Skip to main content Skip to office menu Skip to footer
Capital IconMinnesota Legislature
Skip Navigation Links
  • LRL Home
    • >
  • Agencies
    • >
  • Results

    • Minnesota Agencies

    Information on Minnesota State Agencies, Boards, Task Forces, and Commissions

    Compiled by the Minnesota Legislative Reference Library

    Minnesota Outdoor Recreation Task Force

    Active dates:April 2020 - March 2021
    Authority:
    Established by Department of Natural Resources
    Function:

    The Minnesota Outdoor Recreation Task Force will develop a set of recommendations for the DNR and Explore Minnesota, which will also be shared with the Governor’s Office, regarding how to more effectively coordinate and advance outdoor recreation work statewide.

    History:

    According to Outdoor News, "the DNR and Explore Minnesota, in partnership with the Governor’s Office, selected task force members out of a pool of 140 applicants. The agencies reviewed applications and considered the needs of the task force through several lenses, including the variety of interests that are directly or indirectly related to outdoor recreation, such as non-motorized and motorized outdoor activities, economic development and tourism, health, education, and diversity, equity, and inclusion."

    The 20-person task force was set to meet via WebEx for the first time on Tuesday, April 28 and continued to meet virtually over the next year.

    The task force's final report recommended creating an independent Outdoor Recreation Office.
    Advisory to:
    Natural Resources Department
    Explore Minnesota
    Membership:

    The following 21 individuals served on the task force:

    • Reinaldo Aponte, The Loppet Foundation
    • Lynnea Atlas-Ingebretson, Youthprise
    • Mary Bauer, Registered Nurse
    • JR Burke, Polaris
    • Elliot Christensen, Lower Sioux Indian Community
    • Megan Christianson, Visit Grand Rapids
    • Katy Friesz, Winnebago Industries
    • Matt Gruhn, Marine Retailers Association of the Americas
    • Aaron Hautala, Cuyuna Lakes Mountain Bike Crew
    • Breanne Hegg, Girl Scouts River Valleys
    • Minnesota Outdoor Recreation Task Force Recommendations 2
    • Joe Henry, Lake of the Woods Tourism
    • Hansi Johnson, Minnesota Land Trust
    • Greg Lais, Wilderness Inquiry
    • Perry May, All-Terrain Vehicle Association of Minnesota
    • Sarah Milligan-Toffler, Children and Nature Network
    • Mark Norquist, Modern Carnivore
    • Stephen Regenold, GearJunkie.com
    • Mollika Sajady, University of Minnesota Health
    • Naomi Sam, Mille Lacs Band Department of Natural Resources
    • Asha Shoffner, Fiwygin Outdoors
    • Steven Voltz, REI

    DNR and Explore Minnesota staff served as chairs of the task force:

    • Randolph Briley, DNR, Task Force Co-chair
    • John Edman, Explore Minnesota, Task Force Co-chair

    Sarah Strommen, DNR Commissioner, served as Honorary Chair
    Internet resource:
    Minnesota Outdoor Recreation Task Force, DNR
    Reports:
    Minnesota Outdoor Recreation Task Force Recommendations (March 2021)
    Minnesota Outdoor Recreation Task Force Draft Recommendations (January 2021)
    Note: The Legislative Reference Library may have additional reports on or by this group available through our catalog.
    Documents/Articles:
    Task force to suggest Minnesota needs a new outdoors office. Star Tribune, 2/19/2021.
    News clippings and documents. Agencies Notebook Collection, 2021.
    Record last updated: 04/06/2023
     

    All information on this group from the Library’s collection of agency notebooks has been digitized. These materials are incorporated into the “documents/articles” section of the record. Please contact a librarian with any questions. The Minnesota Agencies database is a work in progress.

    Agencies image