Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Tatanka Bluffs Corridor Inc.: The Minnesota River - The Back-Bone To Creating An Economic Advantage
Tatanka Bluffs Corridor Inc.: The Minnesota River - The Back-Bone To Creating An Economic Advantage
.promoting recreational opportunities in the heart of the Minnesota River Valley. Discover our Secrets!
Issue 1, First Quarter, 2012
SAVE THE DATE: FRIDAY, March 16, 2012 10 a.m.NOON Renville County Government Center Regional meeting Olivia A
this issue
An Economic Advantage P.1 TBC Accomplishments P.3 Friends of Renville County P.4 MVRRA Update P.4 Fundraising P. 4 Renville Rangers Shooting Club P. 5 3-16 Regional meetingP 6
www.tatankabluffs.com
outcroppings, public parks, hunting areas, fishing opportunities, wildlife observation areas, the Minnesota River Valley National Scenic Byway, a variety of trail systems, and one of the most significant cultural sites in Minnesota the location of the US/Dakota Conflict of 1862. The CALP team faced a major question: Could the river that has politically divided this region for over 150 years be the very asset that people from both sides of the river could rally around? Can this citizens group organize to create a regional recreation destination and produce an economic advantage for communities along the Minnesota River? The Tatanka Bluffs Corridor (TBC) is now actively planning and working to develop the underutilized resources of the Minnesota River Valley. They hope to create Minnesotas newest regional recreation destination over the next 25 years. The goal is to make this a green corridor with the designated water trail winding through the center of it, a Corridor of Trails, that will be an affordable recreation destination for families, resulting in long-term, significant economic and quality of life advantages for these 26 communitiesseamed together by the river. The plan encourages partner groups to collaborate with planning and development initiatives within the corridor, where each partner leads within their area of interest and passion. This has created a synergism of activity and produced accomplishments that would never have been possible without setting aside territorial differences and focusing on what the coalition can accomplish across the entire landscape. TBC recognizes the importance of their agency partners, especially the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (whose assistance and cooperation has been phenomenal) and the local recreational and wildlife clubs, who share the passion. The coalition has a measured and reasonable land acquisition plan for creating and enhancing outdoor recreation. These enhanced opportunities ultimately create an outdoor recreational economy with the Minnesota River as the back-bone to this outdoor recreational system. A key part of the recreational development vision is to design a Corridor of Trails that uses the Minnesota River water trail as its spine. The success of this innovative, locally-driven process will be determined by the ability of the partnering stakeholders to help each other. As one of partners has stated, As a leader for community-based conservation, Great River Greening is thrilled to partner with such a passionate and driven group of citizens and we are proud of our role in orchestrating the Middle Minnesota Valley Conservation Plan and making connections for the group. For this vision to be realized, partners must support partners. The closer each partnership group realizes their maximum potential, the greater the economic advantages will be throughout the Tatanka Bluffs Corridor along the Minnesota River Valley.
SAVE THE DATE: FRIDAY, March 16, 2012 10 a.m.NOON Renville County Government Center Regional meeting
Evolved from the 2006 Blandin Foundations Community Advanced Leadership Program training (CALP) Identified the natural history and ecological resources of the Minnesota River Valley (MRV) as the regions most underutilized assets with the most economic advantage potential Organized regionally and developed a community economic advantage (CEA) model for developing the Tatanka Bluffs Corridor into a competitive regional outdoor recreation destination for camping, ATV parks, hiking, biking, horse trail riding, canoeing, snowmobiling, birding, fishing, hunting and ecological, cultural and historical interpretation Defined the CEA target area as the MRV corridor from the Upper Sioux Agency State Park to Fort Ridgely State Park, including all 26 communities in Redwood and Renville Counties
Initiated collaborations with stakeholder groups to develop a vision for an integrated system of recreational trails and public infrastructure to support a competitive regional recreation destination Is an incubator for ideas and regional leadership collaboration for implementing recreational/educational projects on the ground
Relationships with other organizations: TBC is actively engaged with associated stakeholder groups:
Since 2008 to present the Green Corridor Legacy Initiative has been successful in securing $9.2 million dollars in state funding appropriations/recommendations to create an expanded outdoor recreational system of public lands in a nine (9) county program area of the mid-section of the Minnesota River Watershed. All of these grants are focused on creating a legacy of habitat connectivity and regional economic viability sustained by outdoor recreational tourism by creating public assess to outdoor recreational systems. Grants were awarded from the Environment & Natural Resource Trust Fund (ENRTF) and from the Clean Water, Land, and Legacy Fund. All of these grants have or will be used to acquire and restore public lands for Wildlife Management Areas (WMA), Aquatic Management Areas (AMA), and Scientific and Natural Areas (SNA) as well as an expansion project at Ft. Ridgely State Park. To date nearly 1,100 acres have been acquired with an additional 750 acres currently being considered. The Green Corridor Legacy program has also played a significant role in assisting the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and other wildlife and conservation groups in
Minnesota River Watershed Alliance: improvements to the Minnesota River Water Tail Green Corridor and MN DNR: completing a public land bridge between the two state parks Renville County Parks Commission: Improved park amenities and trail connections for each county park to serve as a trail oasis for the integrated system of trails between the two state parks Renville County Board of Commissioners
acquiring an additional 1,000 acres of WMA and AMA in the program area.
