ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — The state has reached a deal with a Duluth company to preserve public access to nearly 11,000 acres of forest in Lake County in northeastern Minnesota.

The Department of Natural Resources says Marlow Timberland gets almost $5.7 million in return for a permanent conservation easement on the land, which lies next to thousands of acres of public forests.

The agreement ensures public access to the land for hunting, fishing and other outdoor recreation. Marlow Timberland owns the land but must manage it sustainably.

The land contains diverse forest types and wetlands with nearly one mile of shoreline on three lakes and almost nine miles of streams.

DNR Forestry Division director Forrest Boe says the project will keep the land intact so that it continues to provide essential habitat for wildlife.

(© Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)