State Adds Land To Forestville State Park

[JIvers]

The state bought over four hundred acres of land, including a good length of the Root River, just west/upstream of the current park boundaries: http://www.twincities.com/outdoors/ci_19681678

I caught my first trout, and possibly my first fish ever, right above where the new concrete bridge is in the photo. I don't fish around there much anymore, but there is still good trout habitat downriver from there. I'm curious if the special regulations in effect within the current State Park boundaries will be extended to this addition.

That stretch of the South Branch just purchased has seen, shall we say, less than ideal land use so far as water quality is concerned for as long as I can remember; now some stream restoration and habitat improvement can go on there, making much better trout habitat.

The state just acquired some very good turkey and deer habitat, too.

[Ic3wind]

I saw this in the news as well, Pretty sweet news. I cant say Im familiar with that stretch of water though. But I'll probably be checking it out in the future

[itchmesir]

Nice.. seems like they over paid a tad.. at least it wasn't the 125 acres some guy just bought for $1.25mil on the south fork.. Guess that's gonna be some sort of quarry.. heard from a local source

[JIvers]

At $3854/acre, the state would have been over-paying four years ago, but not anymore.

I don't know how much of the parcel the state just bought is agricultural land, but farmland within six or seven miles of there is going for five thousand dollars an acre or more. I'm sure there is some ag. land in this purchase, but I doubt if any of it is top-notch ground for farming--what isn't in the flood plain is mostly hilly, and probably rocky. "Recreational land" like much of the new park ground has its own value, but that is not cheap, either.

As an aside, I fished this stretch of the Root once this past year; I wondered why there were no cattle around. Now I know.

[OnAFly]

Very cool, I like these kinds of investments.

[JIvers]

Per the DNR HSOforum regarding the newly purchased land directly upstream from Forestville State Park: http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/areas/fisheries/lanesboro/stream_conditions.html

"Forestville State Park purchased Vreeman's property on the South Branch Root River upstream of the old park boundary. By rule language, this moves the winter trout season boundary approximately 900 ft upstream of the old Arches Bridge. The 12-16 inch protected slot (no gear restriction) on the Forestville State Park section of the South Branch Root River also moves upstream to this point. Signs are posted at the new boundary and at the old Arches Bridge. If you have questions, please call [507-467-2442]."

[OnAFly]

Always good to see the state adding land to the parks.

[Lucky Dogg]

My son got his first trout at the old now new bridge 4yrs ago. I fished that bridge up stream to the next one all year long in the early 80's. Lucky to get a fish or two. Now we get more than you could want in the first 100yards! Nice to see they are still trying to make things better.