Other news of great significance is the recent announcement by the US Department of Interior that the Upper Minnesota River Valley was designated as a Blue-way corridor under the new federal program called the Americas Great Outdoor initiative. Regional planning for this new initiative is currently underway and the Green Corridor program is playing a key role in
the development and planning of this new federal initiative. Fundraising Appeal All of this work by the Green Corridor comes at a cost to human and financial resources and the Green Corridor Board of Directors is actively seeking donations rom individuals, organizations, businesses, and civic groups to help sustain the intensive planning and implementation of all of these programs and initiatives. The Green Corridor program is at a crossroads and we will not be able to continue these and many other efforts without this financial support. It is imperative that the Tatanka Bluffs Corridor (TBC) and all of our regional partners and stakeholders assist in supporting this financial campaign with our goal to raise $60,000 in 2012. Your tax deductible donation can be made out to: Green Corridor Inc. (a 501c3 non-profit) and mailed to Green Corridor Inc., 200 S. Mill St. Redwood Falls MN 56283.
Parks.
Brad
Cobb (far right) Program Manager for Green Corridor with his 2011 MN Governors Pheasant Opener hunting party
Maybe Tatanka Bluffs and Green Corridor should consider putting in a bid to the Governors office for the Hunting Opener for 2013or 2014. It has already been decided it will be in Marshall/Lyon County for 2012!!! With the hotels we have in our area and our bookend Casinos.it would certainly be worth a pitch! Horseback riding at Skalbekken Park! What a great way to enjoy the outdoors on a Sunny afternoon! Great walking paths, canoeing, and camping! Come visit all the parks in Tatanka Bluffs this summer! Consider a letter of support for the proposed ATV Park!!!!
MVRRA receiving its 7.5 miles of continuous welded rail last August 1600 sections
One of the best kept secrets in our area is that Renville County has Redwood and Renville County one of the top shooting clubs and Trail Committees: connecting ranges in the State of Minnesota. trails to the 26 communities The Renville Rangers Shooting Green Corridor Horse Trails: Club is located just over a mile developing a state park to state north of Bird Island on County park horse trail system Road 5. This is a members-only shooting club that was named after Minnesota Valley ATV Riders: a bunch of young men of questiondeveloping a major league ATV able character who were going to park in Renville County volunteer for the U.S. Army at Fort MN Valley Sno-Riders: developRidgely, for fighting in the Civil ing more snowmobile trails from War in 1862. They helped to defeat state park to state park the Indian attack on Fort Ridgely, which overlooks the Valley of the Minnesota River Valley National Minnesota River. Scenic Byway Alliance: paving the
MRV road trail Family membership is only $30 and members often bring guests to Minnesota Valley History Learnthe facility to shoot trap, skeet, or ing Center: developing an educarifles and handguns on the various tional gateway that inspires citiranges. Range length varies from 50 zens to connect to the unique natfeet to 200 yards. The shooting ural, cultural, and recreational oplines are covered with shade and portunities within the MRV rain protection. In the spring and summer months, the skeet/trap Minnesota Valley Regional Rail ranges are open on Sunday afterAuthority: developing vintage noon and at other times as memrecreational passenger rail service bers choose. connecting the metro area from
Trails
Minnesota Valley ATV
Riders
Green Corridor -
two Parks & Trails Legacy grants for Alexander Ramsey Park
Renville County - $194,000
Parks & Trails Legacy grant for Beaver Falls County Park
MATAG Award (2010) $100,000 Blandin Grant
The RRSC has a nice clubhouse for members to gather when the ranges are busy. Members like to gather for conversation about their favorite sports and sip a soda on a nice summer day. Once in a while the club plays host for shooting tournaments and rendezvous of re-enactors and such on the site. Classes in firearms safety and Concealed Carry are offered at the clubhouse at the range. New members are always welcome.! For more information email wogenjonr@q.com
the Hopkins Light Rail Transit Station to both FRSP and USASP
Center
(2011-2012) in partnership with Center for Changing Landscapes & Conservation Corps of Minnesota engaging youth in environmental preservation & recreational infrastructure development projects in the Minnesota River Valley (See photo above of our great crew who did the work along with Staff from Renville County Parks!
Dick Hagen, Olivia Nancy Standfuss, Olivia Annie Tepfer, Danube Matt Baumgartner, Olivia Jon Wogen, Olivia Colleen Marcus, Redwood Falls Alyssa Adam, Redwood Falls Barb Wille, Lamberton
SAVE THE DATEMarch 16, 2012 10 a.m. NOON: Regional Informational meeting Open to all who are interested in:
Attracting a skilled workforce to our area for your future employment base Promoting our regional assets Looking to bring more people to visit and move to our area Finding out more about the Minnesota Valley History Learning Center Hearing the update on the proposed ATV Park in Renville County Guest speaker: Dennis Fredrickson, Southern DivisionDNR officeNew Ulm .and others!
ISSUE 01 2012