The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) is now accepting applications for the 2022 Noxious Weed and Invasive Plant Grant. Counties, municipalities, tribal governments, and weed management entities (including weed management areas) may apply for grants to mitigate noxious weeds around the state. Grants for fiscal year 2022 will be funded up to $5,000. The awards are intended to support local projects.

​Learn more HERE.

Congratulations to the City of Rochester Parks and Recreation Department on the opening of the new Driftless Disc Golf Course at Gamehaven Park! Gamehaven Park has received two Legacy grants from the Greater Minnesota Regional Parks and Trails Commission and is a beautiful example of how important Legacy is for parks and trails in Greater Minnesota.
​
​Link to Article HERE.

Congratulations to Lake County on the fabulous Split Rock Wilds Mountain Bike Trails! Trail construction on both phases was partially funded by Legacy grants from the Greater Minnesota Regional Parks and Trails Commission.

LINK TO ARTICLE HERE

The Greater Minnesota Regional Parks and Trails Commission was on hand for the grand opening celebration of the expanded city campground in Big Falls. System Plan Coordinator Joe Czapiewski was joined by former District 2 GMRPTC Commissioner Rita Albrecht at the event, which drew visitors from across north central Minnesota to celebrate improvements to the regional park along the Big Fork River.

The project saw the completion of riverside property acquisition, additional and renovated campsites, infrastructure, a new bath/shower facility and visitor center improvements. Parks and Trails Legacy Fund investments in the project through the GMRPTC totaled $1,278,030.

Learn more at this local TV news report: External Lakeland PTV Link HERE

Want to see more of the fun side of the Greater Minnesota Parks and Trails Commission? Follow our Instagram page! We look for fun and interesting sights that represent Greater Minnesota while traveling across our state. Here's our latest video from Central Minnesota: https://www.instagram.com/p/CQgfUAKndFx/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

For additional information, contact System Plan Coordinator Joe Czapiewski at [email protected] or Executive Director Renee Mattson at [email protected].

​
(May 13, 2021 – DULUTH, Minn.) – An updated strategic plan for guiding future development of Greater Minnesota’s regional parks and trails, including ensuring those areas are inviting and accessible to underserved communities, is now available to the public from the Greater Minnesota Regional Parks and Trails Commission (GMRPTC).
 
Established in 2013, the Commission identifies regionally significant parks and trails in Minnesota’s 80 counties outside the seven-county metropolitan area and provides grant recommendations to the State Legislature. Funding comes from the Parks and Trails Legacy Fund, part of the Clean Water Land and Legacy Amendment approved by state voters in 2008.
 
“Many people have worked hard to build a system of regional parks and trails that all Minnesotans can be proud of,” said GMRPTC Board Chair Thomas Ryan, adding that to date the organization has designated 64 parks and trails as regionally significant. “This updated strategic plan ensures we have consistent, detailed criteria for creating a seamless outdoor recreation system that integrates with those of our partners at the Department of Natural Resources and Metropolitan Council Regional Parks.”
 
This 86-page plan, filled with photos, maps and graphs, is designed to help local parks and trails agencies around Greater Minnesota develop effective proposals for regional designation and funding. As more agencies prepare their initial or updated Master Plans, they can look to this strategic plan for clearer standards and tools that will help tell their regional story. The plan includes criteria for making parks and trails inviting and accessible to underserved communities and people with mobility or other challenges, identifies new ways of monitoring and measuring success, and more.

The entire strategic plan may be found at www.gmrptcommission.org. Citizens may also ask to have a printed version mailed to them by contacting GMRPTC Executive Director Renee Mattson at [email protected].
 
“Achieving designation requires an applicant to work through a detailed process that ensures each park or trail is of the quality Minnesotans and visitors expect when enjoying regionally significant facilities. The strategic plan provides guidance to help applicants think broadly and boldly about not only what the facility is now, but what it could be,” said Mattson.
 
She added that the GMRPTC will hold a series of online workshops in June to help agencies understand the new plan’s contents. Information about workshop times and dates is at https://www.gmrptcommission.org/2021-district-workshops.html.
 
