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!

Washington Senator Kevin Ranker: The Way I See It Washington Senator Kevin Ranker: The Way I See It

Washington Senator Kevin Ranker: The Way I See It

Outdoor Industry Association, By Grant Davis

Kevin Ranker, D-Orcas Island, has represented the San Juan Islands district in the Washington State Senate since 2008. This year, along with Senator Linda Evans Parlette, R-Wenatchee, he introduced and played a key role in helping to pass Senate Bill 5843, a rare bi-partisan law establishing a senior policy advisor in the governor’s office who will focus on outdoor recreation and the promotion of outdoor recreation throughout the state. In addition, the law provides funding for the state’s “No Child Left Inside” (NCFI) initiative, and it gives veterans priority when it comes to jobs created by the NCFI program.
We caught the self-described waterman in Puget Sound during a break from Washington’s current budget battle to get his take on the outdoors and what they mean to his state and his own life (At press time, the current legislative session was heading into it’s fourth additional month).
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Congress must lead to preserve recreation and conservation program Congress must lead to preserve recreation and conservation program

Congress must lead to preserve recreation and conservation program

By Norm Dicks, Special to the Times

TIME is running out for America’s premier conservation and outdoor recreation program. There are fewer than 100 days until the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) expires after 50 years of strong bipartisan support. This wonderful federal program works to secure our natural areas, water resources and cultural heritage, and helps open our public lands for outdoor recreation.
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State Parks Outdoor Expo State Parks Outdoor Expo

State Parks Outdoor Expo

June 27, 2015 - At the Capitol, Olympia WA

Second Annual Get Outdoors Adventure Awaits Expo!  Please Join us June 27 from 11:00am-3:30pm for the 2nd annual Outdoor Expo on the oval lawn at the Capitol in Olympia. Free, family-friendly fun including games, giveaways, outdoor gear demonstrations, mascots, live music, food trucks and more!
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Colorado's $4.2 billion outdoor rec industry now has its own office and state director Colorado's $4.2 billion outdoor rec industry now has its own office and state director

Colorado's $4.2 billion outdoor rec industry now has its own office and state director

Denver Business Journal

Colorado now has an office and state director to represent its mulit-billion outdoor and recreation industry.
Gov. John Hickenlooper announced Monday that Luis Guillermo Benitez, a former Vail Resorts executive responsible for leadership development programming and curricula, has been appointed as director of the Colorado Outdoor Recreation Industry Office. The new office and position that will be housed in the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT).
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Whatcom Recreation Economic Study Released by Recreation Northwest Whatcom Recreation Economic Study Released by Recreation Northwest

Whatcom Recreation Economic Study Released by Recreation Northwest

Outdoor Recreation Generates $705 Million in Annual Spending in Whatcom County

BELLINGHAM, WA, April 21, 2015—Recreation Northwest, Whatcom County, City of Bellingham, Port of Bellingham and Bellingham Whatcom County Tourism announce the findings of a groundbreaking new study: The Economic Contribution of Outdoor Recreation to Whatcom County, Washington.
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Klobuchar, Wyden Call On Administration To Conduct National Report Detailing Economic Benefits of Outdoor Economy

Washington D.C.

While the federal government currently collects certain data on the benefits of the outdoor economy, we lack clear and comprehensive data on its contributions to growth and job creation at the national level. In a letter to the Secretaries of the Departments of Commerce and the Interior, Klobuchar and Wyden urged the Administration to undertake a new nationwide study that will provide businesses and policymakers with the data they need to make informed decisions and ensure our outdoor economy continues to thrive.
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House Budget a Step in the Right Direction House Budget a Step in the Right Direction

House Budget a Step in the Right Direction

Washington Wildlife & Recreation Coalition

The Washington Wildlife and Recreation Coalition, which brings together 280 businesses and non-profits, applauds the state House’s capital construction budget. The budget announced today includes $75 million in funding for the Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program (WWRP) and preserves the integrity of the program. The WWRP is the state’s premiere conservation and recreation program. It is the largest source of funding for local parks and trails and the only Washington state program that preserves farmland. WWRP funded projects have also done more to protect and restore Puget Sound than any other program.
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Washington State's Outdoor Recreation Economy Generates

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