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Special Places Newsletter – Summer 2018
Inside this issue: Empowering volunteers to help restore landscapes List of projects funded by 2018 legislature Friends of Father Hennepin state park and more
DNR and city seek public input on Gitchi-Gami trail development
Volunteers install 400 tree cages at Itasca State Park
DNR upgrades outdoor recreation maps for mobile devices
From MnDNR – Navigating Minnesota’s woods and waters with a mobile device is now easier than ever with new digital maps available from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Cartographers in the Parks and Trails Division have recently upgraded nearly all of the maps for Minnesota …
Friends respond to emerald ash borer by planting maples at Maplewood State Park
BSA Scouts Join Friends of Wild River to Protect Young Oak Trees
On National Get Outdoors Day, youth with a troop of Boy Scouts of America put on their sunscreen and bug spray and “got outdoors” at Wild River State Park. They joined the Friends of Wild River and a DNR naturalist to tackle a conservation project …
Vermilion Ridge Campground Grand Opening
Frontenac to celebrate National Get Outdoors Day on June 9
From Frontenac State Park Association — Volunteers from Frontenac State Park Association are partnering with park staff to celebrate National Get Outdoors Day on Saturday, June 9 from 1 – 3 pm. The park will offer guided nature walks, information about the park’s bluebird nesting …
Photos from the June 2 planting party
Nineteen projects receive funding during 2018 legislative session
Overall, the 2018 legislative session was a fairly good one for parks and trails. On May 30, Gov. Dayton signed the bonding bill, which included funding for 19 of the 25 projects we were advocating for in our legislative agenda this year. Projects receiving full …
2018 Legislative Recap
The 2018 legislative session closed with a flurry of activity over its final weekend, and a host of bills were passed in the final hours of session that impact Minnesota’s parks and trails. Now that the legislature is adjourned until next year and all the …
ATVs in state parks
Allows the operation of all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) in Hayes Lake State Park Campground, and directs the commissioner of natural resources to provide ATV access routes to said campgrounds.
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 …
Nerstrand Big Woods State Park being enhanced with two volunteer projects this summer
