Category: All News Releases

Mark your calendars, it’s time to volunteer for the 38^th annual Idaho State Forestry Contest on May 14, 2020 in Careywood!  With more than 700 student participants in 2019, volunteer involvement was crucial to the success of this exciting event and we are asking for your help again this year.

In addition to the satisfaction of introducing kids from 5th to 12th grades to Idaho forests and resource management, all volunteers receive complimentary hot drinks, donuts, BBQ lunch, special promo gifts, and the opportunity to work with friends and colleagues from all over the state. Many types of skills are needed, not just forestry, so ALL volunteers are welcomed with gratitude!

To help out and join the fun on May 14, please complete this form.

To find out more about the contest, visit the new IDL Forestry Contest website.

The Last Chance Campground near New Meadows on the Payette National Forest is near great hiking opportunities and other recreation, but the trees are getting the attention this winter thanks to a partnership with the Idaho Department of Lands and the U.S. Forest Service. The agencies are working together under the “Good Neighbor Authority” to improve forest health.

“The trees were damaged by the Douglas-fir tussock moth. The impacted trees are dying and could pose a hazard to campers this summer, creating the possibility that the campground might not be safe for use this season,” said Stephanie Merrill, Sales Prep Forester with the Payette National Forest.

The project had loggers battling snowy conditions to remove trees. “The snow actually helps protect the ground from being damaged by the falling trees, and prevents erosion, which is important because a creek runs by the campground,” said George Nuesse, Program Specialist with the Idaho Department of Lands. Loggers were very careful not to damage the campground with the help of GPS mapping. The logging is now complete, but other work regarding piles of leftover branches and wood still needs to be done.

The tree removal in the campground is part of the Duck Duck Goose Hazardous Tree Removal Project, with the goal of removing dying trees to promote forest health.

The road to the campground was plowed open for logging equipment access to the site, but motorized public use of the roadway is not allowed at this time.

 

MEDIA ADVISORY

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

February 27, 2020

 

IDAHO FOREST PRACTICES ADVISORY COMMITTEE TO MEET IN MARCH

 

(COEUR D’ALENE) – The Idaho Forest Practices Advisory Committee (FPAC) will meet March 6, 2020, in a webinar-facilitated meeting from the Idaho Department of Lands (IDL) Coeur d’Alene staff office.

 

This meeting’s agenda will include finalization of draft language for proposed rule changes that will potentially be promulgated in 2020.

 

What:                  FPAC meeting

When:                 March 6, 2020

Time:                    9 A.M. (PST)

Where:                IDL Coeur d’Alene staff office

Sundance Conference Room

3284 W. Industrial Loop

Coeur d’Alene, Idaho

 

Boise Option:    Webinar-conference participation is available in Boise at 10 A.M. (MST)

IDL Boise staff office

Garnet Conference Room

300 N. 6^th St.

Boise, Idaho

 

The purpose of FPAC, as established by Idaho Code, is to provide technical assistance to IDL and the Idaho State Board of Land Commissioners (Land Board) in matters relating to the Idaho Forest Practices Act. The committee typically meets two or three times per year depending on current issues. It is comprised of nine voting members appointed by the IDL director for three-year terms. Members include a fisheries biologist; a non-industrial private forest landowner; two forest landowners (one from northern Idaho and one from southern Idaho); two resident forest operators (one from northern Idaho and one from southern Idaho); two members of the general public (one from northern Idaho and one from southern Idaho); and one at-large member.

 

This is a public meeting and space in both conference rooms is limited, therefore, those who would like to attend are asked to RSVP by contacting Gary Hess at (208) 666-8636 or ghess@idl.idaho.gov.  Lunch will be provided for FPAC members and participating IDL staff only.

 

###

CONTACT:   Gary Hess |IDL Forest Practices Program Manager|208-666-8636|ghess@idl.idaho.gov

For Immediate Release

Monday, January 27, 2020

(Boise) –Idaho Department of Lands (IDL) launched an updated website today. The first priority for the website is to provide accessibility for individuals with sight disabilities, make it mobile-friendly, and generally easier to navigate. The new site also has improved communication tools and a more visual user experience.

Visitors can easily find information on recreation, fire, forestry, leasing, mining regulation, and lakes and rivers protection. There is a new subscription service feature allowing people to sign up for information and updates on specific topics. Those who do business with IDL will want to look for the homepage button titled “Access IDL.” The link features IDL’s growing online services, including timber sales information and leasing opportunities.

IDL’s mission is to prudently manage Idaho’s endowment assets to maximize long-term financial returns to public schools and other trust beneficiaries, and to provide professional assistance to the citizens of Idaho to use, protect and sustain their natural resources.