Since its inception, the GMRPTC has awarded more than $52 million in grants to regional parks and trails across Greater Minnesota. Combined with $20 million in community investments, grants are used to fund infrastructure improvements, land acquisitions, new facilities, trail rehabilitation and more.

The Greater Minnesota Regional Parks and Trails Commission seeks interested and qualified firms to conduct a user count and visitor intercept survey on three regionally designated mountain bike trail systems during the summer of 2021. The systems to be studied include the Detroit Mountain Recreation Area in Detroit Lakes, the Duluth Traverse, and the Cook County Mountain Bike System in Grand Marais.

The complete RFP and proposed intercept survey are attached. Please contact Executive Director Renee Mattson with any questions at [email protected].

(March 23, 2021 – DULUTH, Minn.) More than $10 million in grants are available to fund infrastructure and other enhancements for Greater Minnesota’s regional parks and trails, including $750,000 to make them more inviting and accessible to underserved communities and people with mobility or other challenges. 
 
Online applications are being accepted from April 1 to July 30 by the Greater Minnesota Regional Parks and Trails Commission (GMRPTC), which was established in 2013 to provide recommendations to the Minnesota Legislature for grants to parks and trails of regional significance outside the seven-county metropolitan area.
 
“COVID-19 precautions during the past year resulted in a tremendous increase in visitors to Greater Minnesota’s designated regional parks and trails, many of them being first-time users,” said GMRPTC Executive Director Renee Mattson. “This round of grants is intended to continue engaging those users, with $750,000 set aside to further attract and accommodate citizens in underserved communities. People are more likely to take part in outdoor recreation if they feel welcome and have good experiences, and that’s the environment these funds are intended to enhance.”
 
Funding is provided by tax dollars from the state’s Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment of 2008. The available grant total for this year, which will be awarded for Fiscal Year 2023, is $10,128,850.
 
Since 2014 the GMRPTC has awarded more than $52 million in grants to over 50 regional parks and trails across Greater Minnesota, which completed an application process to be designated as regionally significant. Combined with $20 million in community matches, grants are used to fund infrastructure improvements, land acquisitions, new facilities, trail rehabilitation and more.
 
“Our state’s beautiful parks and trails are a treasure for people of all ages and backgrounds,” said Mattson. “The Greater Minnesota Regional Parks and Trails Commission is pleased to play a role in helping make these areas available to everyone.”
 
The grant application form, as well as information about the GMRPTC as a whole, may be found at www.gmrptcommission.org.

# # #
 
Greater Minnesota’s designated regional parks and trails, listed alphabetically, follow. (N) = Natural Resource-Based Park Classification; (S) = Special Recreation Feature Park Classification; (T) = Regional Trail Classification.

Aitkin County Northwoods ATV Trail (T)
Austin Jay C. Hormel Nature Center (N)
​Beltrami County Northland Regional Sports Park (S)
Big Falls Campground and Horse Camp (S)
Cannon Valley Trail (T)
 
Chisago County Sunrise Prairie Trail (T)
Chisago County Swedish Immigrant Trail (T)
Cohasset Tioga Recreation Area (N)
Cook County Mountain Bike Trail System (S)
Crow Wing County Milford Mine Memorial Park (S)
 
Detroit Lakes Detroit Mountain (S)
Douglas County Lake Brophy Park (N)
Douglas County Kensington Park (N)
Duluth Hartley Park (N)
​Duluth Spirit Mountain Recreation Area (S)

Duluth Traverse (S)
Elk River Woodland Trails Park (N)
Fergus Falls Glacial Edge Trail (T)
Goodhue County Byllesby Park (S)
Granite Falls Memorial Park (N)

Hermantown/Proctor Munger Trail Spur (T)
Isanti County Irving & John Anderson Park (N)
Lac qui Parle County Park (N)
Lake County Mountain Bike Trails (T)
Lake Shore Gull Lake Trail (T)

Lake Vermilion Trail (T)
Le Sueur County Lake Washington Park (N)
Lincoln County Hole In the Mountain Park (N)
Luverne Loop & Blue Mounds Trail (T)
Lyon County Garvin Park (N)

Lyon County Twin Lakes Park (N)
McLeod County Dakota Rail Trail (T)
Mesabi Trail (T)
Mille Lacs County Plains to Port Trail (T)
Moorhead MB Johnson Park (N)

