Your Voice Counts: June 9 Deadline to Nominate Lands for Purchase

The Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC) announced in April that it is seeking to purchase three to five tracts of private lands totaling 10,000 to 20,000 acres. Montanans have until June 9 to nominate tracts of land for purchase by DNRC under the state’s pilot program for selling and purchasing state trust lands.

The Land Banking program (dnrc.mt.gov/trust/ land_banking/) allows DNRC to sell selected tracts of state trust land – primarily isolated tracts with no public access and generating little income for the state – and use the revenue to purchase other lands with higher income potential and enhanced public access. This is the first round of nominations for lands to be purchased.

Of the more than 118,000 acres of state trust land nominated for sale, the Land Board has approved further consideration on about 26,000 acres. One 85 acre parcel in the Kalispell area will be going up for auction in June. DNRC calls it “one of our big income revenue producers,” with a minimum bid of just over $3.5 million. DNRC cannot sell more than 20,000 acres without purchasing other lands. It has said it wants to accrue at least $1 million in land sales before purchasing other properties.

The Land Banking program expires in 2008, so must be reauthorized by the 2007 legislature. There is likely to be a real push this year to both sell and purchase lands to show the legislature that the program is a success. DNRC expects to develop a priority list of parcels for possible acquisition in July, followed by public notice, with purchase and closing by the end of the year. It wants to acquire lands throughout Montana.

Anyone can nominate property for acquisition, but must complete a preliminary checklist and contact a local office of DNRC. The checklist with state trust land acquisition criteria can be found at dnrc.mt.gov/ trust/land_banking/aquisition.asp, or by contacting Scott Frickel at 406-444-1868.