Big Bog State Recreational Park

Upper Red Lake Area Association

Top Ten Places in Minnesota's State Parks

In preparation for the end of Session media campaigns, and to get the media (and our newsletter & website readers!) excited about the opportunities that are in our state parks, we¹d like your input in developing a top ten list of the "best" places in state parks. Your responses to our earlier question about the Top Ten Important Reasons for State Parks, was extremely successful and helpful - we distributed them to the Legislature, to our members and the media.

We are hoping to promote our state parks and make them special to
Minnesotans - helping us to build interest and grassroots support in
preserving our parks.

We know this is a busy time of year, but if you could take a few minutes and share with us the top ten places in our state parks are your, your family's favorites, or second favorites, we¹d really appreciate it.

They could be things like:
- what's the best thing about your closest state park 
- what people should definitely see when they visit 
- why they should come to YOUR park!
- Something special that you or your Friend's group have done to improve your park
- A good place to see wildflowers, or birds or ...
- Your favorite picnic, or boating or hiking spots to take little children
and?

These can be as short or as long as you wish - please know that we will be doing some editing to fit them into the various formats. Your pieces may be used in the newsletter, website or in press releases. If you have photos that we can use, please let us know. Thank you so much!

Please send your responses to: legislative@parksandtrails.org

Parks & Trails Council of MN
Robyn Beth Priestley
rbp@parksandtrails.org

Friends,
We still have opportunity to get our message out about the significance of BigBog Visitors Center.

Today, I visited with Senator Moe's aid, and she informed me that Bonding negotiations have not started yet. The Committee is waiting for agreement on bonding number (how big a bill will they pass).
 
It is reasonable to expect agreement within a week or so, then the committee can do the politics thing and come to terms with who gets what in bonding.

If you have not yet contacted committee members, please do so. It is important they understand how important this bill is to successful implementation of Big Bog.

"Still pluggin"  Jer

Friends,
A few important facts about Big Bog you may feel free to use.

The Big Bog SRA is 94 hundred acres located within the Red Lake Peatlands ..... the largest un-broken peat bog in the lower 48 states.
 
Within the roughly 2-1/2 million acre peatlands, and adjacent to Big Bog SRA are the largest Scientific and Natural areas in the State as well as 139 thousand acres listed on the National Registry of Natural Landmarks.
 
No major Minnesota State Park has been designated to educate the public about the unique resources of a bog .... an experience not available on this scale from any park in the United States.
 
Capitol Bonding for this project will have profound and far-reaching implications not only as economic stimulation for the state and region, but also include natural resource conservation, enhanced awareness of
the values of wetlands, increased cultural awareness and understanding, and enabled scientific research and study.
 
Conservative attendance projections from the Feasibility Study indicate annual visitation to Big Bog will initially be at least 40 thousand visitors,
and once we are fully up and running, we can expect to exceed over 100 thousand annually.
 
The 2 million+ dollars bonded for start-up costs during the 2000 Legislative session will be used beginning this spring, for infrastructure construction and development..... Very timely considering today's
economic situation.
 
We are prepared, should you embrace our vision, to begin construction of the Visitors Center spring of 2003.
 
Thank you on behalf of the Big Bog Citizens Advisory, all our cooperators, and our park visitors.
-------------------------------------------------------
March 22, 2002
Friends of the BIG BOG        

Dear Representative Osthoff,

Beginning in the mid-1980s, we experienced a major downturn in the economy as a direct result of dependence and consumptive utilization of a single resource, the Red Lake Walleye.  Currently, we have been enjoying the "crappie boom".  This temporary return to a healthy economy is felt as far away as Grand Rapids, Bemidji, Baudette, and is increasing travel and tourism generated revenues hundreds of miles away from Red Lake.  Unfortunately, the "boom" is destined to end within the next couple years, and we will be right back where we were a few short years ago when no tourists came, not one business was open,
and locals had to drive 30 miles for a gallon of gas or a loaf of bread.

The community realized we had to do something, or we would end up having to leave the northland and go to work in the city in order to support our families. Most of our children have already had to leave because there was no opportunity in the area.  They leave to find work, and then spend the rest of their lives trying to save enough money to return and live here again.

Over the last three to four years, we have worked cooperatively with DNR Parks to develop Big Bog State Recreation Area. Well over 2000 hours (at last count) of volunteer time, and more than 45
thousand dollars in community financial support have been contributed to this effort. In the 2000 Legislative session, Big Bog SRA was created and provided 2.017 million dollars for start-up. Beginning this construction season, those dollars will be used for park infrastructure development. Now, we are only "part way there" and still need the other half of our 2000 request to complete the Visitor Center portion of project. We are prepared to begin construction of the Center spring of 2003.

The 9400 acre Big Bog SRA is a small portion of the 2.3 million acre Red Lake Peatlands -the largest in the lower 48 States. No other major park in Minnesota or the United States is dedicated to the bog. Capitol
Bonding for the Center will have profound and far-reaching implications not only as economic stimulation for the region and State, but also include natural resource conservation, enhanced awareness of the values of wetlands, increased cultural awareness and understanding, and enabled scientific research and study.    

Conservative attendance projections from the Feasibility Study indicate annual visitation to Big Bog Visitors Center will initially be at least 40
thousand people, and once we are fully up and running, we can expect to exceed over 100 thousand annually.  At these levels, return in tourism dollars could exceed 2 million dollars annually.

The enclosed plan contains the sequence of events and a listing of our cooperators is on page 2.  The "bottom line" is on pages 15 and 16. 

Thank you on behalf of the Big Bog Citizens Advisory, all our cooperators, and our park visitors.

