BRAINERD, Minn. (AP) — Conservationists have closed on an $11 million deal to protect nearly 2,000 acres of land along the Mississippi River northeast of Brainerd.

The project used $11 million of state Legacy Amendment funds to buy the tract from longtime owner Potlatch Corporation, which had considered selling the land for development. It includes nearly three miles of riverfront and links with adjacent properties to create a nine-mile stretch of protected shoreline.

The Trust for Public Land closed on the deal with Potlatch last Thursday and scheduled an event in Brainerd on Monday to celebrate the deal.

The Trust calls the land a rare gem. It’s home to bald eagles, Blandings turtles and other species of special concern. The property also provides critical habitat for migrating birds and holds a designated trout stream.

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