Minnesotans love our Great Outdoors, and we are willing to do what it takes to improve our favorite parks and open spaces. Dakota County is no exception. It is home to some of our most iconic examples of natural beauty here in our state—places like Lebanon Hills Regional Park, the Minnesota and Mississippi Rivers, Sand Coulee, and Whitetail Woods. As demand grows in Dakota County for more access to nature and parks, now is the time to start thinking about the future.
In March, the Dakota County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously to release the Draft Land Conservation Plan for a final 60-day public review. This plan will improve and expand parks and natural areas and will grow collaboration between cities and the county. The draft plan also focuses on important groundwater recharge areas to help maintain drinking water quality by working closely with the new Groundwater Protection Plan that is currently being developed. The county’s land protection work has had strong public support in the past, and now is the time to speak up and share comments on this new plan.
If you live in Dakota County and want to know how you can help support the Dakota County Draft Land Conservation Plan, you can reach me at avery@conservationminnesota.org