Category: 2024 News Releases

Boise, Idaho – Idaho’s Wildfire Awareness Month Proclamation was made official by Governor Brad Little minutes before the ignition of a wildfire demonstration. The burn featured a side-by-side look at fire behavior and showed the importance of immediate defensible space, comparing a fire-ready vs. not fire-ready structure. The signing took place as part of the Idaho Department of Insurance Wildfire Risk Forum April 29 at the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC) in Boise, Idaho.

“The unprecedented growth of the wildland-urban interface has elevated the need for coordinated education concerning how, where, and why wildfires burn as well as collaborative efforts to increase survivability of homes and property,” Governor Little said.

The Governor’s proclamation further states that “citizens should also take steps to better prepare their homes and communities for wildfires and work toward becoming a fire adapted community.”

The Wildfire Risk Forum was hosted by the Idaho Department of Insurance (IDOI), together with the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) Western Zone, and the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS). The forum educated western policymakers on the impact of wildfire on the built environment and insurance markets.

Attendees watched the burn in real time, which highlighted ignition, materials used, fire behavior and effective mitigations.
Dropbox link to download official broadcast/print quality photos, video, and remarks from Governor Little at the signing ceremony and of the wildfire demonstration: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/nbbeohvhst2fdf323o4nr/ABHPSfRruwqz2vK7KU8Ma-I?rlkey=nt0o9mczx1nmjcba1hlwjperz&st=3i3jxlr4&dl=0

CONTACT

Idaho Department of Lands
Robbie Johnson, Public Information Officer
(208) 908-1786
rjohnson@idl.idaho.gov

Idaho Department of Insurance
Julie Robinson, Public Information Specialist
(208) 334-4312
Julie.Robinson@doi.idaho.gov

 

 

McCall, ID – Safety precautions due to a timber harvest requires the Idaho Department of Lands (IDL) to temporarily close the Slope Road (50048 Road) loop that connects with Pole Creek Road (50038 Road) and Buck Park Road (50055 Road).
The Dry Sky Ton timber sale will require a cable harvest along a steep and narrow segment of Slope Road near the junction of Buck Park Road, creating the need for the temporary closure.
The closure will begin May 1 and is likely to be in place 6-8 week until harvest operations are completed.
This area, west of Council, is primarily used by campers, hunters, firewood cutters and atv/utv users. The public will still be able to access the Slope Road from the southern entrance, however they will not be able to make the loop to the Buck Park Road.

Road closure vicinity map

Road closure map

Boise, ID – Idaho Endowment Land is scattered across the state. Most of that land is timberlands, but there are also commercial parcels. One commercial parcel known as “Deinhard A,” is located off Deindard Land in McCall and is currently available for a commercial ground lease.

The parcel is approximately 12.5 acres and is within McCall city limits. It appears to carry a Community Commercial (CC) zoning designation. Proposers may offer a lease for up to 49 years.

Typically, to negotiate a commercial ground lease IDL first solicits interest through a Request for Proposals (RFP). Each proposal will be wholly evaluated while keeping in alignment with Idaho’s constitution, which states endowment land is to be managed for the long-term financial return to the endowment beneficiaries. Once an RFP is awarded, the winner will be eligible to negotiate a lease with IDL for their proposal.

Idaho’s constitution also requires IDL to use a competitive bidding process when awarding leases. The final negotiated lease will be advertised for availability to the public at large. The winner of the RFP and any other interested parties are provided the same opportunity to compete at auction by offering a premium bid for the right to secure the lease.

The competitive bidding process secures the highest value for the lease and generates additional funds for the beneficiaries. In this case it is the Public School Endowment Fund. Learn more about Idaho Endowment Land management.

More information can be found on IDL’s commercial leasing webpage.

View Map of Premises to be Leased

 

 

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CONTACT
Sharla Arledge
Idaho Department of Lands
Public Information Officer
pio@idl.idaho.gov
208-334-0286

 

 

Boise, ID – Idaho Endowment Land is scattered across the state. Most of that land is timberlands, but there are also commercial parcels. One commercial parcel known as “Little Gowen,” is located at Gowen Road and Federal Way in Boise and is currently available for a commercial ground lease.

The parcel is approximately 3.7 acres and is within Boise City limits. It appears to have a light Industrial zone designation (I-1 – Industrial: Light zone). Proposers may offer a lease for up to 49 years.

