Cook County considers independent appraisal as Forest Service plans 2028 BWCAW valuation

The U.S. Forest Service is beginning preparations for the next appraisal under the Thye-Blatnik Act, a process that will help determine payments to Cook County and two other northeastern Minnesota counties for federally owned land within the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.

During an Oct. 13 update to the Cook County Board of Commissioners, Superior National Forest Acting Supervisor Drew Stroberg outlined a proposed timeline for the 2028 appraisal and asked the county for feedback on the process.

The value of federally owned land is reassessed every 10 years to determine how much each county receives in federal payments under the legislation. The last appraisal was completed in 2018.

In the latest appraisal, the U.S. Forest Service valued 242,590 acres of BWCAW land in Cook County at $194 million, resulting in $1.35 million in annual payments, according to county officials WTIP has previously spoken with.

Congress enacted the Thye-Blatnik Act in 1948. The law withdrew lands in Cook, Lake and St. Louis counties from development for what would become the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. It also established payments in lieu of taxes, or PILT, to compensate the counties for property tax revenue lost when the land became federally owned.

During Tuesday’s meeting, Stroberg said the Forest Service is proposing a two-appraisal approach for the next valuation. The agency would average the appraisals to determine the final value. The agency used a similar approach following concerns from the three northeastern counties about the proposed land valuation following the 2018 appraisal.

Cook County Assessor Bob Thompson questioned whether the Forest Service’s plan to commission two appraisals may impact the counties’ ability to submit their own independent appraisal.

“I think that it’s beneficial to the counties to have their own independent appraisals for all three counties,” Thompson said.

He said an independent appraisal could give the counties another valuation to consider and provide information earlier in the process. The county has already set aside $60,000 in the 2027 budget to potentially hire an independent appraiser for the valuation process.

Commissioners also discussed concerns about how the land’s value is determined, including how the appraisal accounts for timber, real estate, and mineral resources.

In past appraisals, land values have fluctuated with changes in the timber and real estate markets, including the downturn following the 2008 housing market crash and the subsequent recovery. More recently, county and federal agencies have also discussed how mineral resources factor into the valuation.

Over the past several weeks, Forest Service officials have met with county commissioners and officials in all three counties to gather feedback on the upcoming appraisal process.

“We are committed to involving the counties at every step in the process, including what language is going into the contract, looking at the appraisals themselves, any opportunities for feedback on the appraisals before we go to the department for a final review,” said Stroberg.

County commissioners and officials said the differences between past appraisals and the potential financial consequences for Cook County make an independent assessment worth considering.

“I think the independence is critical,” said Commissioner Dave Mills.

Mills said throughout the 2017-18 assessment, he saw flaws in the process and that the “assessment did not follow our market as far as what our market did.” The 2018 appraisal led to a reduction in the county’s annual payments, reflecting the federal government’s lower valuation of the land.

“This is the most pristine large piece of real estate in the United States,” said Commissioner Ginny Storlie. “We are lucky to have it here, but it seems like we have been over the last few years, just not feeling that it’s been fair in terms of our dealing with higher-ups.”

As the county looks ahead to the months ahead, County Administrator Kristen Trebil-Halbersma told WTIP following the meeting that the county is leaning toward commissioning its own independent appraisal and is in conversations with the neighboring counties.

“We’re certainly having conversations with Lake and St. Louis County to see how they want to move forward,” Trebil-Halbersma said.

The potential financial impact is significant for Cook County, where a large share of land is federally or state-owned, limiting the property tax base.

“A levy point in Cook County is approximately $150,000,” Trebil-Halbersma said. “So when you look at, you know, a half a million dollars or more, it’s pretty significant for a county.”

The Forest Service’s proposed timeline calls for several steps over the next year, with the potential to enter into the appraisal development phase in October 2027, Stroberg said. The appraisal work would run from late 2027 into early 2028, with final appraisals expected in spring 2028 and presented to the counties in summer 2028.

WTIP’s Kalli Hawkins spoke with County Administrator Kristen Trebil-Halbersma following the Oct. 13 Commissioner meeting. Audio below.

Kalli Hawkins October 15, 2026