Administration Launches Every Kid in a Park Pass Administration Launches Every Kid in a Park Pass Fourth Graders Can Now Obtain Pass that Grants Free Access to Federal Lands and Waters Nationwide for them and their Family Tuesday, September 1, 2015 WASHINGTON – As part of President Obama’s commitment to protect our nation’s unique outdoor spaces and ensure that every American has the opportunity to visit and enjoy them, the Obama Administration today formally launched the new Every Kid in a Park program. Read more
The Clock is Ticking for LWCF The Clock is Ticking for LWCF Advocacy Resources for You Saturday, August 29, 2015 The federal Land and Water Conservation Fund is a critical source of funding for recreation-focused projects across the country, which will expire next month without congressional action. It is very important that Big Tent members are active as part of this reauthorization push—please contact Vlad Gutman, Senior Policy Director, WWRC, if you would be willing to join the effort through occasional activities like letters to the editor, tweeting, outreach to congressional offices. Read more
Western Wildfires: What, Where, Why and What Else Western Wildfires: What, Where, Why and What Else By Deborah Williams Friday, August 21, 2015 As the Washington wildfires rage on, we’ve rounded up some incredible images and articles that help explain the magnitude of the current situation there and across the country, how we’ve gotten to this point, and what can be done to prevent such devastation from becoming a recurring theme each summer across the drought-ridden West. Read more
State Parks Budget Update State Parks Budget Update 2015-2017 Spending Plan Details Thursday, August 6, 2015 With the end of the 2015 session - finally! – occurring the second week in July, State Parks leadership has had to scramble quickly to fully understand the financial resources available to us and come up with a program and spending plan for the 2015-17 biennium. The good news is that the Governor and Legislature - and park visitors through the fees they pay and the donations they generously give to State Parks - have provided resources that allow the agency to make some modest but significant investments to basic park operations. Below you will see an email message from Director Hoch to Parks staff which is designed to provide a clear overview of extent and direction that those additional resources are to be used. Read more
Wildlife and Recreation Program: Restored and Funded! Wildlife and Recreation Program: Restored and Funded! WWRP Blog - July 9 Sunday, July 12, 2015 You made your voices heard, telling your elected officials that protecting our great outdoors matters to Washingtonians, and Olympia listened. Thanks to all of your hard work, last week the legislature passed a budget that restored WWRP and funded valuable conservation projects across our state that support recreation in our urban spaces and our great outdoors. We are thrilled to be able to share that the budget passed last week by our state legislature and signed by the Governor restored the Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program (WWRP) and invested $55 million in the grant program. The Coalition is grateful for this bipartisan compromise which saved WWRP and ensured that our state continues to invest in our great outdoors. Read more