Contents 



Introduction 1 



Parks Mission & Vision Statements 4 



Statutory Framework. 4 



Planning and Management 5 



Funding 9 



Other Policy Considerations 13 



Monitoring and Evaluation 14 



Appendices 17 



Jim Elliott (Senator, Trout Qieek) 



Ed Henrich (Fairmont Hot Springs Resort, 



Fairmont) 

 Dave Kasten (Rep., Brockway) 

 Quistine Kaufmann (Rep., Helena) 

 Bob Keenan (Senator, Bigfork) 

 Mai^aret Moddison (chair. Great Falls) 

 Mike Penfold (Our Montana, Inc., Billings) 

 Michele Reese (The Big Mountain, Whitefish) 



Purpose 



Introduction 



During 2001, the Legislative Audit Division 

 conducted a performance audit of the 

 programs within the Parks Division of 

 Montana of Fish, Wildlife and Parks (FWP). 

 The audit recognized the "world class" 

 recreational opportunities and significant 

 contributions to quality of life provided by the 

 parks system. But auditors also noted that the 

 number of people recreating in Montana state 

 parks is on the rise, and that many changes 

 had occurred in the 12 years since the 

 previous review of parks programs by the first 

 Sute Parks Futures GDmmittee in 1989. 



That first Futures effort led to a host of 

 recommendations and subsequent 

 improvements in the field and in parks 

 program administration. FWP agreed with the 

 Legislative Auditors that the time was ripe for 

 another Parks Futures review, and they joindy 

 recommended that Governor Judy Martz 

 create a State Parks Futures Committee II. 



Futures Committee Members 



The Futures Committee II was appointed 

 under Executive Order 27-01, signed October 

 3"*, 2001, by Governor Martz (see Appendix 

 A). The nine members represent a variety of 

 interests and communities across the state. 

 They include: 



John Brueggeman (Rep., Poison) 



As outlined in the Executive Order, the 

 purpose of the Futures Committee is to make 

 recommendations to the Govemor, the 2003 

 Legislature, and FWP regarding changes that 

 have occurred in the parks system and new 

 challenges and trends that have arisen since 

 the original state parks futures committee met 

 in 1989. In that time, the number of parks in 

 the system shrank from 60 to 42, largely 

 through the transfer of sites (including 

 Canyon Ferry, Nelson Reservoir, East 

 Gallatin, and Bears Paw Battlefield) to other 

 public agencies. The total number of visitors 

 to state parks is now lower, given that there 

 are fewer parks, but actual visitation has 

 remained steady. Montana residents are a 

 larger portion of visitor use (72 percent in 

 2000) than in past years. Many parks 

 anticipate increased visitation during the 

 bicentennial of the Lewis and Qark 

 expedition. 



TTie work of the first Futures Committee led 

 to a number of improvements across the 

 parks system. Parks fees were laised to help 

 defray rising costs. Parks Division established 

 a new paid intem program with the Montana 

 University system, providing one intem per 

 year for each region. Six new "friends of the 

 park" groups were formed. OveraU, the 

 division standardized planning, policies, 

 publications, and signage, and added over $30 

 million in improvements, including new 

 visitor centers at three parks. 



1 



State Parks Futures Coimittee, Decerrixr3, 2002 



