Trust lands agreement reached

The Trust Lands Administration and the Department of Natural Resources have entered into a new agreement to continue to allow public hunting, trapping, fishing and viewing of wildlife on approximately 3.2 million acres of Utah trust lands while providing fair compensation to Utah's schoolchildren and other trust beneficiaries.

The agreement is for a 10-year term beginning Sept. 1, 2007, continuing through Sept. 1, 2016.

In addition to providing public access on trust lands, the Trust Lands Administration:

• Will not join in any Cooperative Wildlife Management Unit for the life of the agreement.

• Will not enter into any agreement, lease or contract that would preclude hunting, trapping, fishing and viewing of public wildlife.

• Will continue to have jurisdiction and regulatory authority over trust lands.

• Can continue to pursue revenue generating activities on trust lands.

• Can continue to lease or sell trust lands.

If the Trust Lands Administration sells or leases certain large blocks of trust land, the payment made by the Department of Natural Resources to Trust Lands will be reduced by specified amounts.

"I believe we have an accord that serves two worthy purposes — public access to premium hunting and recreational lands and fair compensation to the beneficial owners of those lands," says Kevin Carter, director of TLA.

Mike Styler, director of the DNR, said, "We are pleased with this new agreement. It represents a fair balance between the interests of the Trusts Lands Administration and DNR.

"The agreement preserves these critical wildlife habitats and keeps them open to hunters, fishers and other wildlife enthusiasts."