Looking Toward 2020:

Outcomes, Issues, and Goals

Parks Program Outcomes

Four major outcome areas have been developed for Parks Programs. Outcomes are the final results of a program or project, which may involve everything from the natural environment, to historical resources, to park information materials. To measure the outcome of a new state park brochure, for example, it would be necessary to determine whether the users found it useful or interesting, rather than just merely stating that the project was completed and so many copies were printed. Parks program outcome areas are as follows:

Outcome 1: Protection and Enhancement of Resources
A parks program where natural, historical/cultural, and recreational resources are enhanced and protected in perpetuity.

Outcome 2: Exceeding Visitor Expectations
A parks program where visitor expectations are met or exceeded due to the quality of the natural and historical/cultural resources, recreational opportunities, facilities, programs, and staff.

Outcome 3: Education and Interpretation
A parks program which provides outstanding education and interpretation of Montana's natural, historical/cultural, and recreational resources, and the conservation issues which face them.

Outcome 4: Tourism and Economic Stability
A parks program which contributes to Montana's tourism industry and general economic stability, in a manner which is sustainable for the system's key resources.

Each of the goals listed in the following section should ultimately reflect on one or more of the four outcomes. In addition to the outcomes, specific performance measures have been developed to periodically measure and assess whether projects and programs are working, which in turn will influence budget allocations. In order to successfully achieve these Parks Program outcomes and manage an excellent state park system, there will need to be close, on-going, inter-disciplinary cooperation with staff from throughout the agency.

Issues and Goals

Identifying and prioritizing the many issues facing Montana State Parks is one of the main purposes of this Plan. Each issue listed below refers to a significant park-related problem or opportunity identified during the planning process by the public or park staff.

Public assistance in developing the issues, goals, outcomes, and strategies was solicited during public meetings and a comment period at the beginning of the process in 1995, two surveys conducted in 1996 and 1997, a focus group session in 1997, and public comments on the draft plan during the spring and summer of 1998.

Twenty pairs of issues and goals have been categorized under six major topics: planning; policy; operations, management, and maintenance; communication and coordination; funding and fees; and administrative.

Planning

• Issue: Configuration and Coverage of the State Park System
  Goal: A state park system which reflects the geographic, natural, cultural, and recreational diversity of Montana, and adequately addresses the needs and desires of park users. Some of the potential future needs discussed in the Plan include additional park(s) in eastern Montana; a recreational riverway system with designated camp sites; and enhanced trail management, including rail-trails and historic trails.
• Issue: Conservation of Park Resources
  Goal: Ensure that park use, management, and development are consistent with what the resources can support, and that important resources are protected. In addition, the Division must work cooperatively with other public and private land owners to limit impacts from surrounding activities on park resources.
• Issue: State Park Management Plans
  Goal: Complete a management plan for every park in the system. Parks with existing management plans should be updated at intervals which are no longer than ten years. Completed management plans will typically be followed by more detailed site development plans, as appropriate.
• Issue: Park Design and Development
  Goal: Ensure that park design and development are appropriate for the site environment, and are shaped by solid information on both recreational demands and site characteristics.

Policy

• Issue: Commercial Use of Park Sites
  Goal: Obtain better information on the types and extent of commercial use occurring at state parks and fishing access sites. Based on an analysis of this information and the results of current internal discussions on this issue, the Division should begin implementing fair and consistent state-wide policies toward commercial use, while still allowing for regional flexibility.
• Issue: Role of Private Sector
  Goal: Develop a clearer, more efficient process for determining whether planning, engineering, maintenance and other services will be done internally, or contracted out. Irrespective of whether particular types of work are performed by the public or private sector, the ultimate goal is to provide the best service for the public in the most efficient and cost-effective manner.
• Issue: Water-based Recreation and Management
  Goal: The roles and responsibilities of the Parks Division and Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP) as a whole need to be further defined in respect to management of water-based recreation, both inside and outside the boundaries of state parks.

Operations, Management, and Maintenance

• Issue: Crime, Vandalism, and Enforcement
  Goal: Work internally and cooperatively with the Enforcement Division and law enforcement agencies to improve visitor and employee safety, and reduce crime, vandalism, and non compliance at Montana State Parks.
• Issue: Standards--Design, Operations, Maintenance, and Safety
  Goal: Utilize design, construction, operations, maintenance, and safety standards to improve resource protection, serve public and staff needs, and promote greater efficiency.
• Issue: Education, Interpretation, and Special Events
  Goal: Work with the FWP Conservation Education Division and other partners to develop a more consistent and comprehensive approach towards education, interpretation, and special events in Montana State Parks.
• Issue: Volunteers and Interns
  Goal: Continue to maintain, improve, and expand volunteer and intern programs, while working with the regions and other FWP Divisions to share more of the administrative duties.

Communication and Coordination

• Issue: Civic Organizations, Support Groups, Tourism Associations and Other Partners
  Goal: Work to ensure there is continued and enhanced communication and cooperation between Montana State Parks and local communities, support groups, tourism organizations, and other organized parties with an interest in state parks.
• Issue: Communication/Cooperation Within and Between Agencies
  Goal: Continue to improve communication and cooperation within the Parks Program, between the Parks Program and other internal programs, and between the Parks Program and other agencies involved with resource management, recreation, and tourism.
• Issue: Visitor Information
  Goal: Work to more systematically provide park visitors with the information they need for an informative and enjoyable visit.

Funding and Fees

• Issue: Park Program Funding Sources
  Goal: Establish adequate and stable long-term funding sources for Montana State Parks.
• Issue: Parks Program Fees
  Goal: Work to maintain a fee system which is equitable, efficient, and adequately addresses the revenue needs of the system.

Administrative

• Issue: Parks Program Staffing
  Goal: Work to secure adequate staffing for the Parks Program.
• Issue: Monitoring Visitation and Visitor Experience
  Goal: Continue to improve the quality of state park visitor experiences through better monitoring and data collection.
• Issue: Programmatic Outcomes, Performance-based Budgeting, and Six-Year Plans
  Goal: Fully integrate programmatic outcomes and performance-based budgeting into Division planning processes. Complete a Six-Year Plan designed to more specifically identify and implement the top priorities included here.
• Issue: Parks Program/FWP Decision-Making Hierarchy
  Goal: Work to clarify Parks Program decision-making processes and lines of authority, within the larger context of FWP.