Lester Lake
Credit: TPL Archives
Scenic Lester Lake in Minnesota's North Woods was under substantial second home development pressure when The Trust for Public Land stepped in to help preserve the lake and its idyllic surroundings. TPL worked with the state and local partners, such as the Kabekona Lake Association, to secure funding that ensures the permanent protection of the land. The 440-acre parcel includes all of the shoreline of this 75-acre undeveloped lake, and its acquisition creates a new Scientific Natural and Area (SNA) and Aquatic Management Area (AMA) open to public hunting and fishing. Largely surrounded by state land, the new SNA and AMA connects and protects thousands of acres of high quality forest, wetland, creek, and lakeshore for fish and wildlife, as well as providing water quality and natural resource recreation benefits. Listed for sale, this land was threatened with development of hillside home sites overlooking the lake until TPL working with the State and local partners, such as the Kabekona Lake Association, quickly conserved it.
Funding for this acquisition was provided by the Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund as recommended by the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources, and the Outdoor Heritage Fund as recommended by the Lessard-Sams Outdoor Heritage Council.
Visit
more »The Lester Lake Scientific and Natural Area (SNA) is partially witihin the Paul Bunyan State Forest and it is the only SNA in the area. Visitors to the lake can take MN-210 West from Brainerd, MN for 21 miles and then turning right onto MN-64 North. Take that for 60 miles, and going through the Akeley, MN (where the road will briefly change to Broadway Street, just take a right turn to continue on MN-64). Take a right onto County 37 and the access roads to lester lake will be 1.5 miles down on the right side of the road.
Map
More information on the Department of Natural Resources website.
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