3: Mission: Recreation

Establish attendance and revenue increases while maintaining the provision of low cost recreation, continue to provide personal service to visitors, and establish reasonable goals for completing the highest priority management plans.

Other Information:

Background: The statutory mandate directs the Division to provide appropriate recreation to “utilize the natural features of the park that can be accommodated without material disturbance of the natural features of the park or the introduction of undue artificiality into the natural scene….” The statute goes further to state that “park use shall be primarily for aesthetic, cultural, and educational purposes, and shall not be designed to accommodate all forms or unlimited volumes of recreational use” (Minnesota Statutes Chapter 86A). Statute also requires that a management plan be prepared for each unit of the state park system. State parks have maintained a high (95%) visitor satisfaction rate since the first measurement in 1988. However, overnight and day use in state parks has not grown in proportion to the state’s population in the last ten years, remaining relatively flat. Minnesota population trends include: population growth occurring primarily in urban areas, population of the state as a whole growing older, racial and ethnic minority groups growing faster than the rest of the population, and decreasing household size. All of these trends represent growth among groups who tend to participate less in outdoor recreation. Desired Outcomes: The Division will maintain the loyalty and satisfaction rates of its current customer base and attract new user groups. Biennial goals to increase use during periods of historically low capacity will be developed. An entrepreneurial approach for selected services will be used. The Division will establish biennial attendance and revenue increases while maintaining the provision of low cost recreation and continue to provide personal service to visitors. The Division will establish reasonable goals for completing the highest priority management plans. Criteria for adding land or new units to the state park system will be used. A system will be developed for assessing and prioritizing infrastructure needs to support recreation activities, attract new visitors, protect the resources and provide for interpretation.

Stakeholder(s):

• Park Visitors

Objective(s):

3.1: Overnight and Day Use

3.1.1: Marketing Evaluation

3.1.2: Marketing Plans

3.1.3: Social Science Research

3.1.4: Recreation and Demographic Trends

3.1.5: Partnerships and Sponsorships

3.2: Visitor Satisfaction

3.2.1: Communication Plans

3.2.2: Service Concentration

3.2.3: Administrative Load

3.2.4: Campground Host Program

3.3: Safety, Conflict Reduction, and Resource Preservation

3.3.1: Park Rules

3.3.2: Security Staff

3.3.3: Problem Areas

3.3.4: Security Cross-Training

3.3.5: Enforcement Partnerships

3.3.6: Interpretive Services

3.4: Recreation Offerings

3.4.1: Recreational Niches

3.4.2: Park Management Planning

3.4.3: Priority System

3.4.4: Participation Trends

3.4.5: Balance

3.4.6: Service Upgrades and New Activities

3.5: Impact Minimization

3.5.1: Park Management Planning

3.5.2: Visitor Education

3.5.3: Usage and Facilities Review

3.6: New Additions

3.6.1: DNR Strategic Conservation Agenda

3.6.2: Minnesota State Park Land Study

3.6.3: Assessment Tool

3.6.4: New Opportunity Proposal

3.6.5: Criteria

3.6.6: Expansion Needs

3.6.7: Objective Measurements

3.6.8: Inholding

3.6.9: Assessment Tools

3.6.10: Partnerships

3.6.11: Fiduciary Responsibility

3.6.12: Shoreland and Public Waters

3.7: Infrastructure

3.7.1: Facility Market Trends

3.7.2: Barriers to Participation

3.7.3: High Priority Facilities

3.7.4: Critical Areas

3.7.5: Criteria

3.7.6: Bonding Formula

3.7.7: Cost-Benefit Assessment

3.8: Capital Needs

3.8.1: Infrastructure Data

3.8.2: Maintenance and Rehabilitation Priorities

3.8.3: Prioritization System

3.8.4: Bonding Proposal

3.8.5: Coordination with Partners

3.8.6: Interpretive Displays

3.8.7: GIS

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