In Fiscal Year 2017-2018, the Minnesota Legislature appropriated $2,400,000 to enable the MDHA in cooperation with The Conservation Fund and St. Louis County to acquire lands from Potlatch Corporation to be donated to St. Louis County for wildlife habitat purposes. Targeted parcels were those that are vital to maintaining large, un-fragmented blocks of forest that deliver the greatest habitat benefits. Thousands of acres of forest land in this area have been sold, causing fragmentation and degradation of forest wildlife habitat. To date 1,600 acres have been donated to St. Louis County.