DNR
Home PageTop 5 Ideas by Category
The following are the top five ideas chosen by Doug Eiken, Division Director.
Facilities and Land Acquisitions | Marketing and Promotions | Funding | Diversity
Staff Training and Expansion | Programs and Events | Miscellaneous
Printable version of Top 5 Ideas document (PDF)
Facilities and Land Acquisitions
Top 5 Ideas
- Complete an assessment of group camps and swimming pools. Determine the long-term need for them. Consider alternate uses; prepare a cost estimate for renovation. (Now estimated at $2 million per camp with 14 camps in the system)
- Develop a Historic Site Affiliates Program (funded by the Missouri State Parks Foundation?) to work with private, local and non-profit entities that are preserving, interpreting and managing key sites that complement the statewide, regional and national interpretative themes important to our statewide interpretive plan. This would involve an agreement to develop and jointly promote programs, technical assistance and funding. Develop an agreement (five-year agreement with renewal options) where we might help with exhibits, some funding, and joint programs.
- Develop a more aggressive land acquisition strategy, including funding.
- Develop and implement a plan to ensure we have one mile of accessible trails in every park/historic site.
- Create a list of historic structures in system worth preserving and develop a plan to address these needs by prioritizing and then applying a triage model to determine asset allocations.
Group A Comments
- Buffer zones important
- Greener – sustainability. Export ideas from the Lewis and Clark State Office Building into other facilities; use innovative ideas when building new facilities (minimal impact)
- Continue to focus on stewardship and resource protection
- Do people (staff and visitors) understand how to donate?
- This process is slow. We need a streamlined process to offer a quicker answer.
- Refine education internally and with public - Identify our priorities
- Missing Masterpieces identify our facility needs. What is missing? Prioritize these lists.
- If you had $1 million, what would be your priorities
- What is already there?
Group B Comments
- Explore creative partnerships with other land management agencies and not-for-profits for funding to both acquire and/or manage land adjacent to existing parks/sites.
- Add to state park boundaries but not actually acquire property
- Scenic easements
- Trail easements - Ensure existing facilities are upgraded to meet current standards
- Restrooms/Showerhouses
- Campsites
- Etc. - Double land acquisition budget to start
- Acquire small areas of significance to protect and not develop
- Cultural/natural history banking - Reassess our decision to not use Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) to acquire/fund parks/sites
Group C Comments
- Create list of historic structures worth preserving
- Funding
- Prioritize
- Triage model - Group camp resorts
- Help fund rest of parks
- Could help bring in concessionaire
- Golf course - Develop aggressive land acquisition policy
- Need to better protect resources
- Possible donations to Missouri Parks Association
- More rapid process: streamline - Soccer Fields
- Semi-urban: Outsource maintenance
- Big demand
- Make sure financially worthwhile - Use sponsorships to build facilities
Group D Comments
- Use “Missing Masterpieces” Plan -- finish and use
- Updating 1992 Threats Study
- Increase core funding for land acquisitions - Identify these properties in Conceptual Development Plan (CDP)
- Review all CDPs for land acquisitions - Golf Course -- Develop new park
- Green buildings
Group E Comments
- Upgrade and take care of current facilities
- Stewardship of our lands
- Amphitheater improvements, trails, Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) structures, showerhouses, museum exhibits
- Remove structures that are costing more to upkeep than we can keep up with
- Know costs/benefits
- Take care/upgrade current facilities - Create park buffer zones to protect from sprawl
- Do another “Threats to the Parks” study
- Capital improvement bonds for facilities and land acquisitions
- Headwaters of Bennett Spring, Ha Ha Tonka - Utilities
- Electrical upgrades
- Wireless Internet
- Water, sewer - Are there facilities we can’t keep? Have no use?
- Revisit “Missing Masterpieces”
Top 5 Ideas
- Totally digitized and go wireless by 2017
- Use Missouri State Parks Foundation/Missouri Parks Association as non-profit sponsors for concessionaires and parks to obtain Tourism cooperative marketing grants for parks and sites promotion?
