Wis. Stat. § 26.08
This is the official text of Wis. Stat. § 26.08, part of Wisconsin’s Wisconsin Statutes — the complete compiled statutory law of Wisconsin, organized into numbered chapters by subject.
Not legal advice. This page reproduces the official text of a government statute for reference only. Laws change, and how a statute applies depends on your specific facts. For advice about your situation, consult a licensed attorney in your state.
Leases and licenses.
Official statutory text
(1) The department may, from time to time, lease parts or parcels of state park lands or state forest lands. These leases shall contain proper covenants to guard against trespass and waste. The rents arising from these leases shall be paid into the state treasury to the credit of the proper fund. Licenses also may be granted to prospect for ore or mineral upon any of these lands; but proper security shall be taken that the licensees will fully inform the department of every discovery of ore or mineral and will restore the surface to its former condition and value if no discovery of valuable deposits is made. The department shall retain a copy of each lease or license and file the original in the office of the board of commissioners of public lands.
(2)
(a) Except as provided under pars. (b) to (e) , the department may lease state park land or state forest land for terms not exceeding 15 years.
(b) The department may lease Rib Mountain state park lands and Willow River state park lands for terms not exceeding 30 years.
(bn) The department may lease state park land located within the boundaries of the Wisconsin Dells natural area for terms not exceeding 30 years.
(c) The department may lease Kettle Moraine state forest land for the YMCA Camp Matawa for a term not exceeding 30 years.
(d) The department may lease Northern Highland American Legion State Forest land on Statehouse Lake in the town of Manitowish Waters for the North Lakeland Discovery Center for a term not exceeding 30 years.
(e) The department may lease state forest land located in the town of Boulder Junction to the Boulder Junction Shooting Range for terms not exceeding 30 years.
(3) The department shall furnish to the board of commissioners of public lands such maps, plats, surveys, valuations, information and other services as the board may request respecting any of the public lands, for use by it in granting leases or licenses or in making sales under s. 24.39 .
History: 1979 c. 34 ; 1987 a. 27 ; 1997 a. 27 ; 1999 a. 9 ; 2001 a. 16 ; 2013 a. 82 .
(2)
(a) Except as provided under pars. (b) to (e) , the department may lease state park land or state forest land for terms not exceeding 15 years.
(b) The department may lease Rib Mountain state park lands and Willow River state park lands for terms not exceeding 30 years.
(bn) The department may lease state park land located within the boundaries of the Wisconsin Dells natural area for terms not exceeding 30 years.
(c) The department may lease Kettle Moraine state forest land for the YMCA Camp Matawa for a term not exceeding 30 years.
(d) The department may lease Northern Highland American Legion State Forest land on Statehouse Lake in the town of Manitowish Waters for the North Lakeland Discovery Center for a term not exceeding 30 years.
(e) The department may lease state forest land located in the town of Boulder Junction to the Boulder Junction Shooting Range for terms not exceeding 30 years.
(3) The department shall furnish to the board of commissioners of public lands such maps, plats, surveys, valuations, information and other services as the board may request respecting any of the public lands, for use by it in granting leases or licenses or in making sales under s. 24.39 .
History: 1979 c. 34 ; 1987 a. 27 ; 1997 a. 27 ; 1999 a. 9 ; 2001 a. 16 ; 2013 a. 82 .
Status: in_force · Read it on the official government site
Need a lawyer in Wisconsin?
Find a Wisconsin lawyer
About this page: Statute text is reproduced from official government publishers via the
Open US Law dataset
(Vaquill AI, snapshot v2026.08, CC BY 4.0). Primary legislative text like this is public domain under the government-edicts doctrine
(Georgia v. Public.Resource.Org, 2020). We link every section back to its official source so you can verify it independently.