Crow Wing County bought the historic Pequot Lakes fire tower from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources in October and now is looking to buy more land for recreation purposes.
County commissioners heard at the Tuesday, Feb. 19, committee of the whole meeting a proposal to purchase with a grant a 40-acre parcel north of, and adjacent to, the tower.
"It's a parcel that we could put some trails on ... and we could have educational opportunities out there as well," county Environmental Services Supervisor Ryan Simonson said.
The 100-foot-tall fire tower was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2017 and has been on the National Historic Lookout Register since 1993. The tower is on a 40-acre parcel of land, which was also included in the recent purchase of the tower for $1.
"It's not a super-high priority (for land services) because we already have the fire tower and the 40 acres surrounding (it), but it would be a nice addition, especially if we could get it through a grant," Simonson said of the proposal to buy Carl Boberg's land, which is worth $86,900.
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The purchase could be made with a possible grant from the Legislative-Citizens Commission for Minnesota Resources to turn the fire tower area into a tourist attraction and an educational, environmental and historical resource adjacent to the Paul Bunyan Scenic Byway.
The fire tower north of County Highway 11 and east of Highway 371 was built in 1934. It was initially closed two years ago due to vandalism and misuse. Windows have repeatedly been broken in the cab with equipment thrown from the top of the tower.
Kayli Skinner of The Nature Conservancy was also at the county meeting with commissioners Rosemary Franzen, Steve Barrows and Bill Brekken, and County Administrator Tim Houle.
"Kayli has offered to write a (Legislative-Citizens Commission for Minnesota Resources) grant on behalf of the county, so the county would be the applicant of the grant ... and so we could acquire that parcel at no cost to the county if successful in (securing) the grant," Simonson said.
Since 1963, almost $1 billion has been appropriated to more than 2,200 projects recommended to the Legislature by the Legislative-Citizens Commission for Minnesota Resources to protect and enhance the state's environment and natural resources.
The function of the commission is to make funding recommendations to the Legislature for special environment and natural resource projects.
"Legislative-Citizens Commission for Minnesota Resources is funded through the Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund, which is the loon lottery tickets," Skinner said.
A majority of Minnesota voters approved in 1988 a constitutional amendment establishing the constitutionally dedicated fund that originates from a combination of Minnesota State Lottery proceeds and investment income.
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"Would there be any acquisition costs associated with this for us or would it be entirely covered by the grant?" Houle asked.
Skinner replied, "It would be entirely covered by the grant."
The Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund's purpose is to provide a long-term, consistent and stable source of funding for activities that protect, conserve, preserve and enhance Minnesota's "air, water, land, fish, wildlife and other natural resources."
Since 1991, the fund has provided about $630 million to almost 1,600 projects around the state.
Proposal presentations to the Legislative-Citizens Commission for Minnesota Resources will occur in June, with the commission's recommendations presented in the 2020 Legislative session and funds available on July 1, 2020.
"There is mature aspen on the Boberg property, so we would manage that accordingly and try to be as conservative as possible around the park area. We wouldn't treat it like it's an isolated 40-acre up in Timothy Township with no access," Simonson said of logging revenue.
"There would be an immediate timber harvest needed once we acquire because there's currently over-mature aspen in there, and there's also over-mature aspen on the fire tower property itself. It would be some of the oldest aspen we have on county lands if we acquired it."
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