Hope-Sagle land trade finalized

SANDPOINT — More than 900 acres of elk and moose wintering range in the Cabinet Mountains have been permanently secured for wildlife habitat and public access.

The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation has announced that the U.S. Forest Service and Stimson Lumber Co. have finalized a land swap that protects 921 acres of land adjacent to the Idaho Panhandle National Forests in Bonner County. The land used to be owned by Stimson and will now expand the forest boundary.

“This project is good for elk, moose, deer and other wildlife because it protects habitat in a scenic area that’s disappearing beneath summer-home developments. Plus, larger contiguous public lands are more easily managed for elk than, small isolated tracts,” David Allen, president and CEO of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, said in a statement.

RMEF helped facilitate the land trade, which has been in the works for more than a decade. The group also thanked the Bonner County Sportsmen’s Association and Litehouse Foods for the financial assistance in the project.

The land swap was finalized on Dec. 22, 2011.

RMEF also thanked Stimson Lumber for its patience during the long process of exchanging lands.

“This exchange benefits wildlife, the land and generations of people in northern Idaho. Our company has been patient over the past 10 years to complete this exchange. Doing the ‘right thing’ just took a while to complete,” said Stimson Vice President Ray Jones.

Originally dubbed the Rising Cougar Land Exchange, it was later renamed the Hope-Sagle Land Exchange.

In exchange for the 921 acres, Stimson acquired 995 acres of federal lands near Bayview and Hoodoo Lake which lacked public access or had lower-quality wildlife habitat.

The private land being acquired is located along Spring Creek near Hope that provides elk travel corridors and calving grounds, grizzly bear habitat and a half-mile of quality westslope cutthroat trout habitat. The acquisition creates an opportunity to develop a new trailhead for Beetop-Roundtop Trail No. 120, widely regarded as one of the most scenic trails in the Panhandle.

“This exchange provides excellent benefits to wildlife and recreation in north Idaho. We are thankful for the support of the partners to this transaction, especially RMEF and Bonner County Sportsmen, and the local communities who helped make this happen,” IPNF Supervisor Mary Farnsworth said.