Thank you to everyone who has already responded to this call to action!
Dakota County is in the midst of its budget planning process, exactly when public input should be considered.
How natural resource funding is allocated is complex and not easily discerned from the outside. Projects are funded from a fluid mix of state, federal, and county money. Of concern is that there be established, stable, ongoing natural resource maintenance funding.
Dakota County has done tremendous work managing invasives and restoring large swaths of their park lands and green spaces. This is both environmentally and fiscally prudent. It has established their regional reputation for destination forever wild parks and lower long-term costs than built infrastructure investments.
Budget Planning Process: September – December
Your input on setting budget priorities during budget planning process is vital to keep the county doing this work. We will continue to monitor and provide information on the 2025 budget and 5 year budget planning process. The next steps in the process are expected in late September and October.
Thank you to those who have already offered your input – it is vital that the public be heard in the process of setting budget priorities, not after the decisions are already made.
Dakota County’s draft 2025 budget includes a 61% budget reduction for the Park Departments Natural Resource Base Program. The draft 2026-2029 budget shows this reduction ongoing (not being reinstated).
The proposed budget cut will set the Natural Resource budgets back to 2014 levels.
Without adequate funding, progress made managing invasives and restoring habitats will stall and new projects postponed indefinitely.
- Acres of parklands and greenspaces recently managed will revert to buckthorn forests
- Ecosystems undergoing restoration will revert to degraded landscapes
- Natural resource projects’ future progress and current backlog will struggle to be implemented
- Quality natural resource staff may be lost
Make Your Voice Heard
Contact the Dakota County Board by Friday, September 14.
Suggested statement, or edit using your own words
“I do not support the proposed budget cuts to the Natural Resources Base Program for 2025 and beyond. I support an ongoing commitment to restoration, management, and preservation of high-quality natural resources throughout Lebanon Hills and all Dakota County Forever Wild Parks. I urge the Dakota County Board of Commissioners to reverse the proposed cuts to our Natural Resource Base Program, which would be a huge step backward.”
- In 2014, Dakota County’s Environmental Legacy Fund (ELF) was identified as the primary source of funding for the Natural Resources Base program.
- The ELF Fund is also used for other projects, including in 2022 an unprecedented $12.5 million for Greenway Bike Trails.
- The ELF Fund has recently been described as unsustainable for ongoing annual investments in the Natural Resources Base program.
- The Dakota County Board has not identified a dedicated source of funding going forward for the Parks Natural Resource Base Program
Backpedaling on Natural Resource Base Program Funding
Dakota County staff states “there is a growing backlog of work we are still trying to complete” including projects for vegetation management, rain gardens, natural resource restoration in parks and along greenways, plant materials, wildlife projects, tree disease control, water quality monitoring, wetland and aquatic vegetation management in parks and natural area restoration outside of the parks system.
The County’s draft 2025 budget includes a 61% reduction for the Natural Resource base program, bringing it backwards to where it was before public pressure erupted. The draft 5-year Parks Department shows this reduction ongoing for the next 5 years.
Natural Resource Base Program Funding History
A line item on the County budget, the Natural Resource Base Program, is one that Wilderness in the City has been closely monitoring since 2013.
This fund provides for Natural Resource Management to protect existing restored acres. When degraded acres are restored, often with the aid of grants, they then move into active management. Investments in this category must increase to successfully manage restored acres.
This program was significantly underfunded for decades, resulting in vastly diminished natural environments throughout Dakota County’s Forever Wild Parks system. During 2013-2015, unprecedented public pressure on the County Board resulted in an increase in funding for this program.
With adequate funding in recent years, Dakota County Parks Natural Resources Department has grown from one employee to 12, plus seasonal staff. Many acres of parkland and green spaces have been restored and are now actively being managed as healthy natural areas for pollinators and turtles, birds, flora and fauna… and for people.
Dakota County Natural Resources Base Program Funding
2014 – tripled the funding from $150k to $511k and doubled staff from 2 to 4.
2018 – $863,805
2019 – $1,033,887
2020 – $1,083,556
2021 – $1,119,286
2022 – $1,160,646
2023 – $1,203,345
2024 – $1,244,945
DRAFT 2025
Natural Resource Base Program = $1,284,403 $500,000
(Dakota County Physical Development Committee Meeting, 7/23/2024)
2026 Projected = $500,000
2027 Projected = $500,000
2028 Projected = $500,000
2029 Projected = $367,026
(Dakota County Planning Commission Meeting, 8/22/2024)