It was a great day at the courthouse on Wednesday, August 28 as several county officials and members of the U.S. Forest Service sat down to complete a land exchange that’s been in the works since 2008. Photo courtesy of Molly Hicken
On August 28, 2019, cake was served at the Cook County courthouse to celebrate the final closing of the Cook County/Forest Service land exchange.
The county acquired approximately 1,620 acres of federally owned land, which was scattered across the county. In exchange for the federal lands and an equalization payment, the county deeded the federal government 1,910.76 acres of county tax forfeit parcels within the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.
The exchange was nearly completed on September 27, 2018 and later delayed due to contested language in the exchange deeds. The land transaction was first proposed in the 1990s and the parties involved have been working towards finalization since 2008.
The Cook County Land Exchange opens up lands formerly owned by the federal government for use by the county for the benefit of its population.
According to Superior National Forest Service Supervisor Connie Cummins, “The exchange offers a dual benefit by both providing these new opportunities for sustainable development in Cook County, while simultaneously lowering federal resource management costs within the Boundary Waters.”
More information about the land exchange and the affected lands can be found at https:// www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project= 40660.
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