REGIONAL—St. Louis County’s Department of Lands and Minerals is now the owner of an additional 4,600 acres of forestland located north of Lake Vermilion. County officials and the private nonprofit known as The Conservation Fund, completed the transfer of the acreage on Monday.
The land acquisition, which includes a payment from the county of $4.18 million, was originally announced earlier this year.
The acres in question, located just south of Buyck and west of the Vermilion River, had been part of an industrial timberland portfolio held by the PotlatchDeltic Corporation. Recognizing the threat of fragmentation when PotlatchDeltic began to sell its holdings, The Conservation Fund acquired these tracts starting in 2018 to safeguard the land and create a path for public ownership.
“The Conservation Fund exists to take on exactly these kinds of complex, high-impact projects,” said Kim Berns-Melhus, Minnesota state director at The Conservation Fund. “By acting quickly and strategically, we were able to secure these working forests and partner with St. Louis County to the benefit of so many Minnesotans.”
Under county oversight, the acres will be managed at the local level for wildlife habitat, public recreation, and sustainable forestry.
“These are productive, ecologically significant forests that will now remain in public hands,” said Jason Meyer, Land Commissioner for St. Louis County. “This is a smart investment in long-term forest health, local jobs, and the public’s ability to access and enjoy these lands.” The county currently manages approximately 900,000 acres of mostly tax-forfeited timberland on behalf of the state of Minnesota.
According to a joint statement, the parcels involved were selected for their ecological value, proximity to existing county-managed public forests, and potential to improve habitat connectivity and forest management efficiency. The acres will be open for public uses including hunting, hiking, and other recreational activities, while supporting wildlife and sustainable timber production.
“St. Louis County has a strong tradition of balancing smart forest stewardship with meaningful public access, and we’re proud to support them in that work,” said Berns-Melhus. “This is conservation at its best — local, collaborative and built to last.”