Idaho officials eye purchase of N. Idaho forest parcel

Idaho officials moved forward Tuesday with their plan to add more forests to state endowment lands.

The Idaho Land Board voted to consider buying about 1,400 acres in northern Idaho near St. Maries from the Idaho Department of Fish and Game. The land has an appraised value of $4.6 million.

The unanimous vote by the five-member board is part of the board’s new strategic reinvestment plan to use about $160 million from commercial real estate and residential cottage site sales to buy timberland and agricultural land.

The vote Tuesday directs the Idaho Department of Lands to pursue buying the land that has been on Fish and Game’s surplus list since 1990.

The board also directed the department to hire an independent timberland adviser to analyze the possible purchase.