BLM Selects Gunnison Gorge National Conservation Area Manager
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MONTROSE, Colo.— The BLM recently named Edd Franz as the Gunnison Gorge National Conservation Area manager. Franz reports for dutyOctober 15.
“I’m excited for Edd to lead the NCA and continue his strong work with partners and staff,” said Uncompahgre Field Manager, Greg Larson. “He understands why Gunnison Gorge and recreation are important to the BLM and the communities it serves.”
Franz began his BLM career as a Student Conservation Association resource assistant in 1987 at Grand Gulch Primitive Area (now Bear’s Ears National Monument) and his first permanent job with the BLM was at Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument in 2000.
In 2007, he became the outdoor recreation planner for Gunnison Gorge NCA, a position he held until becoming the acting NCA manager in 2017.
Franz has also worked for the U.S. Forest Service and the National Park Service.
“I am thrilled for this opportunity and look forward to collaborating with our many partners to provide high-quality and diverse recreational opportunities in the NCA,” said Franz, who will manage and supervise the 63,201-acre NCA.
In Fiscal Year 2017, the NCA saw close to 260,000 visitors, an increase of twenty-five percent over the previous year. The NCA is known for its diversity of recreational opportunities— from Gold Medal trout fishing on a technical whitewater river in a remote wilderness setting to some of the best single-track motorized trail riding on the Western Slope.
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.