- Parks and sites with new DNR logo signs by 2008
- Work to get all highway signs with brown color
- Update State Parks book (Missouri Parks Association)
Group A Comments
- Put info on Web sites/Expand information and links
- post on hotel, chamber and city sites
- link to Google Earth
- educationally based games
- flexibility with Web sites - Focus on school students
- award for visiting parks and sites
- geocaching/outdoor classrooms
- map of state of Missouri with parks and sites on it to be distributed to teachers to post in classrooms so when a student visited a park or site the class could put a pin in the map. Also put Web site on map.
- more outreach program
- stop charging schools - Marketing plan for each park and site
- Contracting out for Web sites
- Use Division of Tourism’s matching program
- Friends group/chambers - Digitize/Wireless
Group B Comments
- Visit big employers; help with vacation planning
- offer package price
- rehire campground host in winter to do it
- have Internet access there; help make reservation
- be realistic about energy costs; stress to people that instead of driving out of state, they can have enjoyable vacation in state parks - “Learn to” programs
- camp, canoe
- WOW for 10 and under with less manpower - Advertising
- cable advertising, cost?
- Web site: post programs, events, tours, trout stockings
- Bulletin boards
- Targeted and cost effective - Fred says, “Take more risks”
- rappelling, rock climbing, hang gliding
- charge for one day event to generate revenue
- within guidelines - Special events
- new events
- less manpower
- hands-on events (planting, pulling, digging, fossils, etc.)
Group C Comments
- Market our unique values
- Market to the younger generation
- exhibits, recreation, at the schools - Outreach programs: target specific groups
- Increase special event money for advertising, highway signs
- WiFi and cell phones at each facility
- Waive fees to school groups
- Marketing toward legislative staff
Group D Comments
- 1. Branding for state parks
- promote the mascot
- define our identity - Develop package tours coordinated with local communities statewide and national
- Partnerships with local parks and recreation departments (Web links)
- Better coordination and communication with concessionaires
- partnering and integration - Total media packaging
Group E Comments
- Corporate sponsors to partner on special events
- M & M and State Parks
- expanding our partnerships with corporate/private sponsors - Three-way partnerships between schools, private entities and state parks similar to WOW
- need something to provide connection to those who don’t use parks - Embrace new technologies/reach younger generation who are not using parks/outdoor recreation opportunities
- GPS, geocaching
- Virtual tours
- I-Pod - Local cable access channels
- Use existing programs at Watkins Mill and Fort Davidson - One-time special/mega event to entice users to visit at least once; something to appeal to non-traditional users, urban youth, etc.
Additional Comments
- Work with Division of Tourism and Department of Conservation (MDC) to develop marketing of Missouri’s natural resources
Top 5 Ideas
- Develop and implement a general revenue strategy. Find a way to begin receiving general revenue support for state parks: Trails, Katy Trail, new capital improvement programs? Plan to increase this support to significant levels over time and therefore allow the dedicated tax to do more.
- Develop long-term revenue program
a) Differentiated fees -- and keep some money at the park or site for their benefit
b) Use Canadian revenue model to set a percentage of state subsidy goals for each park. These goals determine how each park fee structure is set. This will set individual revenue goals and expenditure limits
c) Concessions -- Find ways to help the concessionaires increase their businesses and their payments to the state. - Determine if it is useful to use State Revolving Fund loan or bonding program for state park water/wastewater projects
- Develop capital improvement matching grant program to encourage local fundraising for smaller projects. Basically, set aside $50,000 to $100,000 a year to match local and non-profit dollars for project development
- Take a share of the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) for state parks acquisition. (We can legally take 50 percent.)
Group A Comments
- Revenue bonds for infrastructure
- capital improvement bonds
- Third State Building fund for capital improvements for new things; can we use to renovate and improve - General revenue
- create idea in legislature that we are important
- get NGOs, retirees involved - Form a committee to re-evaluate the fleet
- get a four-cylinder car at a site, for example, Toyota Matrix or Pontiac Vibe type vehicle - The next great volunteer program (like campground host)
- start in urban areas
- volunteer incentives with money saved
- partners like pavement management, etc.
