Association Info
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History
As an incident of statehood, most states west of the Mississippi River received grants of federal land (see below) to assist in the funding of public education facilities and other governmental programs. Known as school lands, trust lands or grant lands, these properties were scattered throughout the various states.
The grants by which the states were given the public lands are solemn trusts. These trusts provide that proceeds from sale or use of the land be applied specifically to education and other various purposes. Thus, these lands may not be used without compensation to the state.
These lands are managed by state agencies called land offices, land commissions or land boards -- collectively identified as commission. Five are headed by statewide elected officials.
Most commissioners also manage lands under navigable waterways to protect resources and produce revenue. Some land commissioners also act as the fire prevention and control agency for their state.
WSLCA was founded in 1949 in response to a need for more coordinated management of federal and state trust lands. As early as 1935, western state land commissioners recognized that, without establishing formal and unified relations with the Department of the Interior and other federal agencies, inconsistent and uncoordinated management of public lands would continue.