Prior to the establishment of Greater Minnesota Regional Parks and Trails Commission (Commission) in 2013, Greater Minnesota did not have an established history of comprehensive planning for regional parks and trails. This strategic plan is the starting point for that process. Under this plan, the Commission formally takes on this responsibility by becoming what is essentially the third leg of a three-legged stool in meeting regional and state-level park and trail needs across Minnesota.


​2015 GMRPTC Strategic Plan

​To better understand and address disproportionate or inequitable park use, Metropolitan Council staff conducted a qualitative research project to identify barriers to regional park visitation among communities of color. Specifically, the study sought to explore: a) preferred outdoor recreational activities and desired amenities, b) perceived barriers that prevent use of the system, c) issues or concerns about regional parks and d) recommendations and suggestions to increase and enhance park visits.

​Three research studies were conducted in 2007 to provide a better understanding of
current and prospective visitors to Minnesota State Parks, and to inform marketing,
planning, facility development, and park operations.

An oldy but goody: ​In mid-2005, Beltrami County established a Recreational Trails Advisory Task Force to oversee the comprehensive planning of trails on county lands. This document is the final product of the process, which was completed and adopted by the County Board in April of 2006.

​The Glass Half-Full: A New View of Rural Minnesota. Describing rural Minnesota can be a challenge. The structural changes we have witnessed in agriculture and manufacturing have certainly forced residents and decision makers to rethink our future. On top of this, literature is rife with descriptions of the loss of our children, the aging population, and outmigration. We believe this deficit view of our rural communities cannot continue to dominate our thinking about the future of our small towns.

​Camping is often to defined as temporarily living outdoors, but to the millions of people that love it, camping amounts to much more — reconnecting with nature, escaping the grind, spending time with family and friends. Indeed, camping is part of the American tradition.
Research continues to underscore the importance in reaching Americans at an early age to instill a lifelong love of camping and inspire a healthy, active lifestyle. Among current camping participants, 85 percent took their first trip between birth and age 15. After age 15, the chances of being introduced to camping were slim.

​This document was created for the Greater MN Regional Parks and Trails Commission and summarizes a variety of recreational trends, themes and challenges.

The Greater Minnesota Regional Parks and Trails Commission seeks applicants to serve on each of six District Planning Committees across the state. The purpose of the DPC's is to be the planning arm of the Commission by nurturing a district-level system of parks and trails that meet regional standards and by helping the Commission understand District-level issues. The application can be found at www.gmrptcommission.org, or attached to this post. Deadline for submitting applications is June 30, 2016. Questions may be directed to System Plan Coordinator Joe Czapiewski at [email protected].

​Using demographic analysis of data from the Decennial Censuses of 1990, 2000 and 2010, this report updates research that examines migration patterns in and out of rural areas by generational age cohorts. The study brings to light a little-examined phenomenon regarding the migration of people age 30 – 49 into rural areas across Minnesota