Thursday, February 4, 2021, Via Zoom: Join the Washington Wildlife & Recreation Coalition and the Washington Recreation & Park Association at the annual Parks and Great Outdoors Legislative Day in Olympia! Help advocate for Washington state's premier outdoors fund, the Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program (WWRP), and tell your legislators why Washington's parks, wildlife habitat areas, and working lands deserve to be funded.

[SEATTLE] Today, Governor Inslee released his budget, which includes $100 million in funding for the Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program (WWRP) and $400,000 to create a more equitable grant process at the Recreation and Conservation Office. The COVID19 crisis has affected our outdoor recreation needs in significant ways, bringing more people outside to recreate for their mental and physical health. Indeed, the demand for outdoor recreation has never been higher. Meanwhile, the economic crisis created by COVID19 has made the outdoor recreation economy even more important. It has also highlighted the inequities in our current system, as many communities were left without access to safe and healthy recreation opportunities close to home.

Working in close collaboration with elected officials, opinion leaders, and community leaders in Washington State, with local governments, and with the business community and the public, the Big Tent will focus on raising the profile of outdoor recreation and the substantial economic, social, and health benefits that come with doing so.

The Great American Outdoors Act ends a history of underfunding the Land and Water Conservation Fund and not addressing the maintenance backlog on federal public lands - efforts that have been attempted in the past and have been unable to move through the legislative process. It provides $9.5 billion to address that backlog, and $900 million annually for the LWCF.

OLYMPIA–People spend $26.5 billion annually in Washington to enjoy their favorite outdoor activity, according to a report released July 30. The report, Economic Analysis of Outdoor Recreation in Washington State, found that residents and tourists spend $18.8 billion annually on outdoor recreation trips, including trips to local, state and national parks. In addition, they spend $7.7 billion annually on outdoor recreation gear, equipment and repair services. As that spending reverberates through Washington’s economy, outdoor recreation spending supports $40.3 billion in total economic activity, supporting 264,000 jobs or
6 percent of all jobs in Washington. This places outdoor recreation on par with Washington’s aerospace industry, which reported 237,000 direct and indirect jobs in 2017.

Action Alert! This week could be historic for our public lands. Tomorrow, we have a unique opportunity to pass public land protections, including Wild Olympics. And on Wednesday, the House will vote on the Great American Outdoors Act, a major bipartisan bill to fund parks and public lands. Help us make history by taking a minute to contact your House representatives right now. Even if you’ve taken action before on these issues, we’re asking you to reach out again to help get these bills over the finish line.” https://secure.everyaction.com/HxhszfWD7kOzijEDH4zHXA2

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.

We're thrilled to report that the Senate passed the Great American Outdoors Act, a historic bipartisan bill to fund parks and public lands. This legislation includes major new funding to restore and maintain public lands, and finally ensures full and permanent funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF). In total, the bill means as much as $2.8 billion a year on public lands, outdoor recreation, maintenance and restoration, and new green spaces! However, the legislation still needs to taken up by the House of Representatives and passed, then ultimately be signed by the President to become law. To maintain the momentum, we need to ask our House Representatives to move quickly to pass the legislation and thank our senators for supporting this bill. Take action today!