The Lands
An Overview
School trust lands are publicly owned, but they are held in trust. Their specific constitutional purpose is to generate financial support for Minnesota’s public schools. This obligation distinguishes them from public lands managed primarily for recreation, conservation, habitat protection, or other broader public benefits.
Generating Revenue
School trust lands generate revenue through three primary asset classes: minerals, timberlands, and real estate, including mineral leases and royalties, timber sales, commercial leases, easements, and land sales. Gross revenue does not necessarily result in net revenue for deposit into the Permanent School Fund because management and operating costs can reduce or eliminate the amount available.
Recreation
Minnesota generally allows free public recreation on school trust lands. Hundreds of thousands of people use these lands each year for hunting, fishing, hiking, camping, snowmobiling, off-highway vehicle use, and other activities, except where access is restricted or incompatible with uses such as mining, timber harvesting, or infrastructure development.