Today's Department of Lands and the Idaho State Board of Land Commissioners

Idaho Admission Bill (PDF Format)

State Trust Lands Asset Management Plan (PDF Format)

In order to effectively manage the endowment lands and funds, Article IX of the Idaho Constitution established the State Board of Land Commissioners, consisting of Idaho's Governor, Secretary of State, Attorney General and Superintendent of Public Instruction. The State Auditor (now called State Controller) was added in 1910. The Land Commissioners, acting in the capacity of trustees on behalf of the beneficiary schools and other institutions, were given the responsibility under Article IX, Section 8 of the Constitution (as amended) to manage endowment lands

"...in such manner as will secure the maximum long term financial return to the institution to which granted..."

In addition to this charge, the Constitution also established a permanent endowment fund, the principal of which "...shall forever remain inviolate and intact...," and the interest from which must be used for the maintenance of the public beneficiaries of the State. 

Beneficiaries: Public Schools, the Agricultural College Fund (University of Idaho), Charitable Institutions Fund (Idaho State University, Industrial Training School, State Hospital North, Idaho Veterans Homes and the School for the Deaf and Blind), Normal School Fund (Idaho State University Department of Education and Lewis-Clark State College), the Penitentiary Fund, the School of Science Fund (University of Idaho), State Hospital South Fund, the University Fund (University of Idaho) and the Capitol Commission.

More than 225 dedicated natural resource specialists and support staff, functioning in 14 Supervisory Areas throughout the State, now work to implement the management directives as handed down by the Idaho Constitution and the State Board of Land Commissioners. Of the 3.65 million acres originally received, endowment lands currently total nearly 2.5 million acres, including 780,000 acres of commercial timberland and about three million acres of minerals. In addition, the Department of Lands, having been assigned additional duties over the years by the State Legislature, now serves as the host agency to the Idaho Board of Scaling Practices, the Clearwater-Potlatch Timber Protective Association and the Southern Idaho Timber Protective Association.

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