properties and serves as curator for an 

 extensive artifacts collection. The Lewis and 

 Qark Commission focuses on the 

 bicentennial of the Corps of Discovery 

 expedition. Within PJCP, Parks Division 

 manages 42 state parks and 320 FASs. Among 

 state agencies, only Travel Montana has the 

 primary focus of promoting tourism. 



Montana can strengthen its economy by 

 thoughtfully planning for and investing in 

 tourism and envirorunental quality. This will 

 require a concerted, coordinated, more 

 efficient effort on the part of state 

 government. To do so, the Futures 

 Committee recommends that, over the long 

 term; 



• The state consolidate the planning and 

 administration of outdoor, culture, 

 and history- related recreation and 

 tourism in one agency to save money, 

 avoid duplication of efforts, and 

 increase effectiveness. This 

 arrangement would not remove 

 authority for tourism promotion from 

 Travel Montana or curator services 

 from the Hstorical Society. 



• This recreation and tourism agency 

 serve as a recreation extension service 

 to help the private sector develop 

 outdoor, cultural, and historic heritage 

 tourism businesses. 



• This agency serve as the coordinator 

 of statewide efforts to develop and 

 update a State Outdoor Recreation 

 Plan and as the state's representative 

 with groups such as the Interagency 

 Travel Tourism Initiative. 



• State parks be managed to enhance 

 economic diversification and to supply 

 a variety of outdoor, cultural, and 

 historic experiences, including the 

 creation of linear parks along historic 

 pioneer trails and rivers. 



Recommendation 17 : The Paries Division 

 and FWP Commission should develop a 



uniform policy on the commetx:ial use of 

 state parks. The policy should provide 

 sufficient flexibility to meet local needs and 

 interests and balance local and statewide 



interests. 



Recommendation 18 : The Legislature, 

 FWP Commission, and Parits Division 

 should provide sufficient resources for 

 enforcement to protect public health and 

 safety, as well as park resources. 



monitoring and 

 Evaluation 



The recommendations in this report are 

 intended to maintain and improve Montana's 

 state parks system as we move into the 21" 

 century. Many challenges and opportunities 

 will arise as these recommendations are 

 implemented. To help ensure that the 

 recommendations have the desired effects and 

 are tailored to best serve the parks and their 

 visitors, we urge Montana's citizens and 

 public officials to constructively monitor and 

 evaluate implementation. We encourage the 

 Govemor's Office; FWP Commission; and 

 FWP Director to work with Parks Division 

 throughout this process and to hold one 

 another accountable to the mission and vision 

 of the parks system. 



The committee also recommends that Parks 

 Division periodically report to the public on 

 progress through articles in its newsletter and 

 on the department web site. Further, we 

 encourage the Legislative Audit Division to 

 review Parks Division progress at appropriate 

 intervals. 



14 



State Parks Futures ComnvOee, December}, 2002 