“The website gives us more opportunities to support our mission through improved communication and outreach, while also educating the public about our services and the work of our dedicated employees,” said Dustin Miller, Director of the Idaho Department of Lands.

 

Our state forester has worked at IDL for 12 years. David Groeschl has overseen the forest management and leasing programs on 2.5 million acres of Idaho endowment trust lands; wildland fire protection of more than 6 million acres of state and private forest lands; forestry assistance to private landowners and compliance with the Forest Practices Act; and Good Neighbor efforts that increase active management and restoration of federal lands in Idaho.  He is leaving IDL in February, taking his talents to a forest management company. Watch David get a plaque at today’s Land Board meeting.

Idaho Code 67-7126(4) established the OHV Fund within the Idaho Department of Lands (IDL). One dollar from every
OHV registration is allocated to IDL to “provide off-highway vehicle opportunities and to repair damage directly related
to off-highway vehicle use.” The statute requires IDL to “annually publish a report specifically identifying the uses of
moneys allocated” to the OHV Fund. Read the report.

Quick announcement: During 2020, IDL will release the Access IDL Customer Account Portal that will provide instant access to IDL administered encroachment permits, mine reclamation plans, and customer accounts with the ability to apply for state leases or permits and manage customer account activity. Visit the Access IDL page at: https://www.idl.idaho.gov/access-idl/

 

Steamboat Gulch sled hill will open by Christmas

For Immediate Release

Dec. 20, 2019

 

(Boise) –A new operator is now in place and Idaho City’s Steamboat Gulch sled hill will be open by Christmas.

Doug Pottenger, owner of Seasons Mountain Dining & Grocery in Idaho City, signed a 2-year land use permit with Idaho Department of Lands (IDL).  Pottenger and his employees will manage the sled hill.

Pottenger stepped up after finding out the sled hill would close this season because the Mores Creek Recreational Foundation no longer had funding for the permit or sledding operations. IDL found it necessary to close the hill to protect restoration efforts, as well as for safety reasons.

“Our hope was that someone could secure a permit and manage and operate the sled hill,” said Todd Wernex, IDL recreation program specialist. “This is a great example of how working together, we can maintain and protect our valuable endowment lands, while also providing recreation opportunities that don’t do damage to those lands.”

The sled hill is on endowment land owned by the public school beneficiary, meaning the land and its uses are not taxpayer funded. Last year, the sled hill was kept open despite the lack of an operator. Without oversight, the area was damaged by people driving vehicles on the hill, leaving garbage, and shooting trees. Funds used for restoration to the endowment trust land was paid for with money that should have gone to support K-12 education.

IDL expects that the new operator will provide an exciting opportunity for the public, while encouraging users to be good stewards of this public school endowment land.

# # #

Media contact:

Robbie Johnson, PIO, 208-334-0236, pio@idl.idaho.gov

(COEUR D’ALENE) – The Idaho Forest Practices Advisory Committee (FPAC) will meet Dec. 5, 2019 in the Idaho
Department of Lands (IDL) Coeur d’Alene staff office.

This meeting’s agenda will include the results of the Class I, streamside, tree-retention-rule, Shade Effectiveness
Study and discussions regarding implications of cable-assisted harvesting technology for the Forest Practices
rules.

What: FPAC meeting
When: Dec. 5, 2019
Time: 9 A.M. (Pacific Time)
Where: IDL Coeur d’Alene staff office, Sundance Room, 3284 W. Industrial Loop, Coeur d’Alene, Idaho

Boise Option: Video-conference is available in Boise, IDL Boise staff office, Garnet West Room, 300 N. 6th St., Boise, Idaho

The purpose of FPAC, as established by Idaho Code, is to provide technical assistance to IDL and the Idaho State
Board of Land Commissioners (Land Board) in matters relating to the Idaho Forest Practices Act. The committee
typically meets two or three times per year depending on current issues. It is comprised of nine voting members
appointed by the IDL director for three-year terms. Members include a fisheries biologist; a non-industrial
private forest landowner; two forest landowners (one from northern Idaho and one from southern Idaho); two
resident forest operators (one from northern Idaho and one from southern Idaho); two members of the general
public (one from northern Idaho and one from southern Idaho); and one at-large member.

This is a public meeting and space in the room is limited, therefore, those who would like to attend are
requested to provide an RSVP by contacting Gary Hess at (208) 666-8636 or ghess@idl.idaho.gov.

###

MEETING CONTACT: Gary Hess, IDL Forest Practices Program Manager, (208) 666-8636, ghess@idl.idaho.gov
MEDIA CONTACT: Sharla Arledge, PIO, 208-334-0286, pio@idl.idaho.gov

PDF version