Moorhead River Corridor Trail (T)
​Morrison County Belle Prairie Park (N)
​Morrison County Soo Line Trail (T)
Olmsted County Chester Woods Park (N)
Olmsted County Oxbow Park/Zollman Zoo (S)

Otter Tail County Perham to Pelican Rapids Trail (T)
Red Lake River Corridor (T)
Red Wing He Mni Can-Barn Bluff Park (S)
Redwood County Plum Creek Park (N)
Redwood Falls Ramsey Park (N)
 
Rochester Cascade Lake Park (N)
Rochester Gamehaven Park (N)
Rochester Quarry Hill Park (N)
Sandstone Robinson Park (S)
St. Cloud Beaver Island Trail (T)

Stearns County Kraemer Lake Park (N)
​Stearns County/Benton County Great River Park Complex (N) 
Stearns County Lake Wobegon Trail (T)
Stearns County Rockville Park (N)
Stearns County Quarry Park (N)

Stearns County Warner Lake Park (N)
Willmar Robbins Island Park (N)
Winona Bluffs Traverse (S)
Wright County Bertram Park (N)
Wright County Collinwood Park (N)
​
Wright County Crow River Trail (T)
Wright County Great River Trail (T)
Wright County Robert Ney Park (N)
Wright County Stanley Eddy Park Reserve (N)
 
For additional information, contact Renee Mattson, Executive Director of the Greater Minnesota Regional Parks and Trails Commission, at 218-310-2627 or [email protected].  

For additional information: Renee Mattson, Executive Director of the Greater Minnesota Regional Parks and Trails Commission, at 218-310-2627 or [email protected].
 
‘Mask Out, Minnesota’ campaign launches today
to encourage wintertime use of state’s parks and trails
 
DULUTH, Minn. / Jan. 28, 2021 – State recreation leaders always encourage people to follow the life-saving guidance of the “Mask Up, Minnesota” efforts, and now they’re inviting residents to take masks one crunchy step further.
 
“Mask Out, Minnesota,” a public awareness campaign to encourage people to visit the state’s many parks and trails during these chilly winter months, was launched today by the Greater Minnesota Regional Parks and Trails Commission (GMRPTC).
 
“There’s no better way to socially distance, get fresh air and some much-needed exercise than to visit a nearby park or trail, even when it’s cold out,” said GMRPTC Executive Director Renee Mattson. “Just put on your favorite winter facemasks – along with parkas, boots, choppers and long underwear – and Mask Out, Minnesota, to enjoy the beauty of our winter!”
 
She added that most Minnesotans are just a few minutes away from a scenic park or trail, directions to which can be found at www.mn.gov/greatoutdoors.
 
“After so many months of stay-at-home, these treasures give families a safe and fun way to get away from home for a few hours,” she said.
 
While “Mask Out, Minnesota” borrows its name from “Mask Up, Minnesota,” Mattson said people should not forget the importance of the latter message.
 
“Our tongue-in-cheek, Mask Out message might actually be closer to tongue-on-a-frozen-pole, since it’s intended to playfully remind people of wintertime in Minnesota,” she said. “But Mask Up remains a crucial message for everyone to follow during these ongoing coronavirus concerns.”
 
Established in 2013, the Greater Minnesota Regional Parks and Trails Commission conducts system planning and designates regionally significant parks and trails in the 80-counties outside the seven-county metropolitan area. Grant recommendations to the Legislature are made through the Parks and Trails Legacy Fund, one of the four funds resulting from the Clean Water Land and Legacy Amendment. These funds may only be spent to support parks and trails of regional or statewide significance. Additional information is at www.gmrptcommission.org.

The Greater Minnesota Regional Parks and Trails Commission has announced grant recommendations for the FY2022 funding cycle. 

Of the 64 regionally designated parks and trails in the Greater Minnesota system, the Commission received 14 applications and selected 11 projects totaling $7,755,429 to recommend for legislative approval. 

See the full press release and recommendation list below.

Learn more about how the Commission is working with other cities and counties in all six Greater Minnesota districts to fulfill the 25-year Legacy Plan in the attached annual Policy and Planning report to the Legislature.