The lakes, mountains, and forests in the Pacific Northwest don’t just make it a beautiful place to live, they also encourage Washingtonians to spend an average of 56 days per year engaged in outdoor activities. This directly leads to: $26.6 billion in annual spending in the state’s outdoor recreation industry; 201,000 direct jobs; $2.3 billion in state and local tax revenue. The industry is changing nationally as age demographics shift, people move into more urban areas, and technology continues to change the way we live and track our health.  Retailers must consider sustainability, inclusivity, and gear rental as consumer needs continue to shift. Join our panel of local executives and experts as they discuss how their business is keeping up in a changing market and what opportunities they see ahead for the outdoor recreation industry.

Every county in Washington State benefits from walkers, runners, bikers, and backpackers using our beautiful trail systems. Ninety percent of Washington residents participate in non-motorized recreation annually. These two companion studies look at the economic, environmental, social, and health benefits of trails. Learn more

Enjoy this monthly round-up of interesting WA state outdoor recreation news provided compliments of Jon Snyder, Outdoor Recreation and Economic Development, Senior Policy Advisor to Gov. Jay Inslee. 

This annual one-day symposium, held in the fall, brings together professionals and community leaders in the fields of health, conservation, design and planning, and education to learn from each other and explore common goals and collective strategies related to the human health benefits of being in nature, from gardens to wildlands.

Its the kickoff weekend to Washington;s bike season that you won't want to miss.  Learn more

Malcom Dunston’s handshake is a bone-crusher. The strapping 19-year-old works full-time at CSR Marine in Ballard and has climbed the ranks of the boatyard since he was hired the same day he turned 18. “Last year, I started out and I cleaned boats and took out the trash, and now I paint bottoms of boats,” said Dunston. Proudly wearing his CRS white (okay, white with dirt and stray paint) coverall uniform with his name emblazoned on it, Dunston sat down recently to talk about his background, his current position and his long-term plans. “Some of my friends were in jail for murder, and some were in college playing sports. I’m not sure where I was going to go after high school, but the CSR job meant that I have a way to build upon something I love to do, which is to work with my hands and to hopefully make a lot of money doing it,” he said.

Join University of Washington’s EarthLab for an evening with our 2018 Doug Walker Lecturer, Richard Louv. A journalist and the author of nine books, including “Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder,” “The Nature Principle: Reconnecting with Nature in a Virtual World” and “Vitamin N: The Essential Guide to a Nature-Rich Life,” Louv will discuss the central role nature plays in human health and well-being at every age and stage of life.