Generally, to negotiate a commercial ground lease IDL first solicits interest via a Request for Proposals (RFP). Each proposal will be wholly evaluated while keeping in alignment with Idaho’s constitution, which states endowment land is to be managed for the long-term financial return to the endowment beneficiaries. Once an RFP is awarded, the winner will be eligible to negotiate a lease with IDL for their proposal.
Idaho’s constitution also requires IDL to use a competitive bidding process when awarding leases. Once final, the negotiated lease will be opened and advertised to the public at large. The winner of the RFP and any other interested parties are provided the same opportunity to compete at auction by offering a premium bid for the right to secure the lease.

The competitive bidding process secures the highest value for the lease and generates additional funds for the beneficiaries. In this case it is the Penitentiary Fund. Learn more about Idaho Endowment Land management.

More information can be found on IDL’s commercial leasing webpage.

 

 

 

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CONTACT
Sharla Arledge
Idaho Department of Lands
Public Information Officer
pio@idl.idaho.gov
208-334-0286

 

 

Boise Idaho – If you see smoke on Wednesday (Mar. 20) coming from the area of the Roswell Marsh Wildlife Habitat Area near the community of Roswell, please know it is a prescribed burn and there is no danger.

Idaho Department of Lands (IDL) firefighters will be assisting the Idaho Fish and Game with the burn to control noxious weeds. IDL provided the same treatment to the marsh 12 years ago.

The prescribed burn will only take place on this date if weather conditions permit. It should take just one day to complete the process.
For information about the Roswell Marsh Wildlife Habitat Area, please contact Fish and Game’s Fort Boise WMA office at (208) 722-5888.

Coeur d’Alene, ID – The Women in the Woods classes are back! These events give women landowners the opportunity to interact with a lineup of all-women forestry experts, creating an atmosphere where forest management training is tailored to female land managers.

Women landowners have an increasing role in forest management decisions and it’s important they have confidence and skill in managing their family forests.
There will be two classes offered by the Idaho Department of Lands (IDL) and the University of Idaho Extension. The first class, the Women in the Woods Workshop, is a classroom day that focuses on supportive resources and funding opportunities for forest landowners.

“We have a new workshop feature this year,” said Erika Eidson, IDL Forest Health Specialist and workshop co-host. “Participants will have the opportunity to bring in photos of their forest, and industry experts will help them assess the condition and set goals.”

The Women in the Woods Workshop will be held Friday, April 5 at the IDL office in Coeur d’Alene from 9 AM to 3 PM. While it is geared toward women, anyone is welcome to attend. There are no prerequisites, and no level of baseline knowledge is required.

The second class, the Women in the Woods Field Day, puts participants out in the woods, rotating through different exercises covering forest assessment, ecology, and forest management. The Field Day will be held on May 10 at Pine Street Woods in Sandpoint from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Participation in the classroom session is not a prerequisite requirement for signing up.

Working in small groups, participants will rotate through stations learning how to find bark beetles, how to mark trees for removal for different management goals, how to prune trees to protect them from white pine blister rust, and more.

Here is a comment we received from one participant last year:
“The decisions that go into the planting, tending and taking of trees are decisions based on information gathered using the simplest of tools (a hairbrush to reveal a canker!) or the highly sophisticated laser hypsometer. … If yesterday’s event was itself a ‘forest’ it would get high marks in its planting for a strong and diverse stand of women and their contributions to Idaho’s trees!”

What: Women in the Woods Workshop
When: April 5, 2024
Time: 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. PT
Where: Idaho Department of Lands Office Sundance Room
3284 W. Industrial Loop,
Coeur d’Alene Idaho 83815
Cost: $10 adult
Lunch, snacks, and T-shirts will be provided. Registration deadline is March 29.

What: Women in the Woods Field Day
When: May 10, 2024
Time: 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. PT
Where: Pine Street Woods
11915 W Pine St.
Sandpoint, ID 83864
Cost: $10 adult
Lunch and T-shirts will be provided. Registration deadline is May 3.

To register online go to: BIT.LY/clearwater_events

Event Contact:
Isabella Valdez
Forest Health Specialist
Idaho Department of Lands
3284 W. Industrial Loop
Coeur d’Alene ID 83815
Office: (208) 666-8626

 

Media Advisory

Negotiated Rulemaking for Rules Governing Conservation of Oil and Natural Gas in the State of Idaho

(Boise) – Following Executive Order 2020-01, Zero Based Regulation, the rules in IDAPA 20.07.02, Governing Conservation of Oil and Natural Gas in the State of Idaho are scheduled for a comprehensive review in 2024, with the goal of simplifying for increased clarity and ease of use.

Revisions are needed to better align the rules with statute revisions that occurred in 2017 and 2023. IDL anticipates reducing the total word count by removing repetitive statements from the rule chapters.

