Purchase of DNR lands in the towns of St. Germain and Conover were approved by the Vilas County Forestry, Land and Recreation committee this week to secure a potential gravel source and to expand parking for a boat landing and picnic area on Hunter Lake.
These lands have been approved for sale by the Natural Resoures Board and are part of DNR's directive to sell 10,000 acres and to offer them to local units of government first.
Vilas County forest administrator John Gagnon said the St. Germain parcel is 117 acres of which 50 will be reserved for gravel next to an existing county highway gravel pit while the remainder will be open for public recreational use. The Hunter Lake parcel is 18 acres with 140 feet of water frontage and three acres will be for expanded parking.
This parcel is appraised for $$66,000 while DNR needs to appraise the larger parcel. Payment could come from the Forestry department segregated land account or a DNR project loan paid back from county forest timber sales.
