OBJECTIVE: Take care of what we have

The Regional Parks and Trails System, made up of the 10 regional park implementing agencies and supported by the Met Council, has a large and mature system of parks and trails. Once an agency establishes a regional park or trail, they also establish a regular reinvestment plan to ensure that the unit is maintained for high-quality visitor experiences. 

In 2022, the most recent year for operational expenditure data, the 10 regional park implementing agencies’ operational expenditures exceeded $130 million. While the state contributes to this critical function, historically its investment has been about 9% of the total annual operating costs. This means most costs are borne by the regional park implementing agencies. If funding does not keep up with growing user demand and infrastructure maintenance, the system will experience degradation and decline. 

To protect our current and future investments in the Regional Parks and Trails System, the State of Minnesota, and Met Council must prioritize and accelerate reinvestment in the existing system from all available funding sources, in partnership with the 10 regional park implementing agencies. A synopsis of key Minnesota legislation for the Regional Parks and Trails System, including Minnesota Statute 473.351 – which indicates regional park implementing agencies should receive at least 40% of their actual operations and maintenance costs from state funding to operate and maintain the Regional Parks System – and applicable funding formulas can be found in Appendix 1.