Article: Giant piece of land may be preserved; Conservationists say a huge land easement in Itasca County would protect jobs and the environment, but legislators will have the final say on spending $51 million.(NEWS)

Byline: TOM MEERSMAN; STAFF WRITER

It's an impressive amount of land: 292 square miles of forests in north-central Minnesota, including 280 miles of lake and river shore, and 93 square miles of wetlands. The property, all of the land that UPM Blandin Paper Co. owns in Minnesota, would be protected from development by a proposed $51 million easement. It's the largest project yet to come before the Lessard Outdoor Heritage Council, and it poses a big challenge to the group charged with recommending how to spend some of the money raised by the new sales tax amendment that voters approved last November. It would absorb most of the $65 million that can be awarded this ...

Related newspaper, magazine, and journal articles:

 
 
Newsweek Harper's Magazine The Washington Post Chicago Tribune Crain's Chicago Business PRNewswire Pediatric News The Nation Advertising Age The Economist (US) A FREE trial gives you access to over 80 million articles! Access over 6,500 publications with a FREE trial!