Minnesota All-Terrain Vehicle Master Plan

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About the Project
This Statewide Strategic Plan will identify strategies to enhance the ATV program of the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and address growing demand for ATV opportunities while considering the long-term environmental and financial impacts of trail development. Plan recommendations will be informed by a thorough existing conditions assessment, multiple public engagement sessions, and a robust statewide spatial analysis that incorporates social, environmental, and infrastructure data.

The final plan will include:

  • ATV usership trends analysis
  • Maintenance recommendations to ensure future trail viability
  • Economic impact estimates of ATV activity in Minnesota
  • Sustainable trail development recommendations
  • Trail development and connectivity opportunity analysis
  • Program, policy, and process recommendations

Project Process


Project Startup
The Project Startup phase includes the development of project contacts lists and a project website. It also includes a review of past planning efforts and initial data gathering for later phases of the project.

Engagement
The Engagement Phase includes several public and stakeholder engagement opportunities. This phase stretches through most of the planning process and includes two public surveys, a series of focus groups and stakeholder meetings, as well as a meeting with members and directors of ATV Minnesota. The survey results can be found in the upper right-hand corner of this page!

Inventory
The Inventory Phase includes a thorough data collection exercise that will result in a comprehensive database of existing ATV trail alignments and characteristics supporting enhanced management and decision-making. The planning team will engage with land managers and trail administrators to build out the quantitative and qualitative trail database.

Analysis
The Analysis Phase includes a robust spatial analysis that incorporates a variety of social, environmental, and infrastructure data. This analysis will help us identify areas of potentially suitable land for ATV trail development, as well as areas where sensitive natural communities or land management may present constraints. This phase also includes an economic impact analysis and an analysis of future maintenance needs and costs.

Plan Documentation
The Plan Documentation phase is where findings from the engagement, inventory, and analysis phases come together to form strategies and recommendations. During this phase we will identify trail development opportunities, economic development strategies, and funding requirements for future trail construction and maintenance.

About the Project
This Statewide Strategic Plan will identify strategies to enhance the ATV program of the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and address growing demand for ATV opportunities while considering the long-term environmental and financial impacts of trail development. Plan recommendations will be informed by a thorough existing conditions assessment, multiple public engagement sessions, and a robust statewide spatial analysis that incorporates social, environmental, and infrastructure data.

The final plan will include:

  • ATV usership trends analysis
  • Maintenance recommendations to ensure future trail viability
  • Economic impact estimates of ATV activity in Minnesota
  • Sustainable trail development recommendations
  • Trail development and connectivity opportunity analysis
  • Program, policy, and process recommendations

Project Process


Project Startup
The Project Startup phase includes the development of project contacts lists and a project website. It also includes a review of past planning efforts and initial data gathering for later phases of the project.

Engagement
The Engagement Phase includes several public and stakeholder engagement opportunities. This phase stretches through most of the planning process and includes two public surveys, a series of focus groups and stakeholder meetings, as well as a meeting with members and directors of ATV Minnesota. The survey results can be found in the upper right-hand corner of this page!

Inventory
The Inventory Phase includes a thorough data collection exercise that will result in a comprehensive database of existing ATV trail alignments and characteristics supporting enhanced management and decision-making. The planning team will engage with land managers and trail administrators to build out the quantitative and qualitative trail database.

Analysis
The Analysis Phase includes a robust spatial analysis that incorporates a variety of social, environmental, and infrastructure data. This analysis will help us identify areas of potentially suitable land for ATV trail development, as well as areas where sensitive natural communities or land management may present constraints. This phase also includes an economic impact analysis and an analysis of future maintenance needs and costs.

Plan Documentation
The Plan Documentation phase is where findings from the engagement, inventory, and analysis phases come together to form strategies and recommendations. During this phase we will identify trail development opportunities, economic development strategies, and funding requirements for future trail construction and maintenance.

  • Public Engagement Timeline

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    1. Focus Groups
    The focus group sessions are an opportunity for the public to provide feedback and ideas on specific issues. Focus groups were held between April and May and were be recorded. Please read the description for each focus group below and register if you are interested in attending. These sessions included a brief project presentation and a combination of polling and discussion questions.

    Focus Group: Hosting an ATV System - Community Impacts

    This interactive discussion explored the interplay between the ATV trail system, ATV users, and the community. Participants shared their experience hosting an ATV system in their area and the greater impact on the community.

    Focus Group: Where do we go from here? The Evolution of the ATV Program in Minnesota

    This interactive focus group identified common goals, concerns and opportunities for the future of the ATV program in Minnesota. Participants explored potential future outcomes and the balance between trail development, maintenance, connectivity and enforcement.

    2. Public Visioning Survey
    The public visioning survey identified ATV use patterns and trends, trip characteristics and spending, needs and opportunities for improvement, and ATV management and planning considerations. This survey allowed both ATV users and non-users to provide feedback about their vision for the future of the ATV trail system and the management of ATV’s in Minnesota.

    3. Stakeholder Groups
    Stakeholder meetings were guided group discussions aimed at identifying concerns, opportunities for collaboration, and strategies that help create optimal outcomes for all parties. These meetings were invite-based and will include representatives from economic development agencies, trail administrators, ATV users and businesses, and land management agencies.

    4. Trail Inventory
    The ATV system in Minnesota crosses many federal, state, county, and private lands and this plan will address the system as a whole. This process relied on the participation and cooperation of land managers and trail administrators to provide information to help form a comprehensive understanding of the existing system. Accurately budgeting for new trail development and trail maintenance requires awareness of the scope and state of the ATV trail system.

    5. Draft Plan Review
    This engagement opportunity includes public review of draft plan recommendations and supporting materials such as survey and analysis results.

Page last updated: 21 Mar 2024, 06:56 AM