DULUTH — The state has purchased thousands of acres of land in northern St. Louis County.

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources said it recently completed the acquisition of 5,120 acres of land, all of it adjacent to existing state-owned property. Most new parcels are just north of Lake Vermilion.

“We’re grateful for the opportunity to protect these forests, lakes, and waterways — now and for generations to come,” DNR Commissioner Sarah Strommen said in a news release last week. “This land will expand outdoor recreation access and preserve critical habitat.”

The DNR spent just over $5 million to buy the land in St. Louis County, with most of the funding coming from Reinvest in Minnesota, a state program that protects soil and water quality and supports fish and wildlife habitat,

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