Dear Recreation, Conservation and Salmon Recovery Partners: First and foremost, we hope you and your family and friends are safe and doing well in these uncertain times.  At RCO, staff made the transition to working from home and are fully operational and ready to continue our role as an exemplary partner, helping to recover salmon and protect habitats and develop special places to play. Grant Project Applications: We are operating in difficult times and we realize that our potential grant applicants may need more time and understanding in completing our grant application process. I would like to take a moment to update you on how we are preparing for, and changing, our grants cycle in light of COVID-19.

OLYMPIA – March 24, 2020 – Today, the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission (Parks) and the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) announced the temporary closure of all state-managed parks, wildlife areas and water access areas for at least two weeks starting Wednesday, March 25. The closure is in response to Gov. Inslee’s “Stay Home, Stay Healthy” order issued yesterday. Entrance gates and facilities will be closed, and on-site public services will be suspended. Essential staff will be present to preserve and protect resources. Camping and other overnight accommodations on state-managed recreation lands will remain closed through April 30. The public can find the latest information about State Parks and WDFW operations at: Parks: parks.state.wa.us/COVID19. WDFW: wdfw.wa.gov/about/covid-19-updates. State land officials and staff appreciate the public’s understanding and cooperation in this unprecedented time.

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.

OLYMPIA, WA – As part of No Child Left Inside Day, organized by the No Child Left Inside Coalition, more than 25 young people who benefited from outdoor education experiences under Washington’s No Child Left Inside (NCLI) grant program will join state officials and legislators at the State Capitol in Olympia on Monday, February 17 to share their stories and educate policymakers about the impact of the state’s signature outdoor education grant program. 

AdventureELEVATE is the ATTA’s annual North America-based intensive educational and networking conference that brings together the adventure travel community to share the insights, information and inspiration that shape our dynamic industry year-round.

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. 

Did you know that the outdoor recreation economy is larger than agricultural economy in the United States? It’s true. Just as importantly, outdoor recreation provides countless health, environmental and society benefits that are not as easy to measure. But wait, it gets better. As you know, the outdoor recreation voice is not a lone one in the woods. Thanks to a core group of volunteers with a shared vision and the support of REI, the collective outdoor recreation advocates are organized under the formal IRS structure and ar  shouting from the rooftops that outdoor fun is good for the mind, body, soul and wallet for the Evergreen State. Please take a look at this newsletter and think about getting more involved. (By “getting more involved”, I mean anything from writing a letter to the editor on behalf of the outdoors, to joining us for our advocacy day to something creative that’s on your mind. The skies the limit).