Updating Michigans State Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan SCORP for 20082012

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Updating Michigans State Comprehensive Outdoor
Recreation Plan (SCORP) for 2008-2012
Dr. Chuck Nelson, SCORP Team Leader, MSU Kristen
Steger, Outreach Specialist, MSU Jim Wood, Grants
Management Linda Hegstrom, Grants
Management/Accessibility Action Council Jim
Radabaugh, Forest, Mineral and Fire Management
Division Vicki Anthes, Park and Recreation
Division Janet Canode, Office of
Communications Kelly Siciliano-Carter, Wildlife
Division Gary Towns, Fisheries Division
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What is the SCORP?

• Five-year overarching plan for Michigans outdoor
  recreation direction
• Incorporates major outdoor recreation initiatives
  (e.g. trails, universal access, etc.)
• Summarizes MI outdoor recreation info
• Mandate to be eligible for federal Land and Water
  Conservation Fund (LWCF) grants
• Capital monies for outdoor recreation land
  acquisition and facility development
• Funds derived from off-shore oil/gas leases and
  royalties
• Administered by National Park Service
• Influences other federal/state cooperation
• Hydroelectric re-licensing
• Trails
• Wetlands
• Wild and Scenic Rivers
• Historic preservation
• NPS provides SCORP planning grants

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2003-2007 SCORP

• Has seven major initiatives of statewide
  significance
• Conservation
• Land and water trails
• Universal access
• Community recreation
• State forest recreation
• State park recreation
• Cooperation/coordination among providers
• Expires December 31, 2007
• Important to local units
• Over past 5 years, 56 of MIs 12.7 mil.
• LWCF allocation made available
• by DNR to local units with 44 to DNR
• All has been allocated to development

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Michigan 2008-2012 SCORP Planning Process

• SCORP needs to
• Incorporate ample public input
• Address issues of statewide importance
• Have implementation component
• Contain a wetlands priority component consistent
  with federal 1986 Emergency Wetlands Resources
  Act
• Use cooperation and coordination between the
  State and the NPS

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Michigan 2008-2012 SCORP Planning Process

• Assess supply of/demand for outdoor recreation
• Supply
• Review all 773 local unit community outdoor
  recreation plans on file with DNR to quantify
  community outdoor recreation resources
• Quantify state, federal and private land
  ownership with outdoor recreation mandate
• Demand
• Mail survey of 2,000 randomly selected MI
  registered voters
• Mail survey all 773 local units with a current or
  recent outdoor recreation plan on file
• Include existing outdoor recreation initiatives
• Access to Recreation, Hunter Recruitment and
  Retention, Trail Connectivity, etc.
• Develop major initiatives

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Supply of Public Outdoor Recreation

• Local inventory
• 0.2 million acres of local parkland (
• Of 1,023 local units with plans in past, only 467
  (46) have current, in-force plans on file
• 22 decline in number of units with plans
  in-force compared to 2003
• For 773 units with current/former plan on file
• 214 thousand acres local parkland in 5,289 parks
• 2.5 of public outdoor recreation land
• Extremely valuable as close to people
• Able to effectively target local needs

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State Inventory

• State resources are 4.5 million acres (12 of MI)
• 3.9 million acre state forest system
• Largest state forest system other than AK
• 0.3 million acres in 66 game, 6 wildlife and 4
  research areas
• Mostly in Southern MI
• 0.3 million acres in 80 state parks and 18
  recreation areas
• Never more than an hour from a state park
• 0.05 million acres in 746 state boating access
  sites (BAS) and 16 state harbors of refuge
• Combined with local units total of 1,024 public
  BAS sites and 80 harbors of refuge

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State Inventory

• Also, 2.0 million more acres in Commercial Timber
  Act providing public hunting and fishing on
  enrolled private lands
• Key state outdoor recreation networks
• 6,216 miles snowmobile trail and 3,193 miles ORV
  trail
• 1,145 miles rail-trail, 880 miles state park
  non-motorized trails and 880 miles state forest
  pathways (non-motorized trails)
• 12,000 state park campsites, 2,500 state forest
  campground campsites

