October 29, 2020

Fundraise & Recruit Members, A Case Study

Details Hear from Glendalough Park Partners about a project they implemented—an expanded mailing to celebrate the 100th issue of their newsletter and to invite folks to become a member of their friends group. More Webinar Recordings
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October 29, 2020

Bonding bill passes, key parks and trails projects funded

Minnesota's Legislative Session was unprecedented, which is to say, it fit perfectly into the year 2020. For most of the year, the much anticipated bonding bill was stalled. It didn't get passed in regular session (Feb - May), nor in the June, July, August, or September special sessions. Then, finally, in October, during the fifth special session, the House and Senate passed a massive, $1.9 billion bonding bill, which was signed by Gov. Walz on Oct. 22. The bill funds a wide variety of items from roads, affordable housing, and college buildings to parks and trails projects.
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Minnesota State Capitol
October 27, 2020

Parks and Trails Legacy Advisory Committee seeks applicants

From MnDNR The coordinating partners of the Parks and Trails Legacy Plan, which include the Metropolitan Council, the Greater Minnesota Regional Parks and Trails Commission, and the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, are seeking applicants to serve on the Parks and Trails Legacy Advisory Committee. The committee champions the 25-year …

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Legacy Amendment Logo
October 22, 2020

Mill Towns: Trail development

Add one new trail mile near Dundas and renovate three miles of trail along the Cannon River between Northfield and Dundas.
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boy biycling along trail
October 22, 2020

Heartland: Itasca Connection

Extend the Itasca State Park multi-use trail system about two miles from the park’s contact station though a tunnel under Hwy 71.
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Aerial shot of bikers on trail
October 22, 2020

Goodhue Pioneer: Trail acquisition and development to close gap

Trail acquisition and development connecting Zumbrota and Goodhue to Red Wing and the Cannon Valley Trail.
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October 22, 2020

Gateway: New segment

Build a 3-mile segment from William O’Brien State Park to the Scandia Village Center, including a tunnel under County Road 52
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Bicyclists riding at underpass
October 22, 2020

Blazing Star: Bridge

Extends the Blazing Star State Trail 2.4 miles by connecting two existing trail sections with a 100-foot single span pedestrian bridge crossing Albert Lea Lake.
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picturesque paved bike trail
October 14, 2020

Trail building update: Swedish Immigrant Trail connects into Interstate State Park

On a perfect fall day on October 10, a small group of people gathered for a ribbon-cutting for the newest half-mile segment of the Swedish Immigrant Trail. This extension is small in length, but big in impact as it connects into Interstate State Park with giant maple trees and dramatic ravines.
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Two women with three children all on bicycles
October 12, 2020

Our ResearchBike pedals in key data for Saint Cloud trails

Discerning an objective rating for a trail condition can be a daunting project—something Parks & Trails Council (P&TC) learned when we first undertook the task for our 2017 State of the Trails Report.
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ResearchBike on Lake Wobegon Trail
October 7, 2020

Membership Tracking Template

Details This virtual training shows how to use the membership data tracking template. Download the Excel template and walk through how to enter, evaluate, and export data. More Webinar Recordings
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October 6, 2020

Lake 21 now fully encompassed within Sibley State Park

Lake 21 is serene, wilderness-like place whose fate is now secured to remain that way. On October 5, Parks & Trails Council of Minnesota (P&TC) sold land to the MnDNR that brings the entire shoreline of this lake under the management of Sibley State Park.
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Sunset over a reedy lake
October 2, 2020

Meet the Friends of Blue Mounds State Park

When Blue Mounds State Park’s lost its swimming lake to a flood in June 2014, there was robust debate about whether to rebuild the dam that created the lake. The ultimate decision to not rebuild led to the formation of a citizen advisory group in 2017. Their goal: plan the park’s new future.
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Five adults working with clippers and gloves near rock mound
October 1, 2020

Friends Group Update from the DNR

A note from Ashley Pethan (Friends Group Coordinator, P&TC) You may remember that Arielle Courtney, the DNR's central point person for friends groups, went on parenthood leave starting in March. She and her husband welcomed a baby girl to the family and have been adjusting ...
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hikers stand and rest while physical distancing
October 1, 2020

P&TC secures critical shoreland for Charles A. Lindbergh State Park

Notched into a prime area for Charles A. Lindbergh State Park is a property that has been part of the Smuda family story for three generations, starting in the early 1900s. It occupies a critical place at the mouth of Pike Creek–a major water feature ...
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footbridge over forested creek