​On November 22, 2016, Wright and Stearns counties entered into a contract with Prairie Woods Environmental Learning Center (PWELC) to provide Outdoor Recreation and Environmental Education Programs throughout their park systems. Once the contract was signed by all parties, PWELC began to develop “Schools in the Park” as the first pilot program for the contract. The pilot program was funded through the GMRPTC with a Legacy grant that will enable the program to operate for two years.
 
Upon conclusion of the program, full documentation and instructions for creating similar programs will be available for entities wanting to host this type of activity in their parks.
 
The Concept of Schools in the Parks
Schools in the Park is meant to provide the “seed” for future stewards of our park systems by exposing students to various regional parks through recreational activities and environmental education. This program will potentially provide the foundation for lifelong park users and enthusiast by exposing them to activities such as cross country skiing, snowshoeing, wildlife identification, wilderness survival, hiking and paddling.

The Greater Minnesota Regional Parks and Trails Commission is pleased to announce a new application for Designation as a Regional Park or Trail timeline.  The Commission will now accept applications for designation on an on-going basis, with no application open and closed period moving forward.  Simply complete the on-line application and submit for ranking by the Evaluation Team.  The Evaluation Team will be convened on an “as needed” basis when there are three or more applications for review. 
 
The portal through which all applications (designation and funding) and Master Plans are submitted has been completely rebuilt to better serve our constituents, the cities and counties in Greater Minnesota.  The new portal and application timeline will launch in March, 2017. Find the portal at http://www.gmrptcommission.org/applications.html. Announcements about when the new application portal goes live will be posted on the Commission's blog page.
 
Please review the pertinent provisions of the Greater Minnesota Regional Parks and Trails Strategic Plan and related documents to ensure you are familiar with all criteria and guidelines associated with the application process.

​The Greater Minnesota Regional Parks and Trails Commission has released a final, updated version of its 2017 legislative Policy & Planning Report. This report contains the final funding recommendations for FY2018 Parks and Trails Legacy Funding, an overview of the current Greater Minnesota Regional system, and a recap of the Commission's accomplishments over the past year.

Commissioners collaborating during a recent day long workshop in Little Falls.
With a commitment to keeping application processes and procedures responsive to constituents needs, the January workshop was an opportunity to review and revise current standards to better serve applicants for both designation and funding. Look for more information on an updated process and tools in the near future.