A coalition of land trusts, property owners and outdoor enthusiasts is throwing its support behind a proposed land swap around Payette Lake.
The Idaho Department of Lands manages 15,700 acres of state endowment land surrounding the lake – the value of which has far outpaced the return it gets by selling logging rights.
So far, United Payette backs trading that land with the U.S. Forest Service to maintain public access and water quality.
“If we had to purchase it, to get it back would be astronomical. Now is the time to try and figure out how to conserve this piece,” said Craig Utter, a steering committee member for the group.
According to the McCall Star-News, the land is worth roughly $200 million, though the Idaho Department of Lands is working on an exact appraisal.
In 2021, the agency proposed swapping the land with a private developer, which it ultimately rejected after significant public outcry.
United Payette was among them. Utter said Idaho is finding out the consequences of public land suddenly becoming private with its influx of new residents.
“It goes quick,” he said. “It doesn’t take long to get things divided up and those large, expansive things you thought were going to be there forever disappear.”
Handing over management to the federal government, Utter said, would keep the land in public hands. The forest service would also be the sole entity overseeing the headwaters of the Payette River watershed, the quality of which is critical for drinking water, aquatic life and recreation.
The proposal is still in its infancy. State officials are completing due diligence, including getting an updated appraisal.
Depending on that valuation, the department estimates it could receive up to 150,000 acres of forest service land in the trade.
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