More than 50 people attended the first meeting of the Outdoor Recreation Caucus, hosted by Representative Andrew Barkis, and held via Microsoft Teams, but moving to a Zoom platform for future meetings. The Caucus meets weekly during session on Thursdays at 7 a.m. so that stakeholders can share emerging information on active legislation. On the agenda this week was a welcome and introduction to the 2021 Caucus and review and discussion of the Bill Report. Contact Wendy Brown, Policy Director/Legislative Liaison, Recreation & Conservation Office to join the notification distribution list.

The Big Tent Outdoor Recreation Coalition is hosting weekly policy calls open to all interested to inform and answer questions about pending and emerging legislation impacting outdoor recreation. Calls are scheduled weekly on Fridays from 8:45 a.m. - 9:00 a.m., January 15 - end of April: Join Zoom Meeting: https://redbarncommunications.zoom.us/j/86820688671 / Meeting ID: 868 2068 8671 or by phone: 1 253 215 8782.  The zoom and call information stay the same throughout session.

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.

SEATTLE –To collectively fight against climate change and advance equity in the industry, REI Co-op is engaging its more than 1,000 brand partners to advance more sustainable and inclusive business practices. The REI Product Impact Standards include the co-op’s expectations for how brands are addressing carbon reduction, inclusive marketing practices and cultural designs in the products they make and sell to REI.

The numbers are in. The U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) came out with its annual report today dissecting the importance of the outdoor economy across the nation. Officially an analysis of the agency's Outdoor Recreation Satellite Account, which measures "economic activity as well as the sales or receipts generated by outdoor recreational activities" across the country, the report laid out in clear terms just how crucial outdoor recreation remains to state economies from coast to coast. Across the board, the upshot was positive. The BEA's report found that outdoor recreation contributed to the economies of all 50 states and accounted for 2.1 percent ($459.8 billion) of current-dollar gross domestic product and $788 billion in gross output (consumer spending) in 2019.

The NPS has undertaken a campground modernization strategy to ensure our second century of NPS campgrounds supports both visitors and employees. As part of this effort, an internal NPS team has developed draft design guidelines to centralize campground design information. These include details on spatial requirements for expanding campsites to accommodate RV use and guidelines on how to meet accessibility codes while maintaining cultural resource integrity. The guide will be a clearinghouse of best practices and design resources for all National Park Service staff and private contractors including planners, designers, superintendents, maintenance staff, concessioners and partners. All public comment will need to be entered in PEPC by 12/4/20.  The National Park Service Campground Development Guide has been posted on the Planning, Environment Public Comment (PEPC) page for public external review. This time can also be used for additional internal review. All comments should be posted on PEPC.  We would appreciate your review and input on the guide.  Project Page