Minnesota State Parks

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Minnesota State Parks Trails
Protecting natural resources and . . .
. . connecting people with the environment.
2
Minnesota State Parks Mission

• We will work with people to provide a state park
  system which preserves and manages Minnesotas
  natural, scenic and cultural resources for
  present and future generations while providing
  appropriate recreational and educational
  opportunities.

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Minnesota Statutes State Parks

• MS 86A.05 subd. 2c directs state parks to
• preserve, perpetuate interpret natural
  features that existed in the area of the park
  prior to settlement.
• To also preserve perpetuate other significant
  natural, scenic, scientific or historic features
  that are present.
• To maintain a balance of plant animal life.
• Re-establish desirable plants animals that
  were formerly indigenous to the park.

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Minnesota Trails Waterways Mission Statement

• "To create recreation opportunities through a
  system of trail and water recreation facilities
  that contributes to a sustainable quality of
  life."

5
Minnesota Statutes Trails Waterways

• MS 86A.05 subd. 4 - State trails shall be
  established to provide recreational travel routes
  which
• connect areas or points of natural, scientific,
  cultural, and historic interest.
• enhance and utilize the unique qualities of a
  particular manner of travel in harmony with the
  natural environment
• provide maximum potential for the appreciation,
  conservation, and enjoyment of significant
  scenic, historical, natural, or cultural
  qualities
• shall be managed to provide a travel route
  through an area with a minimum disturbance of the
  natural environment.

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Minnesota State Parks Trails

• 67 State Parks
• 6 State Recreation Areas
• 10 State Waysides
• 21 State Trails
• Over 1,100 state trail miles

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Minnesota State Parks Trails provide
homes/habitat for
326 bird species 123 fish species 76 mammal
species 27 reptile species 18 amphibian
species 1000s of invertebrates
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. . . Including over 100 species of State or
Federally Endangered, Threatened or Special
Concern Species such as
Found at gt 830 locations within 60 of the state
park systems 80 units.
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Preserving Perpetuating Wildlife on State Parks
Trails Requires Active Management

• Average of 21 deer hunts conducted annually in
  state parks to prevent negative impacts to
  natural communities.

3,000 acres of prescribed burning conducted
annually to restore maintain habitat.
Preserve rare species like timber rattlesnakes
through field surveys, habitat improvement,
establishment of restricted areas protect from
poaching.
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Environmental Interpretation

• Annually more than 1.5 million visitors
• Attend environmental education programs
• Participate in nature walks.
• Go on self-guided nature tours
• Visit State Park Interpretive Centers

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• Outdoor Recreation
• Over 8 million visitors a year to state parks.
• About 1 million overnight visits annually.
• 1.14 million trail use occasions per year.

12
Land Protection

• In addition to habitat management, land
  protection is critical to helping preserve many
  species which utilize state parks and trails.
• State parks and trails protect provide examples
  of nearly all of Minnesotas distinct ecological
  sub-sections (Blufflands, Big Woods, etc).
• On average 3 of the state park system is roads,
  trails and use areas. Most is natural area
  wildlife habitat.

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Trust Fund Future Resource Fund Land Protection
Projects Since 1993

• 14.5 million allocated from Future Resources
  Fund and Trust Fund
• 5700 acres acquired
• 31 parks benefited

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Parcels Within Crow Wing State Park Acquired By
Trust Fund

• Preserved 2.5 mile corridor along Mississippi
  River

• Acquired 4 parcels totaling over 400 acres

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Benefits of the Crow Wing Acquisitions

• Have increased the amount of protected habitat in
  the park by almost 30
• Provides additional habitat for the great variety
  of wildlife ( gt 230 species of birds, 59 species
  of fish, etc) found in the park.
• Augments the exceptional mix of woodlands, oak
  savanna and prairie landscape found in Crow Wing
  State Park and helps protect Mississippi River
  water quality.

Crow Wing State Park left hand bank is part of
recent acquisition.
16
Sakatah Singing Hills Trail

• Provides a corridor connecting
• 3 Wildlife Management Areas
• 1 State Park
• 1 Nature Conservancy Preserve
• Several communities

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Eggers Prairie along the Sakatah-Singing Hills
Trail

• State Trail corridors preserve natural resources
  are managed to restore native plant communities
  within the right of way (6,400 rail trail acres),
  thereby fostering user awareness and
  appreciation.
• State Trail corridors connect to other natural
  areas, public or private, for the benefit of
  wildlife.

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Continuing Acquisition Funding Needs

• LCCMR can help state parks trails protect and
  restore critical wildlife habitat, provide
  habitat corridors and opportunities for outdoor
  recreation and environmental education.
• Many parcels within statutory state park
  boundaries along state trails are currently for
  sale. Acquisition of selected high priority
  parcels will preserve protect the natural
  resources on these parcels, and allow DNR to
  manage the land for enhanced fish, wildlife, and
  plant communities.