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

2019 Doug Walker Lecture with J. Drew Lanham, PhD

Why I Write for Birds — The convergence of art, science and culture in making conservation more inclusive

Join University of Washington’s EarthLab and the College of the Environment for an evening with our 2019 Doug Walker Lecturer, J. Drew Lanham, PhD. In this lecture, Lanham will discuss what it means to embrace the full breadth of his African-American heritage and his deep kinship to nature and adoration of birds. 

25th Anniversary of joining of Wildlife/Fisheries

WDFW

This year, the Department celebrates its 25th Anniversary – twenty-five years since the legislature combined the Wildlife and Fisheries departments to bring a unified approach to habitat, fish, and wildlife management. Much has changed in those 25 years, but one thing remains constant. Washington’s residents are benefiting from the work of the people and organizations that lead, stand beside us, and act for fish, wildlife and habitat in Washington.

New Data: Trade War Has Already Cost America's Outdoor Industry Over $1.1 Billion and Added Tariffs Will Cost $1.5 Billion Every Month

Outdoor Industry Association

DENVER (June 18, 2019) – Outdoor Industry Association (OIA) today released the first comprehensive look at the impact of new tariffs on America’s outdoor industry at a tariff town hall event in Denver, Colorado, co-hosted by Tariffs Hurt the Heartland. The data shows that outdoor companies and consumers paid an extra $1.1 billion due to new tariffs in the period from September 2018, when tariffs went into effect, and April 2019, when the most recent government data is available. The tariffs have been placed on outdoor equipment – including backpacks, camp stoves, camp chairs, hats and bikes. The data also found that increases on existing tariffs and additional threatened tariffs will cost the outdoor industry an additional $1.5 billion every month.

Industry.TravelOregon.com Has a New Look

Travel Oregon

Industry.traveloregon.com is your go-to resource for everything from grants to research and marketing opportunities to upcoming events in Oregon’s tourism industry. Thanks to your feedback, it’s now even better. After hearing from the industry last fall, we developed a new site that’s simpler to navigate, offering improved search functionality and a more intuitive layout of pages and content.

Final Budget Includes $85 million for WWRP!

Washington Wildlife & Recreation Program

The final capital construction budget passed last night includes $85 million in funding for the Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program (WWRP), the state’s largest public funding source for outdoor community projects. This funding will allow over 100 high-priority conservation and recreation projects to move forward. In an incredibly difficult budget year, with many competing priorities, we are grateful the Legislature made the WWRP a priority in this budget.

8:30 a.m. Friday Policy Calls

+1 (646) 749-3122 Access Code: 219-922-893

The Big Tent Outdoor Recreation Coalition introduces weekly policy calls to help facilitate communication and information about status of bills impacting outdoor recreation in Washington State.  Join us Fridays at 8:30 a.m. for a quick update about bills. Your questions during the call are welcome!  Facilitated by Doug Levy, Outcomes by Levy. Please join my GoToMeeting from your phone. (646) 749-3122 Access Code: 219-922-893

RSS
First89101113151617

Washington State's Outdoor Recreation Economy Generates

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