Help is needed from the public. A piece of Idaho endowment trust land, referred to locally as Rock Creek, is at risk of being closed due to abuse of the land. This is a popular area for camping, fishing and ATV use. Its popularity has brought several problems including trash, human waste and destruction of land.
This year there will no longer be trash or restroom services provided to the area. Another agency previously provided these services but found it to be cost prohibitive to continue, and problems continued despite those services.
Idaho Department of Lands is asking for the public’s help to keep this land open to recreation. Those who enjoy the land need to help protect it by taking their garbage home, staying on existing trails and not leaving human waste.
Groups that would like to adopt this land for clean-up may contact the IDL Jerome office at 208-324-2561.
This land is owned by the Public Schools Beneficiary, with revenues from grazing and other management activities helping to fund K-12 education. Recreational use is a secondary privilege allowed only if it does not cause damage or disturb management activities.
Endowment lands are different than other types of managed land. They were given to Idaho at statehood to create a legal trust for the sole purpose of financially supporting specific beneficiaries, in this case public schools. The Idaho Constitution requires endowment lands to be managed to maximize revenue for the beneficiaries.
Dispersed camping and other recreation activities provide no revenue to the beneficiary. Money to repair damage comes out of funding for public schools and short-changes Idaho’s children.
