Paul Sever named manager of BLM King Range National Conservation Area
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ARCATA, Calif. – The Bureau of Land Management welcomes Paul Sever as the new manager of the King Range National Conservation Area (NCA). With 13 years of experience, Paul has returned to his roots in Humboldt County, Calif., where he will oversee daily operations and management of more than 68,000 acres stretched along 35 miles of the California Coast.
“Paul brings a wealth of experience and sound knowledge of the King Range to his new position,” said Collin Ewing, manager of the BLM Arcata Field Office which oversees the NCA. “Paul understands the Lost Coast and the people who value it. He provides solid leadership for our team and will maintain our important relationships with the community and our partners.”
Sever earned a bachelor's degree in recreation management from Humboldt State University (now California Polytechnic State University, Humboldt), while working summer seasonal jobs as a park ranger in the King Range NCA.
He landed a permanent park ranger job in the King Range NCA after graduating. He moved on to the BLM McInnis Canyons and Dominguez-Escalante NCAs in Colorado, also working in outdoor recreation management. Most recently, Sever was an outdoor recreation planner at the BLM Upper Missouri Breaks National Monument in Montana.
“I feel fortunate to continue to help steward some of the most spectacular public lands and build upon my 13-year career with the BLM. I look forward to working with partners and learning from my colleagues,” Sever said. “I am happy to be back in Northern California in the King Range NCA. This landscape certainly holds a lot of significance for me and the public.”
The NCA includes more than 48,000 acres of designated Wilderness, more than 80 miles of hiking trails, a mountain biking trail network, developed campgrounds and interpretive facilities. In addition to managing recreational uses, the King Range staff works with Tribes and partners on projects to improve fisheries, restore coastal prairies and native grasslands, improve wildlife habitat, and on forestry and fuels reduction projects to improve forest health and improve wildfire resilience.
Established by Congress in 1970, the King Range was the nation’s first National Conservation Area. It is part of the BLM’s system of National Conservation Lands. Information, including a trip planning guide and safety guidelines, is available at https://www.blm.gov/programs/national-conservation-lands/california/king-range-national-conservation-area.
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.