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REGIONAL PARKS AND TRAILS SYSTEM <br />STATEMENT <br />CITY OF ORONO <br />Overview of the Regional Parks and Trails System <br />The Regional Parks and Trails System includes 66 regional parks, park reserves, and special features, <br />plus more than 487 miles of regional trails that showcase the unique landscapes of the region and <br />provide year-round recreation. The Regional Parks and Trails System is well -loved by our region's <br />residents and attracted over 69 million visits in 2023. <br />The organizational structure of the Regional Parks and Trails System is unique, built upon a strong <br />partnership between the Met Council and the ten regional park implementing agencies that own and <br />operate Regional Parks and Trails System units. The regional park implementing agencies are: <br />Anoka County Ramsey County <br />City of Bloomington City of Saint Paul <br />Carver County Scott County <br />Dakota County Three Rivers Park District <br />Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board Washington County <br />The 2050 Regional Parks and Trails Policy Plan advances the Imagine 2050 regional goals and core <br />values including Equity, Leadership, Accountability, and Stewardship by striving to: <br />• Foster equity and belonging: Connect people with nature, community, and cultural <br />landscapes to better support their physical, mental, and emotional well-being <br />• Take care of what we have: Reinvest in existing regional parks and trails to maintain and <br />enhance visitor experiences <br />• Protect and restore: Protect and restore natural systems to safeguard the well-being of all <br />living things <br />• Adapt and mitigate: Increase the region's resilience to climate change through land <br />stewardship practices that mitigate greenhouse gases and adapt to future climates <br />• Meet future needs: Meet the growing demand for regional parks and trails through strategic <br />and timely land acquisition and development. <br />Key Concepts in the 2050 Regional Parks and Trails Policy Plan <br />The 2050 Regional Parks and Trails Policy Plan includes the following policies, each with specific <br />associated strategies: <br />System Plan policy: Maintain a robust and current set of data, maps, plans, processes, and <br />applications to support regional parks and trails planning. <br />Natural Systems policy: Identify lands with high -quality natural features and/or with high <br />restoration potential that are desirable for Regional Parks and Trails System activities and put <br />these lands in a protected status so they will be available for recreational uses and preservation <br />purposes in perpetuity. <br />Climate Resilience policy: Adapt and enhance the Regional Parks and Trails System to <br />promote resilience to climate change, including the mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions. <br />2025 SYSTEM STATEMENT REGIONAL PARKS AND TRAILS 32 35 <br />