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Federal Inventory

• Federal resources 3.0 mil. acres (8 of MI)
• 2.7 million acres in four National Forests
• Ottawa, Hiawatha, Huron, Manistee
• 0.2 million acres in National Park Service areas
• Isle Royale NP, Pictured Rocks NLS, Sleeping Bear
  Dunes NLS, Keweenaw National Historic Park, Motor
  Cities Heritage Area, North Country Scenic Trail
• 0.1 million acres National Wildlife Refuges
• Seney, Shiawassee, Detroit River, Michigan
  Islands

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Michigan Population

• Grew by 6.9 1990 2000
• 49 under 35, 51 35 and over
• Fastest growing segment 40-54
• Also significant growth in those 75 and over
• Fastest shrinking segment 25-34
• Interim data from 2005 suggest growth is slowing
• Increasing diversity
• 80 white, 14 African-American, 6 other races
  in 2000
• 60 increase in those characterizing self as
  Hispanic from 1990 2000
• Population growth uneven
• Suburbs and northern lower Michigan growing
• Urban areas and west UP static or declining

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Demand for Outdoor Recreation

• Michigan Tourism Industry
• 2004 was 17.5 billion travel spending in MI
• 72 for leisure travel
• Much focused on outdoor recreation
• Support 210,000 jobs
• Unfortunately, MI residents spent 20.3 billion
  in travel outside of MI
• 2.8 billion travel deficit
• MI has a smaller tourism promotion budget than
  most surrounding states and provinces
• MI gets little pass through traffic, destination
  only due to location of our greatest asset, the
  Great Lakes

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Michigan Voter Survey

• Surveyed 2,001 randomly selected registered
  voters
• 202 (10) bad addresses, so sample 1,799
• 460 (26) completed questionnaire
• Fairly representative of MI population/ 2000
  Census
• 51 outdoor rec. very important, 35 moderately
  important
• More than half reported household members
• walk, relax outdoors, drive for pleasure,
  sightsee, swim outdoors, picnic, bicycle, fish in
  MI
• Five most important outdoor recreation activities
• Walk outdoors, relax outdoors, fish, hunt, camp
• 75 visited a public outdoor recreation venue in
  past 12 months
• 60 a state venue, 53 a local park, 23 federal
  lands
• 38 had more than 10 outdoor recreation visits

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Michigan Voter Survey

• Strong support for all 2003-07 SCORP priorities
• Strongest for conservation
• 93 support, 7 neutral, 1 oppose
• Universal access, trails, community recreation,
  state parks, state forest recreation,
  cooperation/coordination
• All supported by at least 74 support with
  maximum opposition of 4
• Few additional capital improvement priorities,
  mostly reiterate existing priorities for trails,
  conservation
• Also tend to focus on operational needs
• Maintenance, reduce fees, more information

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Michigan Voter Survey

• 70 satisfied with amount of public outdoor
  recreation
• 27 neutral, 3 dissatisfied
• 42 satisfied with quality of public outdoor
  recreation
• 39 neutral, 19 dissatisfied
• Suggestions by 5 or more for improvement
• Better maintenance, better security/enforcement,
  keep fees stable or reduce, more/cleaner
  restrooms, cleaner surface waters

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Michigan Voter Survey

• What one action would encourage more outdoor
  recreation participation from your household?
• 24 reduce/eliminate fees
• 16 nothing/keep up the good work
• 8 better information/marketing
• 8 better trails
• 7 more land open for public outdoor recreation
• 5 more operations funding
• 5 more activities/programs

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Local Provider Survey

• Surveyed 773 local providers with a
  current/recent plan on file with DNR
• No bad addresses
• 250 (32) completed questionnaire
• Strong support for all 2003-07 SCORP priorities
• Strongest for conservation
• 96 support, 4 neutral,
• Universal access, trails, community recreation,
  state parks, state forest recreation,
  cooperation/coordination
• All supported by at least 78 support with
  maximum opposition of 3
• Few additional capital improvement priorities,
  mostly reiterate existing priorities for trails
  (especially blue-trails/water access),
  cooperation/collaboration
• Also tend to focus on financial/operational needs
• More funding for grant programs, more
  info/marketing

