WE BELIEVE
OUTDOOR RECREATION
Matters.
WELCOME TO THE BIG TENT
The Umbrella Organization for the voice of Outdoor Recreation in Washington State.

The mission  of the Big Tent  is to promote sustainable, diverse, equitable, and inclusive outdoor experiences in Washington state through advocacy and education.

What we do:  The Big Tent advocates for sustainable state funding for recreation and conservation lands as well as sustainable and equitable development and human interaction with those lands.

Vision:  The Big Tent envisions a Washington where elected leaders, businesses, nonprofits, and residents are working together to create a more inclusive and equitable outdoor experience for all. We want to find ways to use outdoor recreation to fuel economic activity and sustain healthy outcomes in our communities.

#RecreateResponsibly to Protect Yourself, Others, and the Outdoors

During this public health crisis, spending time in outdoor spaces has become even more important for many Americans. Yet these unusual circumstances mean that all of us, from seasoned outdoor enthusiasts to families heading out to their local park for the first time, could use a little guidance about how to stay safe. The Recreate Responsibly guidelines offer a starting point for getting outside to keep yourself healthy and to maintain access to our parks, trails, and beaches. [ LEARN MORE ]


 

SPONSORS

We Represent Outdoor Recreation

Clipper Round the World

Visit Seattle

The Clipper Round the World Yacht Race, which benefits UNICEF, is the world’s longest ocean adventure and regarded as one of the toughest endurance challenges on the planet. Spanning 40,000 nautical miles, the race takes almost a year to complete and consists of 12 teams competing against each other on the world’s largest matched fleet of ocean racing yachts. Seattle will be one of 14 host ports throughout the race, welcoming the crews of all competing yachts in April 2016 at the end of the Mighty Pacific Leg 6 from Qingdao, China.



The Economic Impact of Local Parks

National Parks and Recreation Association

ASHBURN, VA – Nov. 19, 2015 – The nation’s first economic impact report identifying and quantifying the economic contribution of the thousands of local and regional public parks throughout the country is now available through the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) and the findings are significant. The analysis shows that the nation’s local and regional parks generate nearly $140 billion in economic activity per year and support nearly 1 million jobs.

 

Positive Outlook... for Outdoor Recreation in 2016

American Recreation Coalition

Outdoor recreation leaders report good sales and activities for 2015 and expectations of still stronger activity in 2016, according to a new report from the American Recreation Coalition, Outdoor Recreation Outlook 2016. Americans spend more than $650 billion annually on equipment ranging from skis and tents to RVs and boats and on services ranging from fishing licenses to zip lines, supporting millions of jobs in manufacturing, sales and service. And renewed interest in outreach and promotion by federal land and water management agencies – based around the National Park Service’s Centennial Celebration – is creating new opportunities for Americans everywhere to enjoy their great outdoors. Full Press Release  / View Outdoor Recreation Outlook Report

Several National, State Parks Waive Fees for Visitors as Black Friday Alternatives

Mashable

Retailer REI announced in October it would close its stores on Black Friday — falling this year on Nov. 27 — and instead encourage people to #optoutside. Nearly 1 million people have since joined in on the idea, sharing photos and ideas of what they're going to do instead of spending hours in store lines. To make opting out more attractive, several parks are waiving entry fees for the day, including redwood state parks and two national parks in Washington state.

(Oregon) Governor Completes Successful Trade Mission to Asia

Travel Oregon

Last month, Governor Kate Brown and a delegation of 50 Oregon business leaders traveled to Tokyo, Japan and Beijing, China. As part of the delegation, Travel Oregon CEO Todd Davidson worked with Governor Brown to raise awareness with media of Oregon as a key vacation market for both Japanese and Chinese visitors. Japan has been Oregon's No. 1 overseas market for the last decade, just recently being surpassed by China. Continued growth is projected from both markets with Chinese visitors spending an average of $6,000 per person on a trip to Oregon. In coordination with the visit to Tokyo, Travel Oregon unveiled an updated version of its Japanese in-language website: traveloregon.jp 

Bipartisan Conservation Fund Succumbs to Needless Partisanship

The Seattle Times

U.S. Rep. Rob Bishop of Utah, the Republican chair of the House Natural Resources Committee, earned the moniker of obstructionist-in-chief when he single-handedly killed reauthorization on Oct. 1 of the bipartisan, half-century old Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF). In the nanosecond it took to block a bill with 195 bipartisan co-sponsors, America’s signature conservation and outdoor-recreation program fell away.

U.S. Rep. Rob Bishop wants to do more damage to the expired Land and Water Conservation Fund. His bill needs to be stopped, and the bipartisan LWCF revived. 

Tired, Irritable, Stressed Out? - *Try Nature

Award Winning Comedy Series Promoting the Outdoors

Nature Rx is a grassroots movement dedicated to entertaining and informing people about the healing and humorous aspects of nature. This video published on Aug 4, 2015:  Set in the world of a spoofed prescription drug commercial, Nature Rx offers a hearty dose of laughs and the outdoors - two timeless prescriptions for whatever ails you. Side effects may include confidence, authenticity, remembering you have a body, and being in a good mood for no apparent reason.

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Washington State's Outdoor Recreation Economy Generates

View the 2020 Economic Analysis of Outdoor Recreation in Washington State for details