Agenda - Parks and Recreation Commission - 02/08/2018

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St. Croix National Scenic Riverway A portion of the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway is located in the region. The St. Croix National Scenic Riverway is a unit of the National Park Service located on the St. Croix River and the Namekagon River in Wisconsin. The National Riverway includes the two rivers and their riparian areas and occupies the boundary between Wisconsin and Minnesota. The St. Croix National Scenic Riverway is maintained and managed by the National Park Service and the Minnesota and Wisconsin Departments of Natural Resources. State Parks, Lands, and Trails The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) manages state parks, lands and trails in the region, including Afton, Fort Snelling, and William O'Brien State Parks; the Minnesota Valley State Recreation Area; and the Brown's Creek, Gateway, Luce Line, and Minnesota Valley State Trails. The DNR also provides wildlife management areas for hunting, trapping, fishing, wildlife viewing and other compatible recreational uses. Scientific and natural areas are open to the public for nature observation and education, but are not meant for intensive recreational activities. There are six state water trails and their attendant system of boat and canoe launches that travel through the metropolitan area along the Cannon, Crow, Minnesota, Mississippi, St. Croix, and Rum rivers. The DNR and its local unit of government partners actively manage the state water trails for canoeing, kayaking, boating and camping. Additionally, 72 miles of the Mississippi River and four miles of the Minnesota River have been designated as the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area Water Trail, a national water trail. Federal and state agencies are encouraged, but not required, to submit master plans for recreational open space units within the seven -county region to the Council for its review. To the extent these master plans indicate that facilities will fulfill regional recreation open space objectives and are consistent with the 2040 Regional Parks Policy Plan, the Council will provide these lands protection under the Metropolitan Significance Review regulations and the Metropolitan Land Planning Act, as described in the System Protection Policy found in Chapter 4. However, the Council does not grant regional funds to state or federal agencies for capital improvements or for operations and maintenance of these facilities. Figure 3-1 depicts the national, federal and state recreation lands and corridors in the region. Local Parks Local recreational open space facilities provide for a very large number and variety of recreational activities that occur in the metropolitan area. Local parks are often more intensely developed than regional parks and provide facilities for active recreation, such as playgrounds, athletic fields, courts, and aquatic centers. Local parks are designed to serve a neighborhood or community and are frequently located in residential areas. Local parks are usually much smaller than regional parks and are located and designed to serve the local population, rather than primarily based on natural resource amenities. Local trails typically provide connections between community destinations, such as schools, libraries, and community centers. Although local recreational open space areas are not covered by this plan, the facilities and services