State parks, metropolitan regional parks, and regional parks in Greater Minnesota are elements of a comprehensive and complementary statewide park system. While each system has a different mission, different goals, and different clientele, each system is based, in varying degrees, on similar public benefits. These benefits include preserving natural resources, protecting open space, protecting cultural and historical resources and providing recreational opportunities and interpretive services.
State and regional parks and trails provide interconnected systems for outdoor recreation opportunities. The Parks & Trails Council believes that any discussion of Minnesota’s parks and trails must acknowledge this interdependence.
The state park and trail system at a glance
Minnesota's state park system includes 66 state parks, seven state recreation areas, eight waysides and 54 state forest campgrounds and day use areas totaling 225,000 acres of land, 1,600 buildings, 332 miles of roads, 1,255 miles of trails and 72 bridges.
Minnesota's state trail system includes 19 authorized trails totaling 2,507 miles. 1,249 miles are developed, with 554 of those miles paved. There are 1,258 miles of trails authorized but not developed.
Budget Issues:
Operations and maintenance budgets have been reduced by more than 30 percent since 2003 with future budget reductions expected. State Parks budget needs are approximately $10 million to $17 million annually while the current state trails budget is $5 million below needs.
Capital Budget Issues:
The Minnesota DNR has identified $100 million of acquisition, development and rehabilitation needs in state parks over the next 10 years. In addition, the DNR Parks and Recreation Division has identified $44 million in specific project needs for Lake Vermilion State Park and Cuyuna Country and Greenleaf state recreation areas.
The DNR has estimated a need of $125 million over 10 years for acquisition, development and rehabilitation of State Trails. Funding is needed to acquire and develop existing authorized state trails and to begin to provide for rehabilitation of an aging trail system. The DNR has estimated an ongoing need of $2.5 million annually to rehabilitate the existing system of bridges and trails.Pavement typically lasts 20 to 25 years with proper maintenance. However, several of the older trails have reached this point. In addition, the state trail system contains 295 bridges with an average age of 50 years.
Traditionally, LCCMR and the capital budget process have provided an adequate revenue stream to address capital budget needs. In addition, the habitat portion of the Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment is intended to be available for acquisition.
The General Fund budget for the DNR has been in sharp decline for several years. Without a new dedicated stream of revenue this trend will almost certainly continue.
Metropolitan Parks and Open Space system at a glance
The metropolitan regional parks system includes 48 regional parks and park reserves and six special recreation areas totaling about 52,000 acres open for public use. In addition, the system has 22 regional trails totaling 170 miles. Ten partnering cities and counties operate the metro regional park system. They work with the Metropolitan Council to acquire and develop parks and trails to protect natural resources and to provide outdoor recreation for public enjoyment.
The parks in the metro system range from urban lake environments and suburban nature centers to a working farm and large tracts of rural open space. Preserving parkland and open space protects valuable natural resources and makes communities more attractive and liveable.
Budget Issues:
When the Legislature established the metro parks system it committed to providing up to 40 percent in operations funding. This commitment has never been fulfilled. In 2005, the legislature provided $7.9 million; or 10.2 percent of the total $77.1 million budgeted by agencies to operate and maintain regional parks in 2005.
Capital Budget Issues:
In addition, capital needs for the metro system total over $38 million each year (the state share of an estimated $64 million annual need). This amount includes acquisition, development and rehabilitation.
Greater Minnesota Regional Parks and Trails system at a glance
These parks are outside of the seven-county metro park system but serve Minnesota residents on a regional basis and are managed by a local unit of government, primarily a city or county.
The 2005 Association of Minnesota Counties report to the LCMR identified 106 parks outside the metro area that met the LCMR's accepted criteria for regional parks. They totaled almost 46,000 acres. Since then several additional regional park acquisitions have been made which probably add another 1,000 acres or more to that total. So the total acreage is probably approaching 50,000, roughly comparable to the metro area acreage.
The report also identified about two dozen trails administered by cities and counties outside the metro area that could be considered regional trails. Thirteen of these were over 10 miles in length and three were over 100 miles in length. The total mileage was just over 700.
Budget Issues:
The budgets for these parks and trails are out of the local tax base and depend on local government levy. State funds have been available through several grant programs administered by the DNR for acquisition and development of these parks.
Capital Budget Issues:
The loss of the Future Resources Fund dollars a few years ago created a big hole for funding the grant programs. The Federal Land & Water Conservation Fund (LAWCON) funds have also dwindled to a few hundred thousand or so per year. The Regional Park Grant requests this spring alone totaled more than $14 million. The estimated capital needs for these parks and trails is $9 million per year for acquisition and development. This figure is based on previous grant applications.
