Bureau of Land Management law enforcement ranger Tyler Fouss has been named acting manager of Canyons of the Ancients National Monument.

Fouss will serve in the post until May, to allow time for the hiring process of a permanent manager. He plans to return to BLM law enforcement.

Former monument and museum manager Marietta Eaton retired in December.

“My job will be to keep the monument running smoothly, and keep ongoing projects moving forward,” Fouss said at the Southwestern Colorado Livestock meeting Saturday.

He has been a BLM ranger since 2002, and was posted in southwest Colorado in 2014.

As a ranger he is familiar with the 176,000-acre national monument west of Cortez and is responsible for protecting natural and cultural resources. He informs the public of BLM rules, conducts investigations and advises monument visitors of the proper protocols for viewing ruins and artifacts.

Fouss has been a BLM ranger in the Montrose area, for the Moab District and at Grand Staircase National Monument.

“I’ve always had a big desire to protect the public lands we all enjoy,” he said.

Also, Amala Posey-Monk has been hired as the monument’s Visitor Center and Museum manager, and Volunteer and Education Program coordinator. She replaces former monument museum manager David Kill.

Posey-Monk comes from Grand Canyon National Park, where she served 15 years as an interpreter and educator who developed Grand Canyon’s distance learning and youth programs. She will manage volunteer and education programs for the museum and monument.

She can be reached at 970-882-5621 or her email, aposeymonk@blm.gov.