Thomas Heinlein named Bureau of Land Management Assistant Director for National Conservation Lands and Community Partnerships
Veteran land manager will oversee more than 900 units covering about 35 million acres from winding rivers to mountain vistas
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The Bureau of Land Management today announced the appointment of Thomas (Tom) Heinlein as Assistant Director for the National Conservation Lands and Community Partnerships. Tom, an experienced land manager with nearly 25 years of Federal service in natural resource management and policy at the National, State, District and Field level, will be relocating from Anchorage, Alaska to Grand Junction, Colorado by the end of May.
“Tom brings a wealth of experience as a land manager at all levels of the agency and an ability to build and grow partnerships,” BLM Director Tracy Stone-Manning said. “We are pleased to have him oversee the management of the special landscapes that are the nation’s National Conservation Lands.”
Tom will oversee the agency’s management of 35 million acres of National Conservation Lands, including national monuments, conservation areas, wild and scenic rivers, scenic and historic trails, and wilderness. The BLM’s National Conservation Lands offer the American people exceptional opportunities for solitude, wildlife viewing, fishing, hunting, history exploration, scientific research, many forms of outdoor recreation, and a wide range of traditional uses. Tom will also oversee the BLM’s Recreation and Visitor Services Division and the Division of Education, Cultural, and Paleontological Resources.
Prior to stepping in as the Acting Assistant Director for the National Conservation Lands and Community Partnerships in August 2022, Tom served as the Anchorage District Manager. Additional positions he has held include acting State Director for Alaska and once before as the acting Assistant Director for the National Conservation Lands and Community Partnerships.
Tom has also been the Rocky Mountain District Manager in Colorado; Field Manager in Monticello, Utah, and has completed assignments as the National Operations Center Associate Director, the Deputy State Director for Resources for Eastern States, and the Division Chief for Forest and Rangelands and the Deputy Division Chief for National Conservation Lands for Headquarters. Before joining the BLM in 2008, Tom worked for the National Park Service, the Ecological Restoration Institute at the Northern Arizona University, and the U.S. Forest Service.
Tom grew up in Vermont and holds a Master’s of Science in Forestry from Northern Arizona University and a Bachelor's of Science in Forest Resource Management from the University of Montana.
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.