Partners Ensure Sustainable Forestry on More Than 6,200 acres in Lake County

Agreement also guarantees public access and protects wildlife habitat

DULUTH, MN—October 12, 2006—More than 6,200 acres north of Silver Bay in Lake County will be conserved for forest production, public access and wildlife habitat, a coalition of partners announced today. The agreement ensures the forestland will continue to be harvested sustainably, providing jobs for the local community and wood supply to the mills. At the same time, it guarantees public access, including hunting, fishing, hiking, dog sledding and snowmobiling and protects important habitat for a wide variety of wildlife species. The partnership is comprised of Lake County, the Department of Natural Resources, The Conservation Fund, The Nature Conservancy and Minnesota Power.

“The Lake County Board of Commissioners realized from past experiences that purchasing the land now, would be far less expensive in the long run,” said Lake County Board Chairman Clair Nelson. “Long term planning eliminates a tremendous amount of potential expenditures from smaller land purchases to protect recreational facilities such as trails, and eliminates staff time and service costs from development occurring within public lands. It is more efficient and less costly to manage our county lands when they are consolidated. An equal value of tax forfeit land will be sold to offset the loss of private lands in Lake County. The tax forfeit land to be sold will be more accessible and located closer to utilities and other services.”

Under the terms of the agreement, Lake County purchased the property from The Conservation Fund to manage it for forest products. The Nature Conservancy purchased a conservation easement on the property, ensuring sustainable forest management, wildlife habitat and opportunities for public recreation. In the coming months, the Conservancy intends to transfer the easement to the Department of Natural Resources for long-term management. The Conservancy is also purchasing a 220-acre in-holding from Minnesota Power and donating it to the County, subject to a conservation easement, as part of the transaction.

“Because of changes in the forest products industry and increases in real estate values, we are seeing a move from large industrial ownership of forestlands to smaller-parcel private ownership. This fragmentation of the forest threatens wildlife habitat, timber-related jobs, and recreational opportunities like hunting and birding,” said DNR Commissioner Gene Merriam. “The DNR is pleased to be a part of this cooperative effort to conserve this large tract of forest land.”

Aside from supplying local mills with timber, the property provides important habitat for migratory songbirds, ruffed grouse, deer, timber wolf and moose. The land also encompasses the headwaters of the north branch of the Manitou River, a prime trout stream in the region.

“This project would not have been possible without the great cooperation of Lake County, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and The Conservation Fund,” said Peggy Ladner, State Director of The Nature Conservancy. “They worked to find a creative solution to permanently conserve the property and ensure continued forest management and public access. The involvement of The Conservation Fund was critical in that it took a significant risk in purchasing the land and holding it until the final details could be worked out.”

Across the U.S., and now in Minnesota, the shifting economics of the forest products industry and real estate values have forced unprecedented changes in timberland ownership. Forestland has become increasingly susceptible to seasonal home development rather than sustainable timber production. Large expanses of forests that people thought were protected are now being converted to small lot subdivisions resulting in degradation of habitat, loss of productive timberland and reduced public recreational access. There is a short window of opportunity in Minnesota to guide this development and protect specific large blocks of forest for continued forest products uses and public recreation.

“The Manitou Forest and the coastal watersheds along Lake Superior are among the last pristine lands in the Great Lakes region, yet they are increasingly threatened by subdivision and changing ownership patterns,” said The Conservation Fund’s state director, Tom Duffus. “Thanks to the support of the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation and the Butler Family Foundation, the leadership of Lake County, and the dedication of the state and The Nature Conservancy, we are demonstrating the extraordinary results that can be achieved through balanced conservation solutions.”

The fragmentation of forestland ownership is among the greatest threats faced by wildlife and it further threatens timber-related jobs. Since 1999, more than 400,000 acres of Minnesota’s industrial forestland has been subdivided and sold. As much of this is sold for second-home development, it is lost to forestry purposes and public recreation.

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The Nature Conservancy is a leading international, nonprofit organization that preserves plants, animals and natural communities representing the diversity of life on Earth by protecting the lands and waters they need to survive. To date, the Conservancy and its more than one million members have been responsible for the protection of more than 15 million acres in the United States and have helped preserve more than 100 million acres in Latin America, the Caribbean, Asia and the Pacific. Visit us on the Web at nature.org.

The Conservation Fund is forging partnerships to protect wildlife habitat and enhance public recreation opportunities. Since its establishment in 1985, the Fund has protected more than 4 million acres of America's most important outdoor heritage, including nearly one million acres of working forestland. For the fourth year in a row, the Fund was named the nation’s top-rated environmental nonprofit by the American Institute of Philanthropy. With a 1 percent fundraising cost, the lowest of all environmental groups in the country, and a program allocation of 96 percent, the Fund is unmatched for its efficiency and effectiveness. www.conservationfund.org