When Montana became a state in 1889, the federal government granted it land to support public schools and other institutions. These state trust lands, now about 5.2 million surface acres plus about 6.2 million acres of mineral rights, are scattered statewide, often as square-mile sections in a checkerboard pattern.
Who manages them
- The State Board of Land Commissioners (Land Board) sets policy. Its five members are the governor, attorney general, secretary of state, state auditor and superintendent of public instruction.
- The Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC) manages the land day to day.
How they earn money
Trust lands produce revenue from grazing and agricultural leases, timber sales, oil, gas and coal leases, commercial leases and easements. By law, the land must be managed to benefit the trust beneficiaries, mainly K–12 public schools.
Public recreation
Most legally accessible trust lands are open for hunting, fishing and some other recreation with a Montana conservation license. Many parcels are surrounded by private land and have no legal public access.
For more background, see our explainers on what happened to Keystone XL and Montana agriculture by the numbers. Find more stories in our Energy & Environment section.
Sources
- Montana DNRC, Trust Lands: https://dnrc.mt.gov/TrustLand/
- Land Board: https://dnrc.mt.gov/TrustLand/about/land-board
- DNRC, Return on Assets Report FY 2025 (5.2 million surface / 6.2 million subsurface acres): https://dnrc.mt.gov/_docs/Trust-Land/Return_on_Assets_Report/FY25_ROA.pdf