Advocacy News
Frontenac: boundary expansion
Expand the statutory boundary of Frontenac State Park to include the land Parks & Trails Council acquired for the park.
State Parks: forest restoration
Restore 255 acres of forested native plant communities in several state parks.
Goodhue Pioneer: land acquisition
Acquire approximately 60 acres located along the legislatively authorized Goodhue-Pioneer State Trail.
State Parks: accessibility enhancements
Design and construction of improvements to bring the facilities within state parks and recreation areas to the Americans with Disabilities Act standards.
Lake Vermilion: park development
For development including the Lake Lodge Visitor Center, the campground, renewable energy facilities, and reconstruction of the mine shaft.
Gateway State Trail: Tunnel Crossing
Improve user safety by constructing a tunnel for the trail to cross under Hadley Ave, which is challenging to cross because the street exceeds 8,000 vehicles per day.
Legislative Briefing for May 14-18
Last week we issued yet another call-to-action for our supporters to tell lawmakers that all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) don’t belong in Minnesota State Parks. Your voices were heard! On Monday of this week, the conference committee tasked with reconciling the Omnibus Supplemental Budget Bill (HF 4099 / SF 3656) decided against a controversial provision that would have allowed ATVs to use the campground and access routes at Hayes Lake State Park.
Op-Ed in Duluth News Tribune: Speak up on bill to open state parks to ATVs
On May 15 the Duluth News Tribune published an opinion written by Steve Thorne who is is a former deputy commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and a past president of the Parks & Trails Council of Minnesota. We fully concur with Thorne’s …
Legislative Briefing for May 7-11
With just over a week left until adjournment, lawmakers are racing to complete a long list of legislative priorities, including a tax bill, a bonding bill, a supplemental budget, and numerous policy changes. A number of key pieces of legislation affecting parks and trails continue …
Legislative Briefing
The 2018 legislative session continues to creep towards its conclusion. Last week marked the third and final committee deadline, and all the major policy and finance committees have now released, amended and passed their omnibus bills. Those bills now have only one or two more stops …
Legislative Briefing for April 9
Following a weeklong break, legislators returned to the capitol today and got back to work on what’s turning out to be one of the busiest legislative sessions in recent memory. Legislators still have a flurry of issues to work through, ranging from bonding and taxes …
ATV bill has new number and moved to new committee
In an uncommon move, the bill that would allow all-terrain vehicles into two state parks, which we have strongly opposed, has been replaced with a new bill number. The language remains the same, but it is now bill HF4211. We continue to be opposed to …
Faribault-Northern Links: trail connection
Connect Sakatah Singing Hills State Trail with Faribault’s city trails that lead to the downtown area.
Action Alert: Stop bill that would open state parks to all-terrain vehicle (ATVs)
Stop this bill from redefining state parks A bill (HF3142 / SF3063) is making its way through the legislative process this session that would erode the definition of Minnesota State Parks. This bill allows all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) to be ridden within two state parks–something that …