Ducks Unlimited wants to buy McLean County land

BISMARCK (AP) — Ducks Unlimited is seeking state permission to buy 321 acres of McLean County land near Mercer from the California man who owns it.

The conservation group has been denied the chance to buy land in the nation’s prime duck-production territory twice in the past two years.

The North Dakota Natural Areas Acquisition Advisory Committee is to consider the latest proposal on May 5, in conjunction with a County Commission meeting in Washburn. The group advises the governor, who has the final say on land acquisitions by nonprofit groups.

Nonprofits have to go through the process because of North Dakota’s anti-corporate farming law, which presumes such land acquisitions are not to be allowed unless there are special circumstances.

Gov. John Hoeven in February rejected a proposed Ducks Unlimited land buy in Kidder County involving nearly 600 acres, following the recommendation of the advisory group and the County Commission.

Members of the advisory committee said they had reservations about long-term easements and would rather see land sold back to farmers and ranchers than to wildlife interests.

Ducks Unlimited said the decision did not respect private property rights.

Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring said the McLean County property, known as the Tishinski Tract because it is owned by Ted Tishinski of Irvine, Calif., has 30 acres of wetlands, 88 acres of native grass pasture and 203 acres of land enrolled in the Conservation Reserve Program.

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