Federal Government Must Swap 17.5 Acres of Forest Land for 36.7 Acres with Private Company, Bill Mandates

You know that friend who always manages to swap their slightly-used, smaller item for your bigger, better one? This bill is kind of like that, but involving federal land and a private company in Minnesota.

The Lake Winnibigoshish Land Exchange Act of 2025 is remarkably specific: it mandates that the Secretary of Agriculture (meaning the Forest Service) execute a land exchange with a company called Big Winnie Land and Timber, LLC (BWLT). If BWLT offers up its 36.7 acres of private land—the “Non-Federal Parcel”—the Secretary must accept it within one year. In return, the government has to transfer its 17.5 acres of Federal land back to BWLT. This is a direct order from Congress to make a specific real estate deal happen, and quickly.

The Swap: More Acres for the Forest, But at What Cost?

The big win for the public lands system is that the Chippewa National Forest gains significantly more acreage than it loses—36.7 acres come in, 17.5 acres go out. The newly acquired land will be managed immediately as part of the National Forest System. That’s a net increase of over 19 acres of protected land, which is good news for conservation and public access. Crucially, the bill also forces BWLT to pick up the tab for the entire transaction. This includes all closing costs, title insurance, surveys, and even the required environmental assessment (a Phase I Environmental Site Assessment). Taxpayers don't foot the bill for the paperwork or the due diligence here.

The Fine Print on Value and Access

While the acreage exchange looks favorable, the bill includes two provisions that might raise an eyebrow. First, the exchange must be for equal value, determined by independent appraisals. If the Federal land is worth more, BWLT has to pay the difference in cash. Fair enough. However, if BWLT’s 36.7 acres are valued higher than the 17.5 acres of Federal land, the U.S. is not required to pay BWLT the difference. Instead, that difference is simply considered a “donation” from BWLT to the United States. This means the government is essentially waiving its right to pay market price for the more valuable land, which could be a significant loss of monetary value depending on the appraisal results. The public might be getting more land, but potentially at a discount to the federal treasury.

Second, when the Federal land is transferred to BWLT, the government must reserve an easement for road access across that land. This easement is necessary to ensure continued access to the National Forest System land that lies west of the parcel being exchanged. While reserving this access is critical for the Forest Service, it means that the management of that specific area of the National Forest is tied up by a third-party easement, which could limit future public use or Forest Service flexibility in that area.

Why the Rush? The Mandate and the Map

This bill doesn't just authorize the exchange; it mandates it. The Secretary must accept the offer within one year of BWLT making it. This tight timeline could potentially pressure the Forest Service to rush its due diligence, especially regarding the title review and environmental assessment. Furthermore, the bill states that the exchange is based on a specific document called the “Heig Land Exchange” Map. If there is any conflict between the final legal descriptions drawn up and that Map, the Map controls. Relying on a map over a formal legal description can sometimes lead to boundary confusion down the road, which is the last thing you want when dealing with valuable public land.