Public meetings will be held regarding the rules. Those wishing to participate in a meeting may do so in person or by Zoom.

Boise
When: Thursday, April 11, 2024
Time: 1 PM
Where: Idaho Department of Lands Boise Staff Office
Garnet Conference Room
300 N. 6th St., Suite 103
Boise, ID 83702

Fruitland
When: Monday, April 15, 2024
Time: 1 PM
Where: Fruitland City Hall
Council Chambers
200 S. Whitley
Fruitland, ID 83619

Boise
When: Monday, April 29, 2024
Time: 1 PM
Where: Idaho Department of Lands Boise Staff Office
Garnet Conference Room
300 N. 6th St., Suite 103
Boise, ID 83702

To attend any of the three meetings by Zoom:
Click here to join the meeting: https://idl.zoom.us/j/89113664775?pwd=R1JZYUZQUk5hNWVWT1AyTTdVUTV1UT09
Meeting ID: 891 1366 4775
Passcode: 736013
To attend by telephone call:
1 (253) 215-8782

Comments regarding this negotiated rulemaking will be accepted until Friday, May 31, 2024.
Information about this rulemaking can be found at https://ogcc.idaho.gov/rulemaking/docket-20-0702-2401-oil-gas/

How to send your comments:
By email to: rulemaking@idl.idaho.gov

Or submit a comment: https://www.idl.idaho.gov/submit-a-comment/

By mail to:
Idaho Department of Lands – Boise staff office
Attn: James Thum – Rulemaking
P.O. Box 83720
Boise, ID 83720-0050
By fax: (208) 334-3698
Please put IDAPA 20.07.02 on the subject line.

 

 

 

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CONTACT
Sharla Arledge
Public Information Officer
208-334-0286
pio@idl.idaho.gov

 

 

Coeur d’Alene, ID – Several forestry and fire grants are now open for submission of project proposals. The grants help reduce wildfire risks in the Wildland Urban Interface (WUI), support county wildfire protection planning and improve forest health. They are administered through Idaho Department of Lands (IDL) and fall under three categories: Hazard Fuel Reduction, Western States Fire Managers and Landscape Scale Restoration.

Those eligible to apply include: state, county and local agencies; non-profit (501c3) organizations; tribes; and educational institutions. A limited number of project proposals for each program will be selected for full development and submission for a competitive process for the western United States.

IDL is offering a webinar to help with the application process.

What: Informational Webinar on Zoom
When: Friday, February 9, 2024
Time: 11 AM PT/12 PM MT
Zoom link: https://idl.zoom.us/j/7641047762?omn=81123926366

Tyre Holfeltz, IDL’s Wildfire Risk Mitigation Program Manager will host the webinar, covering programmatic information, project examples and best practices for completing this year’s project proposal. A Q&A session at the end of the presentation will give opportunity for questions and comments. This event will be recorded and posted on the IDL Grants webpage.

Additional assistance is available by contacting Isabella Pritchard, IDL’s Grant Project Coordinator at ipritchard@idl.idaho.gov or 208-666-8669.
The deadline for submission of project proposals is March 15, 2024.

Additional information about the grant programs as well as the FY24/25 Project Proposal Packets can be found at: https://www.idl.idaho.gov/firemanagement/forestry-fire-grants/.

The grants are funded in part by the USDA Forest Service, State & Private Forestry Branch and are administered through IDL.This institution is an equal opportunity provider.

Photos of Grant Projects for Media and Public Use: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/xqqw993bh6ck7d7ayo8cf/h?rlkey=gkbk02lm2fkzggizlurqatsc8&dl=0

Boise, ID – While it is an exhilarating rush slicing through pristine powder, navigating open meadows or between trees, the thrill of jumping off trail and “boondocking” can damage trees, fences, and gates. Idaho Department of Lands (IDL) is actively working to keep this beloved recreation open by collaborating with snowmobilers.

“Accidental or careless activities such as running over young trees emerging out of the snow can stunt tree growth,” said Todd Wernex, IDL Recreation Program Manager. “Trees provide product for the forest industry and help fund Idaho’s public schools.”

One dollar from each Over Snow Vehicle (OSV) tag now goes to IDL to provide snowmobile opportunities and to repair impacts directly related to snowmobile use on Idaho Endowment Land. IDL, Idaho Parks and Recreation, counties, and private landowners are joining together to maintain access.

“The OSV fund allows us to build kiosks, purchase snow poles for grooming, and assist with brush clearing on trails,” added Wernex. “We are also developing maps and signs to guide snowmobilers away from vulnerable areas.”

