Minnesota State Parks and Trails System Plan I TABLE of CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
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AUGUST 2015 Updated February 2019 FORWARD: 2019 UPDATE AND SUPPLEMENTAL GUIDANCE The Parks and Trails Division developed supplemental guidance for implementing the Parks and Trails System Plan in 2018. While the system plan continues to provide high level strategic guidance, the supplemental guidance provides more specific operational direction to help staff apply the system plan at a local level. Four workgroups, composed of parks and trails staff and managers, developed guidance for state parks, state trails, forest recreation areas and water recreation. The workgroups addressed how to apply the system plan to acquisition and development, operations and maintenance, and partnerships, among other pressing topics. Staff reviewed the guidance at regional meetings and the documents were finalized in 2019. Since the workgroups each focused on specific issues pertinent to the state park, state trail, forest recreation area and water recreation systems, each supplemental guidance document relates to the system plan differently. State Parks and Recreation Areas The guidance for state parks and recreation areas supplements the system plan by providing more detailed descriptions of the investment groups. The enhanced descriptions include examples of how the investment groups should influence decisions about investing in day use and overnight facilities, trails, interpretive services and resource management. The guidance also provides direction for defining and utilizing the unit’s “niche” to help shape these decisions. State Trails The state trail workgroup developed a new framework to better communicate priorities across primary and secondary corridors. The state trails chapter of this document was revised to reflect how this new direction will applied to acquisition and development, rehabilitation, operations and maintenance, trailheads and orientation and interpretation. Guidance for state trails includes vision for how the DNR would like partners to support state trails into the future. Forest Recreation The forest recreation area workgroup provided supplementary information by clarifying management practices that apply across all forest recreation areas. The guidance provides additional information about working with partners and management considerations associated with unique recreational activities. Water Recreation Water recreation guidance supplements the system plan with refined investment criteria and expectations for working with partners. The guidance provides frameworks for classifying public water access sites and designating “highlighted” water trail segments. Parks and Trails Division February 2019 Minnesota State Parks and Trails System Plan i TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .......................................................................................................................1 INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................................5 INTEGRATED DIRECTION ACROSS ALL FOUR SYSTEMS .........................................................................8 STATE PARKS AND STATE RECREATION AREAS .................................................................................. 10 THE GOAL ................................................................................................................................................ 10 BACKGROUND ......................................................................................................................................... 10 THE CHALLENGE ...................................................................................................................................... 10 INVESTMENT CRITERIA ........................................................................................................................... 11 INVESTMENT GROUPS ............................................................................................................................ 13 RESOURCE MANAGEMENT ..................................................................................................................... 17 PARTNERSHIPS ........................................................................................................................................ 21 RECOMMENDATIONS ............................................................................................................................. 21 STATE TRAILS ...................................................................................................................................23 THE GOAL ................................................................................................................................................ 23 BACKGROUND ......................................................................................................................................... 23 THE CHALLENGE ...................................................................................................................................... 23 INVESTMENT CRITERIA ........................................................................................................................... 24 STATE TRAIL CORRIDORS ........................................................................................................................ 24 MANAGEMENT DIRECTIONS ................................................................................................................... 29 PARTNERSHIPS ........................................................................................................................................ 30 RECOMMENDATIONS ............................................................................................................................. 32 FOREST RECREATION AREAS ............................................................................................................. 35 THE GOAL ................................................................................................................................................ 35 BACKGROUND ......................................................................................................................................... 35 THE CHALLENGE ...................................................................................................................................... 36 INVESTMENT GROUPS ............................................................................................................................ 36 INVESTMENT CRITERIA ........................................................................................................................... 40 PARTNERSHIPS ........................................................................................................................................ 40 RECOMMENDATIONS ............................................................................................................................. 40 Minnesota State Parks and Trails System Plan ii WATER RECREATION ........................................................................................................................ 42 THE GOAL ................................................................................................................................................ 42 BACKGROUND ......................................................................................................................................... 42 THE CHALLENGE ...................................................................................................................................... 43 RESOURCE MANAGEMENT ..................................................................................................................... 43 PARTNERSHIPS ........................................................................................................................................ 43 AQUATIC INVASIVE SPECIES (AIS) ........................................................................................................... 43 INVESTMENT CRITERIA ........................................................................................................................... 44 DIRECTIONS & RECOMMENDATIONS ..................................................................................................... 47 NEXT STEPS/IMPLEMENTATION ....................................................................................................... 50 FURTHER PLAN REFINEMENT .................................................................................................................. 50 SYSTEM-WIDE ASSESSMENTS FOR QUALITY EXPERIENCE DEVELOPMENT ............................................ 50 COMMUNICATIONS ................................................................................................................................ 51 APPENDICES ....................................................................................................................................52 Minnesota State Parks and Trails System Plan iii MINNESOTA DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES DIVISION OF PARKS AND TRAILS SYSTEM PLAN Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Mission Statement Our mission is to work with citizens to conserve and manage the state’s natural resources, to provide outdoor recreation opportunities, and to provide for commercial uses of natural resources in a way that creates a sustainable quality of life. Division of Parks and Trails Vision Statement Our vision is to create unforgettable park, trail, and water recreation experiences that inspire people