Dane County Parks is requesting input from county residents to update a plan that helps determine how Dane County manages its outdoor resources, including what recreation activities are important to them and what may make residents more likely to visit a park or participate in an outdoor activity.

The Dane County Parks and Open Space Plan is a countywide comprehensive outdoor recreation and natural resource plan that must be updated every five years to maintain eligibility for State Stewardship grant funds. Updates to the plan include identifying recreational needs and significant natural, cultural, and historical resources in the county to be considered for protection. The planning process will seek input from Dane County residents that will help guide future park and trail development projects over the next five years.

Dane County Parks will facilitate two public information meetings to kick off the planning process to update the Dane County Parks and Open Space Plan and explain how residents and stakeholders can participate. Both meetings have virtual and in-person participation options. This is the first of those two meetings.

Join us in person at the Lussier Family Heritage Center (no preregistration required) or join us virtually (must preregister HERE for a zoom link).

As an added outreach effort, Dane County Parks has prepared a survey to further explore the overall public awareness of the park system and any improvements that could be made.  The survey only takes about five minutes to complete. The survey is available in both English or Spanish and will be open until May 1. More information about the plan, and links to the survey in both languages, are available online on the Dane County Parks and Open Space Plan webpage.