- other in-kind services
- meet with business leaders for donations, etc. - Institutional Development Officer
- tap into funds not currently being looked at
- salary dependent on how much raised - Create new marketing/funding opportunities
- i.e. Katy Trail, day-use parks
- e-mail to visitors to promote store
- online store and place for donations online
- opportunity for visitors to spend money in park
Group B Comments
- Capital Improvement projects from general revenue
- balance between new amenities and repairing existing infrastructure
- make investment in using sustainable materials
- use general revenue to pick up fringe benefits - Adaptive reuse of buildings
- be good stewards of buildings
- keep cabins/buildings in use during off-season
- use for housing volunteers/interns
- lease buildings out to private businesses: issues include how to make sure businesses are legitimate
- lease buildings to other state agencies - Grants -- streamline for department and division
- simplify process -- Financial and Information Resources Management Program and Division of Administrative Support - Online store
- sell souvenir items
- problem taking online credit cards - Setting revenue goals per facility
- provide benefit/reward for meeting goals
- operating costs (percent of costs) comes from revenue generated
- MRA for parks and sites - Differential pricing
- higher prices for campsites on weekends
- different prices for group camps/services
Group C Comments
- Develop integral core business plans for division and facilities; incorporate into operations plan design before budgeting
- Grants
- Revise consistent fee structure including donation and policy changes
- Private corporate sponsorships
- Recover lost general revenue funding and/or increase sales tax and/or bonding
Group D Comments
- Grants
- Bonds
- Donations
- Fee increases -- differential
- Expand state parks product line
Group E Comments
- Differential pricing
- Partnership with other agencies like MDC on natural area management, etc.
- Develop some mechanism, whether through foundation or other, that makes it easy to donate to system
- need a plan
- brochures
- catalog of specific projects, etc. - Solicit external grants and hire a grant writer to seek grants
- Bond issues: Fourth State Building Fund
Top 5 Ideas
- Acquire and interpret Island Mound by 2011
- Develop a component of the Historic Site Affiliates list that highlights diverse themes
- Consider the following black history sites for acquisition or development or affiliates program (+++ Proposed new sites, virtual museum/tour or integrated historic markers)
- Develop an Urban Jr. Naturalist or Jr. Urban Explorer out of an urban center using Urban Populations Outreach Program (UPOP), WOW or Bruce Watkins Center with patch, vest or certificate. Invite parents for meal and awards upon completion.
- Goal 2017 = A significant percent of all divisional operational, exhibit, staffing and capital improvement budget directed to diversity themes and to ensure there is a park or site within one hour of every citizen.
Group A Comments
- Solicit ideas from minority groups to get a broader view, both in programming and facility development
- Determine demand - Programs/events for non-traditional families
- Diversity should also incorporate non-traditional family unit or changing households - The merit system creates barriers to hiring diversity. Needs to be restructured. Needs more latitude.
- Explore/interpret all themes, historical minority interpretation at parks/sites, outside of primary theme/story.
- Tie diversity programming to some type of employee incentive or performance evaluation, similar to MDC’s program.
Group B Comments
- Bruce R. Watkins Center -- more state park presence
- Develop diversity awareness
- Diversity development committee composed of people outside the diversity - Distribute division information among diverse groups via diverse locations and methods -- interpretation off-site -- promotion of state parks and historic sites.
- Identify allocations for diversity projects and programs, restrictive in its use, maintain its use to promote diversity
- Programming designed as a transition for inner city visitors/or city park familiar, but not state park familiar visitors
Group C Comments
- Limited temporary appointment
- Target diverse workforce
- Workforce 2000 program
- Build resume for merit system
- Challenge DSP pay scale for temporary seasonal laborers, urban vs. rural - Technological devices to aid interpretation
- Supply seasonals/interns with housing
- Will help expose more people to parks who might not afford it otherwise
- Adds to experience - Every site incorporate minority/black history themes
- All sites have activities for Black History Month
- Make minority interpretation the norm
- Issue: needs to be theme related for park/site
- Inclusive interpretation - Track demographic trends to best serve their needs
- Incorporate into operating standards
- Market applicable resources
Group D Comments
- Diverse workforce
- Reach out to recruit employees with nationality/gender/etc. that we want to focus on
- More diverse special events -- Cinco de Mayo, etc.
