28.02 State forests lands.

(1) Defined. State forests lands include all lands granted to the state by an act of congress entitled, “An act granting lands to the state of Wisconsin for forestry purposes," approved June 27, 1906; all lands donated to the state by the Nebagamon Lumber Company for forestry purposes; all lands acquired pursuant to chapter 450, laws of 1903, chapter 264, laws of 1905, chapter 638, laws of 1911, and chapter 639, laws of 1911, or under ss. 1494-41 to 1494-62, 1915 stats., and all lands subsequently acquired for forestry purposes. Unless an island is designated as state forest land by the department, state forest lands do not include lands granted to the state by an act of congress entitled, “An act granting unsurveyed and unattached islands to the state of Wisconsin for forestry purposes," approved August 22, 1912. The department may designate as state forest lands any lands within state forest boundaries which were purchased with other conservation funds and where forestry would not conflict with a more intensive use.

(2) Acquisition. The department may acquire lands or interest in lands by grant, devise, gift, condemnation or purchase within the boundaries of established state forests or purchase areas; and outside of such boundaries for forest nurseries, tracts for forestry research or demonstration and for forest protection structures, or for access to such properties. In the case of condemnation the department shall first obtain approval from the appropriate standing committees of each house of the legislature as determined by the presiding officer thereof.

(3) Disposition of improvements. Buildings not required for administrative or other public use may be razed for salvage material. Otherwise they shall be sold.

(4) Sale of state forest lands.

(a) Lands outside state forest boundaries may be sold pursuant to s. 23.15.

(b) Lands within state forest boundaries may be sold pursuant to s. 23.15, after public hearing in the county courthouse of the county in which the lands to be sold are located, following class 2 notices published, under ch. 985, in the county, and in the official state paper, for the following purposes only:

1. To a local unit of government when required for a public use.

2. To others for the purpose of making land adjustments due to occupancy resulting from errors of survey.

3. To convey good quality, arable land.

4. To settle land title disputes.

5. To public utilities, cooperatives organized under ch. 185 to furnish gas, light, heat, power, or water to their members, and to telecommunications cooperatives formed under ch. 185 or 193 when needed for power and telecommunications substations, transformers, booster stations and similar installations.

6. When no longer needed for conservation purposes.

(5) Easements. The department may grant easements for a right-of-way for public or private roads or public utility lines, or for flowage rights where it finds that any such use at the designated location does not conflict with the planned development of the forest. Easements for public roads shall be granted for a nominal sum; in all other cases the appraised value shall be required in payment.

(6) Certain leases forbidden. No lease shall hereafter be issued or any existing lease extended or renewed by the department on any unsurveyed and unattached islands in inland lakes north of the township line between townships 33 and 34 north, and granted to the state by an act of congress, approved August 22, 1912, entitled “An act granting unsurveyed and unattached islands to the state of Wisconsin for forestry purposes," except that the department may extend or renew any such leases in existence June 25, 1925, to public charitable, religious, educational or other associations not organized for profit, and except that the department may extend or renew any such leases in existence June 25, 1925, on islands upon which improvements have been made.

History: 1977 c. 29; 1983 a. 192; 1983 a. 423 s. 12; 1985 a. 30 s. 42; 1985 a. 297 s. 76; 1993 a. 16; 2005 a. 441.