General Program Information

 

Wildlife Management

The varied ecosystems in this area provide habitat for populations of elk, deer, bighorn sheep, pronghorn antelope, bear, mountain lion, bobcat, coyote, beaver, hawks, eagles, grouse, song birds, several species of trout, and many more. The State Division of Wildlife is responsible for managing the actual animal populations including hunting seasons and licenses, while the BLM is responsible for the habitat. Working together, we provide protection for endangered species, opportunities for hunting, fishing, bird watching, scientific research, and wildlife viewing.


Grazing Management

Most of the Resource Area is broken down into 122 grazing allotments that provide about 34,000 Animal Unit Months of forage for domestic cattle, sheep, and horses. Through a variety of vegetation studies and management practices we work to balance grazing use with wildlife needs, the protection of riparian areas, and the maintenance of healthy ecosystems. The Range program also takes the lead on controlling invasive weeds in the area.


Wilderness Management

About 9 percent of the area we manage is designated Wilderness and managed to preserve healthy ecosystems, native wildlife and natural processes. In these areas, visitors have the opportunity to enjoy primitive outdoor recreation on foot or horseback. In addition, another 9 percent is in Wilderness Study Areas (WSAs) that have been recommended to Congress for wilderness designation. We manage these areas to preserve their wilderness character until Congress decides whether they should be designated.


Mineral Management

Most of the mining in this area was done in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Today, a few small mines run by private companies still operate on public lands in this area. In addition, there are several gravel pits that supply materials for road construction and repair.


Cultural Resource Management

The Gunnison Field Office contains a large quantity of cultural resources, covering the entire range of human occupation in North America (about 12,000 years ago to historical times). Sites of Paleo-Indian age through historic times are spread throughout the landscape, from mesa tops to drainages, from the lower elevation sagebrush environments up to timberline and above in the southern parts of the field office. The Alpine Loop Scenic Byway provides an opportunity to view the history of the Lake City mining era through a series of stabilized and interpreted significant sites relating to the mining and everyday life of the early settlers and miners of the high elevation San Juan Mountains. 

Paleontological resources are also administered under the cultural resources program in the Gunnison Field Office. These include vertebrate and invertebrate fossils of plants and animals (both vertebrate and invertebrate) that once flourished on the earth millions and millions of years ago. 
 The Gunnison Field Office partners with colleges, universities, volunteers, and state and local historical groups to stabilize, protect, interpret sites for public education and provide research opportunities to preserve and interpret America’s fragile, irreplaceable cultural resources for future generations. For information about current volunteer or partnership programs please contact Elizabeth Francisco, BLM archaeologist, at 970-642-4940.  

Created by the Bureau of Land Management, Colorado
Point of Contact: Jim Lovelace

Last modified: March 3, 2011