DIVISION OF Parks and trails Amy Barrett, Public Information Officer

DIVISION OF Parks and trails
Amy Barrett, Public Information Officer
Wade Miller, Brainerd Area Supervisor
The DNR’s Division of
Parks and Trails Manages:
• 76 state parks and recreation areas
• 25 state trails (620 paved miles)
• 33 state water trails (4,528 miles)
•1,500 public water accesses
• 350 fishing piers
• 62 state forest campgrounds and
day-use areas
• 946 snowmobile trails miles (state)
• And more…
What’s new
2012 in Review:
What’s new
Brown’s Creek State Trail
2012 in Review:
What’s new
La Salle Lake State Recreation Area
2012 in Review:
What’s new
Jay Cooke State Park
2012 in Review:
What’s new
Willard Munger State Trail
2012 in Review:
What’s new
Tettegouche State Park
2012 in Review:
What’s new
Lake Vermilion State Park
2012 in Review:
What’s new
2012 in Review:
What’s new
Crow Wing State Park
Attendance Is Up
2007 Research
•
Focus Group Study
•
Visitor Survey (V)
•
Household Survey (H)
Motivations (V)
All Visitors
Next Generation
1. To have fun (85%)
1. To have fun (90.2%)
2.
Enjoy natural scenery (80%)
3.
Get away from life's usual demands
(74.5%)
4.
Enjoy smells and sounds of nature
2.
Enjoy natural scenery (79.6%)
3.
Spend time with family (78.4%)
4.
(70.6%)
5.
Spend time with family (70.3%)
5.
Get away from life’s usual
demands (76.5%)
Enjoy smells and sounds of
nature (69.3%)
High Barriers to Visiting
Minnesota State Parks (H)
• Perceived lack of time
•
Competing leisure activities
Other Barriers to Visiting
Minnesota State Parks (H)
•
•
•
•
•
•
Crowding in the parks
Lack of money
Lack of information
Lack of outdoor skills
Park offerings
Fears and personal
discomfort
• Health problems
If we did it as a child,
we’re more likely to do it as an adult (H)
High Association
• Visiting state or national parks
• Hiking/backpacking
• Camping
• Canoeing/kayaking
“High service” items are of great interest (H)
I’d visit, or visit more often, if:
• I could find park programs for my
child/children.
•
The park had equipment I could
use or rent.
•
I could attend special
events in the park.
•
I had the opportunity to take
virtual tours of the park on a
website.
•
I could attend programs to
develop outdoor skills.
2012 Legacy Highlights:
Connect People to the Outdoors
Connecting people to the outdoors:
Virtual tours
http://files.dnr.state.mn.us/destinations/state_parks/virtual_tours/crow_wing/vt_crowwing.html
Program Development
• Loaner equipment
•
•
•
•
Fishing kits
Birding kits
Kids Discovery kits
GPS units
Program Development
• Geocaching
• History Challenge
• Wildlife Safari
• Avian Adventure
Connecting people to the outdoors:
Geocaching
Program Development
• I Can! series
•
•
•
•
•
Camp
Paddle
Climb
Fish
Archery in the Parks
Outreach to New Visitors Has Been Successful
Annual Participation at I Can! Programs
1000
900
877
800
Participants
700
650
600
582
562
500
I Can Paddle!
522
I Can Climb!
400
I Can Camp!
300
260
200
166
100
0
2010
2011
Year
2012
Attendance Is Up
Division of Parks and Trails:
Return to the economy
Of the Minnesota State Parks visitors who are on an
overnight trip away from home:
• 31% stayed in a Minnesota state park at least one
night.
• 20% stayed in a campground outside of the park.
• 47% stayed at a private resort/hotel or inn.
42% of Minnesota
state park visitors come
from the metro area
18% of Minnesota
state park visitors come
from outside Minnesota
Division of Parks and Trails:
Return to the economy
State Park return to the economy (2010):
Day visitors..................... $26.23/person/day
Overnight visitors........... $23.16/person/day
Visitors to Minnesota’s state parks
contribute $280 million in total spending
in local economies.
Division of Parks and Trails:
Return to the economy
In 2008, recreational trail users contributed $2.4 billion in
total spending and $206 million in state and local taxes,
and accounted for 31,000 jobs in Minnesota.
Top Tourism Attractions by Region
Cuyuna Country State Recreation Area
Annual attendance at
Cuyuna Country State Recreation Area
200000
180000
160000
140000
120000
100000
Attendance
80000
60000
40000
20000
0
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
Cuyuna Country State Recreation Area
Cuyuna Country State Recreation Area
Cuyuna Country State Recreation Area
Division of Parks and Trails:
History of Expenditures
Parks and Trails
Expenditures by Fund
($ in thousands)
$120,000
$100,000
$80,000
$60,000
$40,000
Parks and Trails Fund
Environmental Trust Fund
Federal Fund
Special Revenue Funds
Natural Resources Fund
Game & Fish Fund
General Fund
$20,000
$0
•
•
•
•
General Fund decreasing over time
Natural Resources Fund consists of dedicated accounts, which fund specific activities
In FY02, State Parks Account established in Natural Resources Fund
ENRTF was one-time funding for FY12 and FY13
Division of Parks and Trails:
History of General Fund
General Fund
$ in Thousands
40,000.0
35,000.0
30,000.0
25,000.0
20,000.0
General Fund
15,000.0
10,000.0
5,000.0
0.0
FY 00
FY 01
FY 02
FY 03
FY 04
FY 05
FY 06
FY 07
FY 08
FY 09
FY 10
FY 11
FY 12
Parks and Trails Budget
• Park and trail use is up, but funding is flat.
• Legacy funding must be used wisely.
• It was intended to supplement, not supplant, existing funding.
• It is only guaranteed through 2034.
• Dedicated funds must be used for purposes specified in
statute.
• To sustain current levels of service, Minnesota state parks
are depending on the General Fund appropriation
recommended by the Governor.
Connecting people to the outdoors:
Discounted park permits
Connecting people to the outdoors:
Park and trail publications
50th Anniversary:
Minnesota State Water Trails
50th Anniversary:
Minnesota State Water Trails
50th Anniversary:
Minnesota State Water Trails
Crow Wing River State Water Trail
Mississippi River State Water Trail
Long Prairie River State Water Trail
Pine River State Water Trail
Connecting people to the outdoors:
Maps, video and virtual tours
http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/state_trails/paul_bunyan/virtual.html
Connecting people to the outdoors:
Maps and virtual tours
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8exJZIz_GaQ
In Summary
“I was anticipating having to close my doors in 2009, but I knew that the
mountain bike trails were going to open at Cuyuna Country State Recreation
Area in 2010, so I hung in there for one more year, and what’s happened
since then has been unbelievable. My business has more than doubled.”
—Jenny Smith, owner since 2005, Cycle Path & Paddle, Crosby
In Summary
"We opened in 2005, across the road from the Paul Bunyan State Trail. After
the trail was paved from Walker to Guthrie in 2010, we added a shuttle
service for bikers, and since then our business has nearly tripled."
—Charlyne LaVoie, co-owner with Dennis LaVoie, Embracing Pines Bed and
Breakfast, Walker
Questions?