While signs and maps are being developed, snowmobilers are urged to:

• Use groomed snowmobile trails.
• If you see the tips of young trees sticking out of the snow, avoid the area.
• Stay out of tree farms or areas where it is hard to avoid running over trees or treetops.
• On rangelands be aware of fences that may or may not be taken down.
• Volunteer to assist ranchers with taking down and putting up fences.
• Report problems so IDL can address them quickly.
• Call the IDL Supervisory Area where you plan to recreate and find out if there are any newly forested areas you should avoid.

Boundary County is the first grooming program to have new kiosks that feature an information poster and a map equipped with a convenient QR code. This technology allows recreationists to easily download an up-to-date map directly to their smartphones. Popular applications like Avenza Maps can further enhance the experience by providing real-time location tracking with a distinctive blue dot.

This is part of a concerted effort by IDL, private timber companies and Boundary County to empower recreationists with the information needed to make well-informed decisions. By focusing on educating the public about responsible over snow use and providing details on groomed routes and boondocking opportunities, the partners aim to mitigate unintended damage to the valuable timber lands.

More than 96% of endowment land in Idaho is accessible by foot, watercraft, or motor vehicle, with about 2.4 million acres available for hunting, fishing, hiking, camping, or other recreation.

The Idaho Board of Land Commissioners (Land Board) policy allows the public recreational use of legally accessible endowment lands, as long as the recreational activities do not degrade the lands, interfere with management activities, or otherwise negatively affect the long-term financial return to endowment beneficiaries. About 94% of revenue from endowment land is from timber harvests.

 

 

Boise, ID – Idaho has more than 103,000 acres of timberland enrolled in its Forest Legacy Program, mostly in the state’s northern counties. According to officials from the Idaho Department of Lands, in the past year the state received additional grant funds to enroll another 33,000 acres in the program.

“Citizens who enjoy recreation in the forests, working families and Idaho communities benefit from the Forest Legacy Program because it keeps working forests working,” explained Idaho State Forester Craig Foss. “Under this voluntary program private landowners can apply to sell the development rights to their timberland at a fair market value but retain ownership of the land.”

More than 90% of the private land currently enrolled in Idaho’s Forest Legacy Program is open to the public for hunting, fishing, hiking and other recreational uses. It also preserves wildlife habitat, water quality and scenic landscapes.

“Forest Legacy lets private landowners continue to manage their land, pay taxes on it, and retain the revenue it generates,” Foss said. “Most importantly, enrolled acreage remains as productive timberland forever, which means the land will continue to produce the trees and fiber that helps employee thousands and fuel Idaho’s $2.5 billion forest products industry.”

According to the Idaho Forest Products Commission more than 30,500 people work in green collar jobs related to Idaho’s forestry sector.
Over the next few years, Idaho anticipates even more interest in Forest Legacy. The state is gunning for a share of the $700 million now available nationally for funding additional projects, potentially doubling the enrolled acres.

“Based on the strong interest and current applications from timberland owners, we anticipate even more growth in the coming years,” said Foss. “Much of the eligible land lies within areas with high development potential. Reserving these acres as productive forestlands prevents expansion of the Wildland Urban Interface (WUI).”

To be eligible, properties must be privately owned, over five acres, 75% forested, and within a priority landscape area as defined by the Idaho Forest Action Plan. Funding is awarded through a competitive, nationwide process.

“Beyond its significant economic and recreational benefits, Forest Legacy also helps reduce wildfire risks,” said Foss. “All properties participating in the program have Forest Stewardship Plans that outline how the land will be managed and kept healthy. This helps mitigate wildfire risks and reduces urban sprawl into the WUI, which means our precious fire protection resources can be staged near higher risk areas, leaving more communities safer.”

Forest Legacy projects are funded through congressional authorizations and offshore oil drilling royalties. Idaho competes for the money in the form of grants that are passed through the U.S. Forest Service directly to participating landowners. Those landowners also contribute a 25% match, typically via tax-deductible donations. Foss clarified that “no Idaho general fund tax dollars are used to fund the program.”

“Forest Legacy is a win for everyone in Idaho,” Foss concluded. To learn more about the Forest Legacy Program, go to www.idl.idaho.gov.

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Media – Forest Legacy Dropbox link for video and photos: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/kpqefwa0yygqez8gij7qk/h?rlkey=nzu2t4jopxxbju5xkkvew2rhr&dl=0

CONTACT
Sharla Arledge
Idaho Department of Lands
Public Information Officer
pio@idl.idaho.gov
208-334-0286