The School and Institutional Trust Lands Administration begins 2014 by finalizing the Utah Recreational Land Exchange Act of 2009 with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). “Since 1998, the Trust Lands Administration has protected and conserved more than 500,000 acres of Utah land through projects and exchanges such as the Recreational Land Exchange Act,” said SITLA Director Kevin Carter. In addition to protecting 500,000 acres of environmentally sensitive lands, SITLA has earned more than $1.3 billion for the beneficiaries of trust lands, primarily public schools. “The cooperative effort between SITLA, the BLM, respective counties, and other stakeholders has been extraordinary,” stated Carter. Under the Utah Recreational Land Exchange Act of 2009, SITLA and the BLM will consolidate land ownership through an equal value exchange of lands in Uintah, Grand, and San Juan counties. The exchange will protect lands along the Colorado River corridor and help position SITLA with lands more suitable for energy development.