The List
Senate:  Langseth, Samuelson, Larson, Cohen, Wiener
House:  Knoblauch, Bishop, McElroy, Ostoff, James
Clark

Please Reply to: legislative@parksandtrails.org
Subject: Bonding Conferees Named
Date: Fri, Mar 22, 2002, 9:44 AM

The Bonding Conference Committee members have been named and held their initial meeting last night where they went through the side by side comparisons between the two bills.  There was little discussion on specific items at this meeting.

This year we have the opportunity to make a significant investment in our state parks and trails system.  It is important that you take the time to make one final push in support of funding this session.  It is expected that this bonding conference committee will act very quickly so please take the time today to call your legislators in support of state park and trail funding.  

You can go to the Parks & Trails Council's website http://www.parksandtrails.org/advocacy.bonding.html
 to see a side by side comparison between the House and Senate on the parks and trails portions.  The big area of difference is on state park land acquisition, so we need your help!  

Those of you who have trail projects, need to make a few calls too on behalf of your projects.

It is recommended that you telephone your support to the conferees rather than email as they will not be at their desks.  You may email your personal legislators and ask them to contact the conferees.  

The conferees are:

Senate:  Langseth, Samuelson, Larson, Cohen, Wiener
House:  Knoblauch, Bishop, McElroy, Ostoff, James Clark

Senator Keith Langseth, Chair
122 State Capitol
(651) 296-3205
sen.keith.langseth@senate.leg.state.mn.us

Senator Dick Cohen
317 State Capitol
(651) 296-5931
sen.richard.cohen@senate.leg.state.mn.us

Senator Don Samuelson
121 State Capitol
(651) 296-4875
sen.don.samuelson@senate.leg.state.mn.us

Senator Deanna Wiener
303 State Capitol
(651) 297-8073
sen.deanna.wiener@senate.leg.state.mn.us

Senator Cal Larson
153 State Office Building
(651) 296-5655
sen.cal.larson@senate.leg.state.mn.us

Rep. Tom Osthoff
273 State Office Building
(651) 296-4224
rep.tom.osthoff@house.leg.state.mn.us

Rep. Dave Bishop
453 State Office Building
(651) 296-0573
rep.dave.bishop@house.leg.state.mn.us

Rep. Jim Knoblach
451 State Office Building
(651) 296-6316
rep.jim.knoblach@house.leg.state.mn.us

Rep. James Clark
551 State Office Building
(651) 296-9303
rep.james.clark@house.leg.state.mn.us

Rep. Dan McElroy
437 State Office Building
(651) 296-4212
rep.dan.mcelroy@house.leg.state.mn.us

Parks & Trails Council of MN
Robyn Beth Priestley
rbp@parksandtrails.org

Bonding Update:

Rod, Roger,
We have heard "through the grapevine" that the house did not include bonding for the Big Bog Visitors Center in their package, and is "holding it as a bargain chip." Are we "still alive" and do we have
opportunity for bonding in conference committee?
 
Any information would be greatly appreciated. 
 
Thanks, Jer
------------------------------------------------------
Yes, much to no one's surprise, the House did not include Big Bog, only funding for Red River for Finseth. As usual, they did not include any of the projects Roger had requested for the Senate District 2. 
The Big Bog is still in play.  Once the House passes their bill off the floor, there will be a conference committee and Big Bog will be discussed there. We will work to keep it in the final bill.

Elise

Good News!!!

On 2/19/02 the Beltrami County Board approved funding in the combined amount of $9,400.00 to the NWMN Foundation - Big Bog Endowment and Project Funds.

This Grant originates from the Red Lake Game Fund, a component of the Consolidated Conservation Account.

The Grant raises our total Community cash contributions for Big Bog to nearly $47,500.00 over the last few years. 

Many many thanks to all the friends of Big Bog. Your hard work and commitment have made the vision a reality.

Have a good day!!  Jerry Stensing

AFTERNOON ON THE  HILL

 The 2002 Legislative Session will be one of the more dynamic and
challenging years on record. Normally, the even numbered legislative
sessions are focused on putting together the capital bonding bill.
Legislative leaders have indicated the session will go on longer than
originally thought.
What started out as a capital bonding year has now turned into a major
budget year as the Governor and Legislature grapple with a projected $2 billion budget shortfall. Parks & Trails supporters have their work cut out for them to minimize state park operating budget cuts as well as sup-porting significant investments in park and trail projects in the bonding bill.
If you¹ve never participated in the Parks & Trails Afternoon on the Hill
and spent time talking to your legislators in the heat of session, this is
the year to begin! On March 14th, we will meet at the Kelly Inn in St. Paul to get an update on park and trail issues, hear from key legislators and DNR officials, have lunch and walk together to the capital to meet with legislators. We are also working on setting up a meeting with Governor Ventura.
Preliminary Schedule:
 10:30 a.m. - Registration
 11:30 - Buffet Lunch & Keynote Speaker
Deputy Commissioner Steve Morse
 1:30 - 4:00 p.m. - Meeting with Governor Ventura (requested)
Meet with Legislators at the Capitol
Cost: $15.00 per  person (lunch and materials)

ANNUAL DINNER

The Minnesota Club
317 N. Washington St. St. Paul
The Annual Dinner will be held this year at the Minnesota Club, in Downtown St. Paul just off of Rice Park on 4th Street.
The Keynote Speaker for the Parks & Trails Annual Dinner is Ted Wirth, a world renowned park planner and designer of state parks, national parks and city parks. Ted brings with him a wealth of wisdom from his experience and knowledge planning parks throughout the world and from his extraordinary heritage as a member of "America's First Family of Parks for Three Generations" as the grandson of Theodore Wirth, the designer and long time Park Superintendent, and his father, Conrad Wirth, the Director of the National Park Service for over 20 years.
There will be a Social Hour prior to the Dinner, so come early and get the chance to network and meet other Parks & Trails members!