Dan Ben-Horin begins new role as BLM Uncompahgre Field Manager

MONTROSE, Colo. — Today Dan Ben-Horin begins in his new role as Field Manager for the Bureau of Land Management Uncompahgre Field Office in Montrose, Colorado. Ben-Horin will oversee the multiple use management of nearly 900,000 acres of public land and over 2.3 million acres of federal mineral estate in BLM Colorado’s Southwest District.

The field office encompasses portions of four river systems and supports a diverse landscape ranging from lowland riparian along the Dolores River to piñon-juniper woodlands adorning the Uncompahgre Plateau. Within the field office boundary, the Gunnison Gorge National Conservation Area protects a moonscape of highly eroded Mancos Shale badlands. At its heart lies the Gunnison Gorge Wilderness, a dramatic black granite and red sandstone double canyon carved by the Gunnison River. In addition, the field office shares with the BLM Grand Junction Field Office in the management of the spectacular Dominguez-Escalante National Conservation Area.

Dan is well known to many in western Colorado, where he served as the National Conservation Lands Specialist for the Grand Junction Field Office since 2016. During that time, he emphasized community involvement in managing public lands and took on a number of temporary assignments that bolstered his BLM leadership experience.

“We are so pleased to welcome Dan to the BLM Colorado Southwest District from our neighboring Upper Colorado River District,” said District Manager Stephanie McCormick. “His diverse background in public lands management will be a perfect fit for the wide range of great work being accomplished in the Uncompahgre Field Office. We’re especially excited to gain Dan’s appreciation for the value of robust collaboration with our partners and the public.”

Ben-Horin holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from Hofstra University and a Master of Urban and Regional Planning, with a concentration in land use and environmental planning, from the University of Colorado Denver. In addition, he is a graduate of the Presidential Management Fellowship class of 2016 and part of BLM’s Emerging Leaders class of 2023. Dan is married to his best friend Amy, a small business owner and animal lover. In their free time, they relish exploring the public lands of western Colorado.

“It is an honor to join the Uncompahgre Field Office team and I’m thrilled to be working with such a passionate and dedicated staff,” said Ben-Horin. "The UFO has spectacular public land resources and I’m looking forward to creating meaningful relationships with our local communities and partners to ensure their sound management.”