- Understanding cultural differences - Affiliate with local museums, etc.
- Admission to one gets them into others
- Tie into recruiting
- Oral histories from communities, churches
- Loan out our exhibits to communities - Work with university to get interns to get oral histories
- Inventory what cultural diversity resources we have
- What is best contact point to reach audiences?
- Go to programs that already have constituency, encourage them to visit sites
- Television, radio
Group E Comments
- Demographic study
- Theme tours
- Diverse work force
- Free programming to lower socioeconomic groups
- Target local market by facility
- Get Civil War battles on Missouri Civil War Web site
Top 5 Ideas
- Create a specialized historic restoration construction unit within Planning and Development Program
- Develop scholarship/mentoring/experience/interpretation program with Lincoln University. Could Lincoln also be an affiliate state historic site?
- Set up a mentor and follow-up for new state park and law enforcement employees, and enhancement of the Joseph Jaeger Academy for staff to identify, nurture and grow front-line supervisors
- Get park staff (non-commissioned) trained in non-commissioned law enforcement procedures and techniques
- Use Multicultural Affairs Committee team to train and then go out to focus groups and listen. Examine policies. Why do so few minorities visit parks or are in work force?
Group A Comments
- Create partnerships with other agencies to provide services
- Internship programs
- Colleges
- Groom recruits for DSP - Civic groups/volunteers
- Incentives to move around system
- Pay scale Increase - Focus on customer service training
Group B Comments
- Grant writing specialist/trainer
- Appropriate grant writing
- Assist in the field
- Keep coordinated
- Follow through
- Matching grant focus - Education and Outreach/Volunteer Coordinator
- Diversity
- Sensitivity training/cultural
- Homeschooling
- Recruitment plan, various segments of society - Eco-tour coordinator/program marketing
- Develops packages for visitation in parks and sites
- Staff training to deliver this service
- Partnering with local parks and recreational entities for information and training - Internal auditor – help save/track funds
- Cost effective
- Trainer on financing issues
- Training – spending/revenue - Reorganizing staff/cross training
Group C Comments
- Partner with more national, state and local agencies for training
- Grant writers
- Resource specialist/steward for each district
- Volunteers -- Non-profit
- Expand seasonal funds
Group D Comments
- Existing staff adequately/equitably compensated for what they do
- Look at outsourcing as an expansion of staff rather than reduction. Need safeguards in place to prevent further elimination.
- Determine areas where it would be cost-effective to outsource without sacrificing quality of service
- Evaluate effectiveness of outsourcing - Target expansion for long-term maintenance/management of system. What are those areas that need expansion?
- Missouri State Museum needs significant expansion of staff to truly be a state museum and service organization that provides technical assistance, etc. to other entities
- Specialty crews to get ahead of cyclical maintenance, like historic structures, etc. “Triage crew” - Specialized training and construction crews
- Historic
- Water/wastewater training - Ensure interpretive staff is maintained
Group E Comments
- Grant writers/researcher
- Free up site staff time
- Work on commission
- Do it or kill it
- State park grant similar to MDC Field Trip grant - Cultural resources construction crew
- Expand staff/training
- Cross training/job shadowing
- Take advantage of currents staff with skills - Specialized staff
- HVAC, etc.
- Other mechanical equipment
- Hire the best contractors (not cheapest) - “Last Child in the Woods” -- reconnect kids
- Training -- continuing education for ALL staff
- New classes
- Get input from field staff on training needs
- Cross-training (maintenance, interpretation, etc)
- More practical (electrical, welding
- Encourage to go to Votech - Develop a salary equity plan -- 2008
- One step at six months
- First and second
- Third = permanent - Renewed awards program
Top 5 Ideas
- Expand interpretive program as people need to touch, feel, smell and experience history, the out of doors, and more interpretation.
