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A 552-acre inholding within the Gunnison Gorge National Conservation Area (NCA) in Colorado that could have been privately developed has been acquired by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), preserving it for the public's use.
The announcement was made by the BLM and The Conservation Fund.
"Bringing this inholding into public hands will enhance recreational opportunities in this area and preserve view sheds and critical wildlife habitat," said Gunnison Gorge NCA Manager Karen Tucker. "The inholding could have been developed as a rural subdivision, which would have changed the character of this area and the adjacent Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park."
The recently acquired parcels are northeast of Montrose, Colorado, and are bordered on the east by the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, the north by the Gunnison Gorge Wilderness and otherwise surrounded by the NCA.
The parcels were previously owned by the August Nicolas Family Partnership, which willingly worked with BLM and The Conservation Fund for several years on the acquisition.
"This property allows a continuous access route through the Gunnison Gorge NCA," said Christine Quinlan of The Conservation Fund's Colorado office. "I credit the Nicolas family for working cooperatively with us to add their upper ranch to the NCA. This will benefit wildlife and recreational users."
The parcels were acquired for $1.4 million using funding from the Land and Water Conservation Fund. The Land and Water Conservation Fund is a federal program established by Congress in 1964 to provide funds for federal, state and local governments to purchase land, water and wetlands for the benefit of the public.
In 2007, the BLM identified the purchase of this inholding as a top national priority by including funds for this project in its budget request to Congress. The BLM acquired the property with funds that the Colorado congressional delegation secured from the Land and Water Conservation Fund in the Fiscal Year 2008 Interior appropriations bill.
The 62,000-acre Gunnison Gorge NCA provides critical wildlife and riparian habitat, including 22 miles of the Gunnison River and 17,700 acres of wilderness area. The NCA supports a diverse range of recreational uses such as whitewater and flat water boating, trout fishing, hunting for big game, waterfowl and upland birds, hiking, mountain biking, backpacking, camping, horseback riding and designated areas for off-highway vehicle use.
For more information about Gunnison Gorge NCA, visit the Web site at www.blm.gov/co/st/en/nca/ggnca.html
For more information about the Conservation Fund, visit the Web site at www.conservationfund.org
The announcement was made by the BLM and The Conservation Fund.
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The recently acquired parcels are northeast of Montrose, Colorado, and are bordered on the east by the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, the north by the Gunnison Gorge Wilderness and otherwise surrounded by the NCA.
The parcels were previously owned by the August Nicolas Family Partnership, which willingly worked with BLM and The Conservation Fund for several years on the acquisition.
"This property allows a continuous access route through the Gunnison Gorge NCA," said Christine Quinlan of The Conservation Fund's Colorado office. "I credit the Nicolas family for working cooperatively with us to add their upper ranch to the NCA. This will benefit wildlife and recreational users."
The parcels were acquired for $1.4 million using funding from the Land and Water Conservation Fund. The Land and Water Conservation Fund is a federal program established by Congress in 1964 to provide funds for federal, state and local governments to purchase land, water and wetlands for the benefit of the public.
In 2007, the BLM identified the purchase of this inholding as a top national priority by including funds for this project in its budget request to Congress. The BLM acquired the property with funds that the Colorado congressional delegation secured from the Land and Water Conservation Fund in the Fiscal Year 2008 Interior appropriations bill.
The 62,000-acre Gunnison Gorge NCA provides critical wildlife and riparian habitat, including 22 miles of the Gunnison River and 17,700 acres of wilderness area. The NCA supports a diverse range of recreational uses such as whitewater and flat water boating, trout fishing, hunting for big game, waterfowl and upland birds, hiking, mountain biking, backpacking, camping, horseback riding and designated areas for off-highway vehicle use.
For more information about Gunnison Gorge NCA, visit the Web site at www.blm.gov/co/st/en/nca/ggnca.html
For more information about the Conservation Fund, visit the Web site at www.conservationfund.org
