Sign up to guard state endowment lands
Coeur d'Alene Press | UPDATED 14 years, 2 months AGO
The Idaho Department of Lands is seeking Kootenai County residents to volunteer to help protect the state's endowment lands dedicated to creating revenue for Idaho's public schools.
According to a press release distributed by the agency, IDL recently introduced the Healthy Endowment Lands Protection volunteer program at the Mica Supervisory Area Office in Coeur d’Alene.
“This volunteer recruitment effort gives Kootenai County residents the opportunity to spend time in the beautiful outdoors and help the Idaho Department of Lands at the same time,” Mica Supervisory Area Manager Mike Denney said, in the release.
Volunteers will patrol parcels of state endowment trust lands and help guard against damage to the resource.
Management of 2.5 million acres of state endowment trust lands provided more than 46 million dollars in FY12 to endowment beneficiaries statewide.
The locations in which the department is seeking help from volunteers are all located in Kootenai County, extending west-to-east from the Washington-Idaho state line to the Fourth of July pass and north-to-south from Athol to Worley.
“The department employees cannot be in all places at all times. By having more eyes and ears on the ground through the help of volunteers, we will be able to more effectively manage state endowment trust lands to generate long-term income while balancing recreation so that Idahoans can enjoy the land as well," Denney said.
Volunteers can choose to patrol small blocks or large blocks of land on a short-term or long-term basis.
In their friendly patrols, volunteers will give recreationists information about the purpose of state endowment trust lands in providing a steady stream of ever-increasing income from management activities that take place on the lands.
Volunteers will also track the types and amount of recreational uses taking place; give the department feedback from recreationists using the land; promote fire safety; pick up litter; and report any damage.
Recreation on state endowment trust lands is heavier in more populated areas such as Kootenai County and can complicate management of the lands.
State endowment trust lands generally are open to dispersed recreation statewide as long as the recreation does not damage the land or conflict with the department’s mandate to generate income.
Citizens interested in volunteering are encouraged to contact the department: (208) 769-1577.
Visit IDL's HELP page online for additional information.