The USDA Forest Service has purchased 350 acres from the Myrle G. Case Trust for approximately $1.7 million near Crazy Horse Memorial and five miles north of the city of Custer.

The purchased area is for the preservation of a variety wildlife habitats, including watersheds and streams. The land is also for the public’s recreational use.

According to the Rapid City Journal, the parcels purchased include portions from both the Spring Creek Watershed and Tenderfoot Creek. The creek needs restoration in order to be in compliance with the state’s water-quality standards. The purchase will allow the Forest Service to begin this maintenance and preservation.

The revised 1997 Black Hills National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan, Phase II Amendment states, “In cooperation with other landowners, strive for improved landownership and access that benefit both public and private landowners.”

The Black Hills National Forest has around 1.2 million acres. The 350 acres added to the Black Hills National Forest, in alignment with the amendment, will serve to benefit the public through their recreational opportunities and the land itself through the Forest Service’s restoration.

For more information, visit the Black Hills National Forest website at https://www.fs.usda.gov/blackhills.