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• <br />• <br />• <br />As manager often percent of Minnesota's land (5 3 million acres), DNR makes many local land use <br />decisions directly. Equally important, the agency also influences many other local land use decisions <br />by providing financial and technical assistance, enforcinglaws, and implementing a wide array of <br />other policies and programs. DNR is uniquely positioned to identify, compile, synthesize, map, and <br />interpret natural resources information useful to local governments, businesses, landowners, public <br />interest groups, and other state agencies in generating more predictable, sustainable land use <br />planning and development approaches. DNR has experienced scientists and other staff from diverse <br />disciplines who can provide constructive guidance for and identify consequences of local land use <br />decisions. The Governor's Smart Growth Initiative provides an opportunity for DNR to improve <br />availability and utility of natural resource information to help local governments, communities, <br />businesses, and landowners make more informed land use and development decisions. A positive <br />outcome of the initiative will be improved collaboration and dialogue between DNR and local <br />governments, other local community interests, and other state agencies. <br />DNR's Community Based Approach <br />Many local communities and citizens have expressed a need for better information about the costs <br />and benefits of different kinds of development and the need for a planning process that "could help <br />communities find ways to balance individual needs with the greater good "' (Common Ground., <br />Achieving Sustainable Communities in Minnesota, 1995). DNR recognizes and respects citizens' <br />ability and desire to make the best decisions affecting natural resources to benefit their communities, <br />families, and the state as a whole. To that end, the agency is committed to identifying ways to <br />improve and increase the assistance and resources it provides to local communities (citizens, <br />businesses, local government agencies, and non - governmental organizations) so that they have better <br />information with which to make land use decisions. <br />6 <br />