Ashburn, Va. (June 17, 2020) — Today, the Senate voted to pass the Great American Outdoors Act. The legislation will finally fully fund the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), the most important source of federal funding to create and develop local parks, trails, boat launches, sports fields and other recreation areas that enrich our communities.

Hello Friends,

The events of the last few weeks have helped to remind us that we, as the Big Tent Outdoor Recreation Coalition, are committed to eliminating barriers that prevent all Washingtonians from enjoying the outdoors. There is no equal access to the outdoors without a just and equitable society. We stand with the Black community and support the fight for racial justice in our state and country. Please take a moment to read a selection of statements by Big Tent members:

• REI Co-op
• Back Country Horsemen of Washington - BRC
• Washington Trails Association
• The Mountaineers
• Washington Wildlife & Recreation Coalition
• The Trust for Public Land
• Islandwood
• Evergreen Mountain Bike Alliance
• Trout Unlimited

The Big Tent Outdoor Recreation Coalition invites you to an interactive webinar with Jon Snyder, Governor Inslee’s outdoor recreation and economic development advisor, on Tuesday, June 9, from 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. Please share widely - This hour-long visit with Jon will give you the opportunity to:

• Hear what the state of outdoor recreation is in Washington.
• What’s in store for the immediate future?
• A chance to get your questions answered about outdoor recreation during the time of COVID-19.

Register and submit your questions in advance for Jon here: https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/5262703962025706764

Washington Hometown, a recreation mapping and app company, is looking ahead to what we can do to support our community and the recreation and Hospitality industry as the “stay-home, stay-safe” restrictions begin to be loosened. We will be launching Re-Discover WA, a web map and apps for Apple and Android, that will help people find up-to-date information on open recreation opportunities and businesses. We anticipate that the reopening will be done in stages making access to complete and current information critically important. Initially, the rules will vary based on the type of recreation, the managing agency, the location, and even the specific facility as some high demand resources may remain off-limits while other less popular ones are opened.

All people deserve to have safe, accessible places to get outside. In recent months, as cities and states across the country have been sheltering in place, the outdoors have been more important than ever for our mental and physical health. Recent events, including Ahmaud Arbery being murdered while he was out for a jog, and Christian Cooper being threatened while birdwatching in Central Park, are the latest in a long and shameful string of injustices toward Indigenous, black, and brown individuals outdoors. These events are horrifying, and they highlight longstanding inequities in who is welcome and safe in the outdoors. The history of America’s public lands and waters is inextricably linked to our history of slavery and racial discrimination, from the displacement of Indigenous communities to the history of racial segregation not only in National Parks, but most public spaces.

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted nearly every aspect of our lives and caused a great deal of uncertainty, including how we get outdoors. This new set of guidelines will help us protect ourselves, others, and places we love when we adventure outside. Whether you are hiking,  paddling, or riding (a horse, mountain bike, or an ORV), these six tips offer advice on how to #RecreateResponsibly during this public health crisis:

I want to bring to your attention developments underway this week. In anticipation of Memorial Day weekend, I want to highlight the launch of a new #RecreateResponsibly coalition and it’s simple messages. We hope you might join us and consider sharing this note with your own network of NGO, business and agency partners. If you can’t join now, we’d love to know of your interest in the longer term effort.

View Jon's comprehensive monthly round-up of interesting Washington state outdoor recreation news including coronavirus resources; May hotlist; outdoor business news; Governor news; hunting and fishing news; trails; grants and more.