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Spring is here. The fiddleheads are unspooling. The fishing opener is less than two weeks away. The legislature is in full swing. Let's take a moment to pause and appreciate the unique position that outdoor recreation enjoys amongst our highly polarized political discourse.
The two legislative achievements highlighted below serve as testament to a uniquely bipartisan understanding that outdoor recreation benefits everyone. The EXPLORE Act is a first-of-its-kind, generation-defining package of federal legislation aimed at promoting outdoor opportunity throughout the country. This package passed unanimously through the US House of Representatives on Tuesday, April 9th.
At the State level, the House and Senate passed, and the Governor signed, the Environmental and Natural Resources Trust Fund bill which invests $77.6 million in over 100 projects across the state.
Both achievements are cause for celebration. Worthy of a moment of reflection. Spring is here. Outdoor recreation is as popular as ever before. If we continue to work together in the same spirit, exemplified by the preceding legislative achievements, we can increase opportunities for Minnesotans to spend time doing what they love outdoors. See you on the trails!
News
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EXPLORE ACT Passes the US House
- The EXPLORE ACT is a once-in-a-lifetime legislative package supporting the outdoor recreation economy throughout the US. The Act unanimously passed in the House of Representatives on Tuesday, April 9th.
The package enhances access to the outdoors and modernizes recreation infrastructure by expanding access opportunities for various public land users, streamlining permitting processes and modernizing outdoor infrastructure.
Additionally, the EXPLORE Act includes provisions which streamline recreational permitting for guides and outfitters, allows states, counties, and tribes to conduct recreation infrastructure enhancements or improvements on public lands through Good Neighbor Agreements, and improves federal coordination and assistance to non-federal partners in preventing the spread of aquatic invasive species.
The bill now moves to the Senate, where it will be considered alongside the Senate's recreation package, the bipartisan America's Outdoor Recreation Act.
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ENRTF Bill Sails Through State Legislature, Signed into Law by Governor
- The latest Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund bill will distribute $77.6 million across 101 projects, marking a record number of projects funded. Among the new projects is the creation of a 110-mile Driftless Area Hiking Trail in southeastern Minnesota. Other significant investments include $5 million to expand and repair state trails and $2.9 million for upgrades at Spring Lake Park Reserve.
The bill also supports diverse wildlife conservation programs affecting species like walleyes, deer, elk, bison, and various birds. The bill also emphasizes environmental education, allocating over $6.5 million to educate youth on environmental stewardship. The bill passed quickly and was signed into law by Governor Tim Walz, allowing grantees to start their projects sooner than usual.
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Minnesota is #1…For Boat Launches
- As of 2022, there were 11.8 million recreational boats in use in the U.S (1 in 11 American households.) Data from the National Marine Manufacturers Association shows that 60% of boat owners in the U.S. have a household income of $100,000 or less. Boating and fishing are the top outdoor activities in 24 states and Washington D.C., and nationally, they represent the second-largest outdoor recreational sector, generating $32.4 billion.
A study using 2022 Geological Survey data by CitizenShipper ranked the 25 U.S. counties with the most boat launches. Minnesota held six spots out of the top ten. Wisconsin held three and Florida had one.
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Congratulations to Emma Bates, Top American Woman Finisher at the Boston Marathon
- Emma Bates, a native of Elk River, Minnesota, finished as the top American woman in the Boston Marathon for the second consecutive year. She crossed the finish line in 12th place overall among women with a time of 2:27:14. Despite briefly taking the lead between miles 18 and 19, Bates ultimately fell behind a group led by Kenyan runners Mary Nugui, Vibian Chepkirui, and eventual winner Hellen Obiri.
Bates' performance is particularly impressive considering she was recovering from a foot injury sustained during the Chicago Marathon last fall, which caused her to miss the Olympic marathon trials in February. The 31-year-old, who was an NCAA champion in the 10,000 meters at Boise State and briefly lived in Boston, expressed her excitement about her performance and her belief in her ability to compete with the best runners.
