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Koochiching County is among nine northern Minnesota counties where new public forest land was permanently protected this fall, as the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources finalized what the agency calls one of its largest land acquisitions in recent history.
The effort secured nearly 16,000 acres of forested land across a ten-county area in northern Minnesota, ensuring those forests, lakes, and waterways remain publicly accessible for wildlife habitat, hunting, fishing, and outdoor recreation for generations to come.
In the transaction directly affecting this area, the DNR worked with Northern Waters Land Trust and multiple Minnesota counties to acquire 10,675 acres spanning Aitkin, Becker, Carlton, Cass, Crow Wing, Hubbard, Itasca, Koochiching, and Wadena counties. That purchase was funded through the Minnesota Legacy Outdoor Heritage Fund.
The newly protected lands will expand existing wildlife management areas, scientific and natural areas, and state forests — all open to the public for a range of activities including hunting, fishing, wildlife watching, and hiking.
The acquisition has roots going back to 2018–2022, when The Conservation Fund (TCF) purchased the acreage from PotlatchDeltic Corporation with the goal of keeping large blocks of northern forest intact. The DNR and participating counties then worked together to identify priorities and secure funding before closing the deal this fall.
“We’re grateful for the opportunity to protect these forests, lakes, and waterways — now and for generations to come,” said DNR Commissioner Sarah Strommen. “Public lands are essential to Minnesota’s environmental stewardship, identity, and economy.”
A second transaction added 5,120 acres in St. Louis County — just to the east — using Reinvest in Minnesota dollars. Those lands will consolidate ownership in existing state forests, creating larger, contiguous blocks of DNR-managed land.
As public land, all newly acquired acreage belongs to all Minnesotans. The specific mix of allowed uses and activities will vary based on each parcel’s designation — whether as a wildlife management area, scientific and natural area, or state forest.
More information about Minnesota’s state-managed public lands is available on the DNR website.
