Commentary: Forest easement is a stunning bargain

By DAVID HARTWELL
Printed in the Star Tribune

Last update: June 29, 2010 - 7:41 PM

This summer Minnesotans will celebrate a new natural treasure -- one worth the wait, investment and team effort.

In July, the conservation easement for 187,277 acres of the Upper Mississippi Forest, with 60,000 acres of wetlands and more than 280 miles of lake and stream front, will become a permanent public access area. These working forestlands near Grand Rapids, Minn., will maintain good-paying jobs for some 3,000 families and will offer access for hunting, fishing, hiking, bird watching and other recreational pursuits, while conserving a forest landscape.

Unfortunately, the Mike Kaszuba article ("Deal has legacy of questions," June 27) tries to paint a picture of controversy about a complex negotiation that began years ago to create the Upper Mississippi Forest conservation easement.

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