Events
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Learn to camp, paddle, fish and mountain bike in Minnesota's great outdoors
- Registration is now open for the summer 2024 I Can! programs in Minnesota state parks and recreation areas. I Can! is an award-winning series of outdoor programs from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources that helps beginners learn new outdoor skills in a state park or recreation area setting. In addition to programs focused on the basics of outdoor recreation, there are some programs, like backpacking or sea kayaking, for people who are ready to try a more advanced version of an activity they enjoy. More info here.
Resources
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Check your community's "NatureScore"
- "Using satellite imagery and data on dozens of factors — including air and noise pollution, park space, open water and tree canopy — NatureQuant has distilled the elements of health-supporting nature into a single variable called NatureScore. Aggregated to the level of Census tracts — roughly the size of a neighborhood — the data provide a high-resolution image of where nature is abundant and where it is lacking across the United States." Find more info here.
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The Active Transportation Infrastructure Investment Program (ATIIP) is open for applications.
- ATIIP is a new competitive grant program created by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to construct projects to provide safe and connected active transportation facilities in active transportation networks or active transportation spines. Find more info here.
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Promise Act Grant Program open for applications.
- The Promise Act Grant Program offers grants from $10,000 to $50,000 to northeast Minnesota businesses. Funding and eligibility guidelines for this competitive grant program were established in law during the 2023 Minnesota legislative session. Awarded grants may be used for working capital to support payroll expenses, rent or mortgage payments, utility bills, equipment, and other similar expenses that occur in the regular course of business. Find more info here.
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Make your voice heard with the LCCMR Strategic Planning Survey
- The Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund (ENRTF) was established by Minnesota voters in 1988 through an amendment to the state constitution. It is funded primarily from the Minnesota State Lottery. The ENRTF supports activities that protect, conserve, preserve, and enhance Minnesota's air, water, land, fish, wildlife, and other natural resources to benefit current Minnesotans and future generations. Since 1991, the ENRTF has provided roughly $960 million in funding for 1,900 projects in every county of the state. Participate in the survey here.
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Check out Extension's Outdoor Recreation Working Group webpage!
- In November 2022, members of the NET Design Team led an outdoor recreation networking meeting that resulted in the creation of the National Extension Outdoor Recreation Working Group. The working group officially launched with its first meeting on February 8, 2023, and plans to meet quarterly.
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Webinar: outdoor retail sales trends: insights from industry leaders
- Watch a discussion about the retail sales trends that dominated the outdoor industry in 2023, forecasted trends for 2024, and how you can leverage retail sales data to make informed decisions and drive revenue growth. Watch the recording here.
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UMN Tourism Center's recently completed case study comparing analytic platforms
- The UMN Tourism Center is pleased and excited to share with you a recently completed case study that compares data from two mobile analytics platforms with conventional intercept survey data for the same study area. Dr. Ami Choi, the statewide Specialist at the Tourism Center and the study author, is grateful for the contribution of the Parks and Trails Council of Minnesota and helpful feedback from many colleagues in Minnesota and from across the country. Please contact Dr. Choi (choix667@umn.edu) with questions and feedback regarding the case study.
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Outdoor Workforce Expert Series: Diving in as an Outdoor Entrepreneur
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Watch an unbelievable lineup of outdoor entrepreneurs discuss their paths to where they are today and share advice with aspiring entrepreneurs.
Call to action
- If you're not interested in this newsletter, let me know, I'll take you off the list.
- If you love the newsletter, feel free to share it with friends and neighbors!
- If you have any ideas for MN stories, to include in our upcoming podcast, let us know! We're looking to share stories about the many ways that outdoor recreation benefits us all.
- If you have any relevant content, you'd like include in a future newsletter (events, resources, etc.), drop me a line!
- If you are passionate about the belief that children have a right to spend quality time in the outdoors, we invite you to sign the pledge and get involved! Learn more here!
- If you're interested in learning more about the ongoing work of the Outdoor Recreation Industry Partnership, join me every Monday from 12-1pm for "Office Hours." My e-door is open for conversation. Here's the link.
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