It took less than a week for Superfeet employee-owners to mobilize their product development and operations departments to pivot from insole production to making life-saving equipment using their Ferndale 3D printing and manufacturing facilities. Approximately 30,000 of these PPE masks will be produced and distributed to hospitals in the Pacific Northwest immediately.

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.

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.

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. 

The inherent risks of navigating wild landscapes — trying to traverse avalanche terrain in the mountains, for instance — can be reduced when a group of adventurers works together to solve the problem. It’s an increasingly popular tactic used to hone backcountry decision-making in dicey situations: Come together, listen to every voice and find a solution that works for everyone. The all-together concept aids outdoor explorers on the micro level, but it appears to also be emerging on a macro level, with the outdoor recreation industry asserting newfound power as an economic, political and cultural force. It helps that outdoor recreation — including hiking, camping, hunting, boating and climbing — has considerable industrial clout, accounting for $427.2 billion, or 2.2%, of U.S. gross domestic product in 2017.

RCO conducted a study of recreational assets of statewide significance. These are outdoor places that make Washington a great place to live. They include local facilities that support the most popular forms of recreation in our state as well as marque, popular, and destination sites that have a regional or statewide draw. This study identifies these assets, where gaps may exist, and recommendations and investment strategies to fill these gaps. The study also forecasts needs through 2040 and how this study will implement the goals of the Washington State Recreation and Conservation Plan.  READ THE STUDY of assets of statewide significance and VIEW MAPS of the foundational assets.