Public invited to review new management plan for William O'Brien State Park

[Outdoors Junkie]

The new William O'Brien State Park Management Plan will be available for public review and discussion at an open house in the park's visitor center on Jan. 22, from 6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. People can review and discuss the new plan with staff from the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Division of Parks and Recreation.

Since 1981, when the last management plan for the park was written, many new management opportunities and challenges have emerged. The park's land base has changed and many of the resource protection practices, interpretative programming and recreation management practices have evolved and been updated. This new plan addresses those changes and sets forth new resource and recreation management strategies for William O'Brien State Park to implement in the next 20 years.

Following the open house, people can give their comments to DNR staff. The public comment period runs for a 30-day period following the meeting.

A hard copy and CD copies of the management plan will be available after Jan. 22 at the following locations:

- William O'Brien State Park office, 16821 O'Brien Trail North, Marine On St. Croix, MN 55047

- Minnesota DNR, Central Region Headquarters, 1200 Warner Road, St. Paul, MN 55106

- Minnesota DNR, Central Office, Division of Parks and Recreation, 500 Lafayette Road, St. Paul, MN 55105-4039.

The management plan will also available after Jan. 22 on the Web at www.dnr.state.mn.us.