Why are prescriptive easements being pursued by the DNR?
Traditionally, in many areas, DNR managed lands have been intertwined with those of other natural resources administrators, primarily other governmental agencies and large timber companies. The roads that ran through this mixture of land ownerships were built many years ago, some date back to the 1920’s and 30’s, and were often managed cooperatively by all who used them. Now, a significant number of parcels of land owned by those large timber companies are being sold to private individuals, who may not have an interest in keeping them open to the DNR and other land managing agencies. Sometimes those citizens attempt to close these roads, causing DNR and other agencies to engage in costly and time-consuming litigation to maintain their rights in the roads systems they have built and maintained for all these many years. Recording the DNR’s prescriptive easements will ensure that these roads will be available to the Department’s land managers in perpetuity, so they can continue to provide