- Use emerging cell phone and GPS technology to promote, educate and interpret our parks and sites; cell phone museum tours
- Develop new special event ideas to target divisional or state priorities or needs
- Inter-tribal powwow -- Van Meter State Park
- Folklife Festival -- Fairgrounds Park/Babler State Park
- Mother Road Festival -- Route 66 State Park
- Cinco de Mayo Festival -- Knob Noster State Park
- Juneteenth -- Scott Joplin House State Historic Site
- Lewis and Clark Festival -- Lewis and Clark State Park, Jones-Confluence Point State Park - Corporate sponsorship or individual to fund a Rent-a-Camp program or No Child Left Indoors program. Every family or X number of family groups per year get a free night of camping with instruction
- Implement state parks-based eco tours in Kansas City, St. Louis, Springfield, Columbia
- Historic tours -- Civil War, grandparents/grandkids. Co-sponsor could be Missouri State Parks Foundation. We develop program, provide staff and areas to visit. Trial in St. Louis or Kansas City. Partner with local parks.
Group A Comments
- Incorporate new technology
- Downloads of audios for programs located in parks/site
- GPS Ranger to provide information
- Use as enhancement, not replacement of interpreters - Partner with other agencies/organizations for special events
- Take advantage of other agencies, resources and skills - Eliminate/examine events that aren’t mission related
- Tie theme of event back to mission - Coordinate programs to Missouri Education Standards
- Needs to relate to MAPS - Open up some DNR property for deer season
- Partner with MDC
- Youth Hunts
- Focus on catering to sportsmen
- Keep showerhouse open through season
- Issues: by law parks are wildlife refuges
- Work on ways to capitalize without hunting
Group B Comments
- Evaluate current programs
- Develop new cultural and technically diverse programs
- Bilingual brochures and messages
-Training for staff - Travel books with cultural diversity information and directions
- Expand urban outreach programs
- TV
- Video
- PBS
Group C Comments
- Interactive displays, programs
- Expensive
- Need grants, etc. - Teacher workshops
- Tie into MDC education and outreach - Inventory of successful events -- see if they can be used at others
- Take parks into the communities, i.e. Lewis and Clark bicentennial took showmobile to community instead of just at park
- Portable exhibit/program - Programs on “adventure” topics – caving, rappelling, backpacking
- “Learn To” series
- When they complete four, get a patch
Group D Comments
- Do away with antiquated programs
- Be willing to rethink presentation
- Internships need to be more competitive with other job types in order to recruit students for summer interpretation jobs.
- Co-ops might be more effective because they ensure full-time employment upon graduation - Use of Internet to solicit interest in programs
- Needs assessment -- why do programs? What is our objective?
Group E Comments
- Need to technologically update park resources, equipment and software
- Needs assessment for programming for relevance and multi-cultural usability
- Celebrate July National Recreation Parks Month with local parks
- Events on National Trails Day (partner with local parks)
- Partner with other agencies - Develop more statewide signature events
- Bio-science expedition/archaeological expedition (multi-agencies meet and do I.D.), pay us to participate.
- Missouri State Parks -- Second Century
- Set Active Stewardship Goals - percent restored
- Develop Statewide Wild Area Plan- number and acres
- Set Recreation Capacity, Type and Visitation Goals
- Set Revenue Goals
- Set Historic Site Goals
- Develop Training Goals
- Develop Planning Goals
- Have all General Management Plans done by 2008
- Have all Operation Plans updated in 2007
- And commit to renew on five-year cycle
- Develop plan to use bonds to pay/improve facilities
- Set goals -- Minority/Interpretive themes
- Reduce staff by 10 percent by 2010
- Complete capital improvement review and list
- All collections accessioned by 2010!
