The Conservation Fund purchases 72k MN acres from potlach

[Wind Gypsy]

PotlatchDeltic Announces Agreement to Sell 72,000 acres in Minnesota to The Conservation Fund

PotlatchDeltic Corporation (NASDAQ: PCH) today announced an agreement to sell approximately 72,000 acres in Minnesota to The Conservation Fund for app

www.businesswire.com

My parents informed me of this sale recently. I don’t know anything about The Conservation Fund, any thoughts on how this might impact hunters? Figured some folks here would know more about the organization than I found on quick google searches.

My parents purchased 170 acres north of Grand Rapids last year as hunting/side business land from Potlach. I’m happy they did as there will seemingly be less opportunity to purchase in the future but this may be good for keeping more land accessible into the future?

 

[MO Betta]

They claim 90% of their more than 7 million acres are open for public recreation like hunting. Will also be actively managed as a working forest so it sounds pretty positive to me.

 

[Wind Gypsy]

They claim 90% of their more than 7 million acres are open for public recreation like hunting. Will also be actively managed as a working forest so it sounds pretty positive to me.

That was my takeaway from what is published as well.

 

[Bowmannate2000]

This MPR piece had some info on it. Sounds like the deal was recently finalized.

Conservation group buys remaining Potlatch land in Minnesota

A nonprofit organization has purchased more than 70,000 acres of northern and central Minnesota forest formerly owned by the paper and lumber giant Potlatch.

www.mprnews.org

It says that after 10 years ownership will be transferred to local state, county and tribal groups. It will be interesting to see how that distribution happens and if that will limit or increase public hunting access. Overall, it sounds like a good thing for wildlife.

 

[Jmnhunter]

At first glance, I thought this was great news as most potlatch lands are leased out, but I found this excerpt from the Park Rapids Enterprise which is not what I wanted to read:

 

[Bowmannate2000]

"A permit may be granted." That is a little disheartening.

 

[MNElkNut]

I suppose they have to have some disclaimer on there. Everything I have read indicates it is good news.

 

[Wilderness_56587]

MN DNR has a tendency to not increase the overall amount of public land in the state. If they acquire a piece they will sell off a less used piece, the basis for this is tax dollars, counties don't get any tax dollars from public land.

 

[Jmnhunter]

MN DNR has a tendency to not increase the overall amount of public land in the state. If they acquire a piece they will sell off a less used piece, the basis for this is tax dollars, counties don't get any tax dollars from public land.

In some parts of the state this is true, but alot of it comes down to the county as they seem to have a anti-net gain in public lands and have the final say on land sales (go figure, a landowner cant sell or donate their land to whoever they want)
The Payment In Lieu of Taxes (PILT) payments often times surpasses what tax dollars would have been paid on those public lands, these being funded from the General Fund. This is why I like gamblers, their lottery, raffle, scratchies help pay into the general fund

 

[Jmnhunter]

I suppose they have to have some disclaimer on there. Everything I have read indicates it is good news.

and this is the first time I"ve read anywhere else about a "permit maybe granted." When I first reached out to TCF about this, they never mentioned that when I inquired about hunting, so we'll see if this even becomes an issue

 

[Wilderness_56587]

In some parts of the state this is true, but alot of it comes down to the county as they seem to have a anti-net gain in public lands and have the final say on land sales (go figure, a landowner cant sell or donate their land to whoever they want)
The Payment In Lieu of Taxes (PILT) payments often times surpasses what tax dollars would have been paid on those public lands, these being funded from the General Fund. This is why I like gamblers, their lottery, raffle, scratchies help pay into the general fund

Yes, this was Wadena County specifically.

 

[Jwill]

The Conservation Fund recently turned over a +-7000 ac in-holding to the USFS near me. Before it was transferred it was posted and public access was not allowed.

 

[sschultz]

MN DNR has a tendency to not increase the overall amount of public land in the state. If they acquire a piece they will sell off a less used piece, the basis for this is tax dollars, counties don't get any tax dollars from public land.

Not entirely true. They often make payments in leu of taxes