What's a management plan?
A management plan is a 20-year strategic vision for state parks and state recreation areas (SRAs). It guides the development of facilities and management of resources. For example, a management plan will point out where a new trail should be located, which areas should be restored as prairie or hardwood forest, or what the focus for the park's interpretive programs will be.
Management plans are developed through an open public process. Parks and Trails staff work with DNR resource specialists, other agencies, local government officials, local legislators and citizens to identify issues and develop recommendations. A Citizens Advisory Committee, including representatives from local communities, park users, and other interested citizens, plays a key role in the planning effort.
Plan amendments
Frequently, a new facility or type of use is added to a park that was not included in the original management plan. Examples might be timber harvesting, youth or group camping, or mountain biking. Rather than completely rewriting the plan, Parks and Trails staff will prepare an amendment that details the proposed change, the reasons for the change, and the potential effects of the change on resources and management.
Amendments are open to public and community comment during the planning process and an official public review period.
Completed plans
Management plans and plan amendments are available electronically for the state parks and SRAs listed below. Other plans are available for review in paper form in the DNR library in St. Paul.