Dakota County is developing a natural resource management plan for the Mississippi River Greenway. The greenway is about 27 miles. It goes along the Mississippi River from St. Paul to Hastings. Eventually, the greenway will extend from Hastings to Goodhue County. This will add about 9.5 miles of trail.
The plan will guide the management of the greenway and surrounding lands. It will establish short- and long-term vision. The plan will rank restoration and management projects and provide cost estimates. This helps the county apply for grant funding or seek partnerships with landowners.
The plan will describe the natural features of the corridor. This includes:
- Geology
- Water resources
- Soils
- Vegetation
- Wildlife
The corridor includes not only the width of the greenway, but also the natural areas nearby. These areas include public city parks and privately-owned natural areas.
The plan will develop approaches to:
- Provide community assets
- Control invasive species
- Connect natural areas
- Improve habitat for pollinators and other wildlife
Provide input
Let us know what you think of the 
draft Mississippi River Greenway Natural Resources Management Plan.
Submit your feedback to Tom Lewanski at tom.lewanski@co.dakota.mn.us. Deadline to submit feedback is Aug. 29, 2025 at 4:30 p.m.
Project timeline
April 2024–Spring 2025: Creating draft plans
April 2025: Planning Commission draft plan review
Spring-Summer 2025: County Board releases draft plan for review
Summer 2025: Public engagement
July 2025: Final adoption process