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Local Provider Survey

• Most significant barriers to more citizen
  participation in outdoor recreation?
• Lack funding, lack facilities/public land, lack
  of accessibility, high price/fees, lack
  awareness/info
• Most important capital project in next 5 years
  for their jurisdiction?
• Land based trails, picnic area, playground,
  universal access, outdoor fields/courts
• A number interested in spray park/splash pad

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Local Provider Survey

• Estimated 471 million capital needs 2008-12
• 304 million (1.2 million/provider) for
  development
• 81 million trails, 80 million facilities for
  parkland (e.g. restrooms, parking), 26 million
  universal access, 24 million ball fields/courts,
  93 million all other
• 167 million (0.7 million/provider) for
  acquisition
• 113 million open space/conservation, 25 million
  land based trails, 17 million water access/blue
  trails, 17 million all other
• Anticipated funding sources to meet capital needs
• Local general fund, MNRTF/LWCF, Transportation
  grants, dedicated millage, private
  foundations/donations
• Anticipated capital funding trends
• Decline in local general fund dollars
• Increasing reliance on other sources

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Local Provider Survey

• Trends in operations funding, employees and parks
  2003-2012 for 227 providers reporting their
  operations budget info
• 152 million total parks operations budget in
  2007 with 64 of total from local general fund
  and 36 from fees, millages, donations, etc.
• 83 had some general fund, 46 some user fees,
  36 some donations, 15 some millage
• Expected trends over next 5 years are decline in
  local general fund and increase in all other
  sources
• Hardest hit in general fund reduction are cities,
  least hit townships
• Cities by almost 21 margin expect park and
  recreation operations budgets and number of
  employees to decline
• Other units in better shape
• Amount of parkland expected to grow slightly
  faster in 2008-12 than it did from 2003-07
• Greatest increases at regional and township levels

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Recommended Initiatives for 2008-12 SCORP

• Keep the seven from 2003-07
• Conservation
• Trails
• Universal access
• Community outdoor recreation
• Improve state parks
• Improve state forest recreation
• Cooperation/coordination
• Rationale
• Strong voter support
• Strong local provider support
• Strong support in complementary initiatives in
  DNR and elsewhere

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Recommended Initiatives for 2008-12 SCORP

• Add two additional initiatives
• Hunter and angler recruitment and retention
• Two of the five most important activities for MI
  voters
• One of four highest priorities for DNR
• Hunting/fishing provides largest share of
  operations funding for conservation in Michigan
• Capital improvements and complementary
  programming can provide important gateway for
  new, returning and continuing participants
• Green technology in parks and recreation
• Focus on energy savings, recycling/re-use,
  pollution abatement
• Demonstrate leadership in conservation/stewardship
  
• Reduce long term costs
• Educate public with hands-on examples

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Michigan 2008-2012 SCORP Planning Process

• Draft SCORP available on DNR website and
  elsewhere September 25, 2007
• 30 day public comment period to DNR website and
  by mail to DNR
• Public workshops (each 2-4PM)
• October 9 Douglas Walker Kent County Park, Grand
  Rapids
• October 11, Community Arts Building, Michigan
  State Fairgrounds, Detroit
• October 12, City Hall, Bay City
• October 16 Marquette Commons, Marquette
• October 18 RAM Center, Roscommon
• Additional public input/presentations
• Citizens Committee on MI State Parks, MNRTF
  Board, MI Waterways Commission, DNR Accessibility
  Advisory Council, Michigan Trails and Greenway
  Alliance

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Michigan 2008-2012 SCORP Planning Process

• Revise draft to final plan
• Final SCORP published November 2007
• NRC Information Item November 2007
• NRC Action Item and public hearing December 2007
• Approved by NRC December 2007
• Approved by governor December 2007
• Presented to NPS by December 31, 2007

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Thank You

• Questions?
• Comments?
• Provide them in person today or
• Submit on DNR
• website
• http//www.michigan.gov/dnr

To Contact Chuck Nelson nelsonc_at_msu.edu (517)
432-0272