Parks & Trails Council of Minnesota partners with VNPA to secure privately owned land within park boundaries

By International Falls Daily Journal staff

The Parks & Trails Council of Minnesota and Voyageurs National Park Association joined efforts to acquire private property this week within the boundaries of Voyageurs National Park.

The two organizations, which have a shared history dating back to the early 1960s, announced they have joined to acquire a 3.4-acre Kabetogama Peninsula shoreline property.

"The property was the highest land acquisition priority for the park because of its high visibility to visitors entering the park from Rainy Lake," said VNPA Executive Director Cory MacNulty. "Acquiring land that goes up for sale is critical because the park has no authority over how private lands within the park are managed."

The acquisition is also significant because it represents a new area of focus for the 42-year-old VNPA. The group has historically served the park through citizen advocacy and by providing direct financial and volunteer support to maintain park programs harmed by budget cuts, according to the association.

Kathleen Przybylski, Voyageurs National Park management assistant, said the action is important to the park. Superintendent Kate Miller was unavailable for comment.

"The park is supportive of the purchase," she said. "It's brings us one step closer to having all land in the part protected and accessible. We're 100 percent behind this."

But with 54 private properties totaling 913 acres still within park boundaries and a National Park Service with no budget to acquire them, VNPA is feeling a sense of urgency to establish a land fund to purchase these critical lands as they go up for sale, according to a news release. All of the private properties that remain within the park are either shoreline properties or islands that are highly visible from the water.

"We are pleased to have had the funds to purchase a property so critical to the integrity of Voyageurs National Park," said Parks & Trails Council Executive Director Dorian Grilley. "We look forward to exploring opportunities to expand our land acquisition program so that we might assist VNPA with future in-holding purchases as willing
sellers put their lands up for sale."

Przybylski said VNPA and the Minnesota Parks & Trails Council are the only organizations to step forward to acquire private land within the park for the park.

"We will try to get federal funding for land acquisition when the opportunity arises," she said. "But there isn't much there right now."

The Parks & Trails Council of Minnesota is a grassroots membership organization that has worked vigorously for more than 50 years to protect, expand and enhance Minnesota's most special places by acquiring critical land for incorporation into the state's park and trail systems. Fueled by charitable contributions from individuals, foundations and corporations, the Parks & Trails Council has been instrumental in adding more than 8,700 acres of land valued at $15 million to key areas within the state's vast network of parks and trails. The 3,300-member-strong organization has become the state's most powerful voice for parks and trails thanks to its working relationships with grassroots community groups, legislators and local governments from throughout the state.