MARINA, Calif. - Ben Blom is enjoying the opportunities, challenges, and experiences of serving as the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Central Field Office manager. He took over the job in March after Rick Cooper retired.
“The Central Coast Field Office manages such a breathtaking array of resources; every day I get to work with a variety of issues and a number of different viewpoints," says Blom, whose last name rhymes with plum. “We have a dedicated staff that is committed to keeping public lands healthy and productive."
The Central Coast Field Office manages approximately 315,000 acres in portions of 12 counties stretching from the Pacific Coast to the San Joaquin Valley, and encompasses the Fort Ord National Monument, Clear Creek Management Area, and the Cotoni-Coast Dairies unit of the California Coastal National Monument. The office administers public lands for more than 7.75 million people in Central California, including those closest to the San Francisco Bay Area. The ecosystems managed by the field office range from the desert hills of the San Joaquin Valley to the central California coast. The field office oversees active recreation, energy development, lands and realty, and cultural programs, as well as protection of threatened and endangered species.
A native of Massachusetts, Blom began his BLM career in Grand Junction, Colorado, where he served as the planning lead for the Dominguez-Escalante National Conservation Area. Since 2013, Blom has served as manager of the Headwaters Forest Reserve in BLM California’s Arcata Field Office; completed legislative specialist details with the BLM in Washington, District of Columbia; and was an assistant field manager and an associate district manager for the BLM in northern California. Blom holds a master's degree in forestry from the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies.
The BLM facilitates opportunities for development of energy infrastructure, active timber management, and commercial recreation on our public lands that create jobs that help local communities grow. Blom enjoys any activity that allows him to be outside on public lands, including hiking, mountain biking, fishing, diving and camping. He also loves music and has played in several bands. Ben and his wife, Cassie, and their dog, Moka, are loving life on the Central California Coast.
Source: U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management
