Eric Scholquist, area manager for the Idaho Department of Lands Pend Oreille Lake supervisory area, told Bonner County officials on Oct. 27 that several large conservation-easement projects are moving forward or have closed in the region.

The International Selkirk Loop project, owned by Stimson Lumber Company, includes about 8,400 acres in Bonner County and will remain privately owned while providing "free non motorized public access," Scholquist said. The Stimson Timberland legacy project is funded and spans roughly 85,000 acres across six northern counties, about 25,000 of which are in Bonner County, staff said. The Spirit of Mount Spokane project, led by Inland Empire Paper Company, covers nearly 34,000 acres overall; approximately 2,100 acres lie in southwest Bonner County. IDL said the Spirit of Mount Spokane appraisal was completed in February and the participants are hoping to close the project in early 2026.

Chad Ramsey, resource supervisor for the endowments at the Sandpoint office, explained how Forest Legacy-style transactions are valued and funded. "There's two appraisals," Ramsey said: one that measures unrestricted highest-and-best use and another that reflects the lower value once development and subdivision rights are removed; the difference is the easement value. Scholquist said program funding typically covers up to about 75% of that value, with the landowner or a land trust required to provide the remainder.

Ramsey described an easement condition on a parcel near McCormick Meadows that limits public use: "There was a term put in there that there's no public access from December through April," he said, and other restrictions included "no berry picking, no fires, day use only." IDL staff said such restrictions are set in the easement documents and can be difficult to amend.

IDL staff emphasized the fiduciary role of the endowments: most state endowment lands are managed primarily to generate revenue for trust beneficiaries, including public schools. "These lands are held in a trust to be managed by the Idaho Department of Lands for those financial returns," Ramsey said. At the same time, many easements include provisions that preserve recreational access where possible.

The department also noted that Idaho Fish and Game pays the endowments under a memorandum of understanding to ensure hunting access on endowment lands; Ramsey said that payment is about $500,000 annually and is calculated on a per‑acre basis.

Details such as specific parcel boundaries, appraised values and exact funding shares for each transaction were not provided at the meeting; staff said the program manager would send a more detailed update to the county.