cooperatively with us to add their upper ranch to the NCA. This will benefit wildlife and recreational users.”
The recently acquired parcels are northeast of Montrose, Colo. They are bordered on the east by the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, the north by the Gunnison Gorge Wilderness and otherwise surrounded by the NCA. They were previously owned by the August Nicolas Family Partnership, which willingly worked with BLM and The Conservation Fund for several years on the acquisition.
The parcels were acquired for $1.4 million using funding from the Land and Water Conservation Fund. The Land and Water Conservation Fund is a federal program established by Congress in 1964 to provide funds for federal, state and local governments to purchase land, water and wetlands for the benefit of the public.
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land, the most of any Federal agency. This land, known as the National System of Public Lands, is primarily located in 12 Western states, including Alaska. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. In Fiscal Year (FY) 2011, recreational and other activities on BLM-managed land contributed more than $130 billion to the U.S. economy and supported more than 600,000 American jobs. The Bureau is also one of a handful of agencies that collects more revenue than it spends. In FY 2012, nearly $5.7 billion will be generated on lands managed by the BLM, which operates on a $1.1 billion budget. The BLM's multiple-use mission is to sustain the health and productivity of the public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations. The Bureau accomplishes this by managing such activities as outdoor recreation, livestock grazing, mineral development, and energy production, and by conserving natural, historical, cultural, and other resources on public lands.
2465 South Townsend Avenue Montrose, CO 81401