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.

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#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

The power of the Big Tent lies not with any individual or with any shiny advertising or marketing campaigns, but with the combined weight of dozens of organizations and agencies who believe in the collective value of outdoor recreation.

We are an organic group, with no Executive Director.  We come together periodically, meet on an as-needed basis, and gather each year in Olympia to show policy-makers and opinion leaders that outdoor recreation is a critical sector in Washington, one that brings jobs, revenue, active and healthy living, and tourism to a state blessed with mind-numbing natural beauty.  
 
On this website you will find a statement about who we are and how we came to be; a listing of our current members; contacts; information about how you can join us; meeting announcements; links to press releases and topical articles; and of course some background pictures of the outdoors.
 
We hope you find this site helpful, and that you won’t hesitate to tell us how we can add to it and improve.  It belongs to all of us who marvel at the stunning natural resources which make Washington a special place in which to live, work, and play.  Thanks for stopping by!

Outdoor Recreation Caucus Meeting

January 11, 2018, 7 am, Senate Rules Room

The newly formed Outdoor Recreation Caucus that we had a major role in organizing will hold its first meeting in Olympia on Thursday January 11, 2018, and will meet on a weekly basis through the session. Please find the agenda here for the Outdoor Recreation Caucus meeting on January 11, 2018 at 7 am in the Senate Rules Room.
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Stakeholder Call on Outdoor Recreation in Higher Education

Senator Ranker

As Chair of the Higher Education & Workforce Development Committee, Senator Ranker is interested in expanding outdoor recreation credentials at higher education institutions in Washington. He has taken note of the efforts of Colorado’s Office of Outdoor Recreation Industry to establish the following degree programs, and he would like to do something similar in Washington.
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Final Report on "Rec Pass" and Recommendations

Ruckelshaus Center issues final report

See the ATTACHED Word Doc (“Recreation Fees Final Report…”) for a blurb that touches on key recommendations and options in the final report. Below are links to the Final Report Executive Summary and the full Final Report. We’ve also cut and pasted the budget proviso language from Governor Inslee’s proposed FY 2018 Operating Budget that, if adopted by the Legislature, would allow for the hiring of a consultant to more closely analyze and estimate fiscal impacts and revenue potential of the three preferred options that were in the report.
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State Seeks Comment on Outdoor Recreation Plan

RECREATION AND CONSERVATION OFFICE

The Washington State Recreation and Conservation Funding Board wants to know what you think the priorities should be for outdoor recreation.  The board has a draft statewide recreation and conservation plan that is meant to be a guide for decision-makers when they prioritize recreation and conservation efforts for the next 5 years.
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Simplicity, Consistency, and Equity in Recreation Fee Systems in Washington Mid-Project Update

The William Ruckelshaus Center

Nearly 40% of the state is primarily managed by nine agencies.  In recent decades, these agencies have instituted various user-based fees.  Currently more than 20 unique recreation passes and permits are available in Washington.  The myriad of pass permutations results in public land users who are uncertain about what pass is needed where, when and why.  View the mid-project report to learn status of how these challenges are being addressed.
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Situation Assessment of Recreation Access Fee Systems in Washington State

The William D. Ruckelshaus Center

Prepared for the Washington Parks and Recreation Commission, Washington Department of Natural Resources,and Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife: The Ruckelshaus Center conducted the situation assessment between August 2016 and January 2017. The information collection and analysis and collaborative process will take place February through November 2017. A final report, which will include both the findings of the situation assessment, research findings, and the output of a collaborative process, will be delivered to the Washington State Legislature by December 1, 2017.  Read Full Report
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Washington State's Outdoor Recreation Economy Generates

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