The Crow Wing County Land Services Department initiated a project in October 2009 to develop a comprehensive recreation trails plan for county-managed public lands. The plan will be informed by an evaluation of potential high conservation value forests under the county’s management.

The plan will address existing and proposed recreation trails that serve a full range of motorized and non-motorized uses, including ATV routes, equestrian trails, biking, hiking, dog-sledding, skiing, snowmobiling, and other trail based recreation types. The county had contracted with Dovetail Partners, a Minneapolis-based non-profit, to manage the plan development project. Dovetail will also oversee the evaluation process for identifying high conservation value forests.

The evaluation of High Conservation Value Forests (HCVF) is a component of the county’s participation in forest certification. The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification standard includes requirements for the protection, management and monitoring of special sites, such as old-growth forests, water source protection areas, cultural or historic sites and other unique resources.

To view a short video of the May 2010 Advisory Group Field Tour, click here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ebG8xSWxdbk

The full project is expected to take up to two years to complete, with the preliminary HCVF findings being shared with the public in about six months and the first draft of the recreation trail plan being released at the end of 2010.

To download the Year One Outcomes & Recommendations, click here.

An update on the development of the Crow Wing County Comprehensive Recreation Trails Plan was included on the agenda of the County Board of Commissioners’ Committee of the Whole Meeting on Tuesday, August 16th, 2011.

The draft final Comprehensive Recreation Trails Plan has been made available for a 30-day public comment period running through October 25, 2011.  For more information, click here. To download the plan, click here.

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More information is available at:
http://www.co.crow-wing.mn.us/land_services/index.html

Recreational Facilities Inventory

The Statewide Health Improvement Plan (SHIP) Coordinator, in conjunction with Region Five Development Commission, prepared an inventory of the recreational facilities, programs and classes in Crow Wing County.

To download the inventory, click here (pdf 12.3 MB).

Regional Trails Inventory Mapping Project

An interactive map of the Trails of Central Minnesota (Cass, Crow Wing, Morrison, Todd and Wadena Counties)

http://www.co.todd.mn.us/GEOMOOSE/geomoose.html

Links to news articles about the project:

• Crow Wing County Land Services Department Invites Public Comment on Comprehensive Recreation Trails Plan
  

  Brainerd Dispatch September 22, 2011
  

• Comment process ends for county trails plan
  

  Brainerd Dispatch March 4, 2011
  

• Comments being taken on county trails plan
  

  Brainerd Dispatch December 16, 2010

• ATV topic draws crowd to meeting
  

  Brainerd Dispatch August 26, 2010

• Public Input Sought on Forest Assessment
  

  Brainerd Dispatch July 28, 2010

• Trails Plan Meetings Planned Tuesday
  

  Brainerd Dispatch June 25, 2010

• Crow Wing County Seeks Input on Trails Plan
  

  Lake Country Echo and Pine River Journal March 3, 2010
  

• Input Sought on County Trails Plan
  

  Brainerd Dispatch January 15, 2010

• Crow Wing County to Develop Comprehensive Recreation Trails Plan
  

  Lake Country Echo and Pine River Journal October 21, 2009