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THE BIG TENT FOR OUTDOOR RECREATION
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The mission  of the Big Tent  is to promote sustainable, diverse, equitable, and inclusive outdoor experiences in Washington state through advocacy and education.

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2025 Big Tent Outdoor Recreation Coalition Weekly Policy Calls

January 17 - end of session
Fridays 12:00 p.m. - 12:30 p.m.
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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!

Time for Your Thoughts

Recreation & Conservation Office

Please take a short survey by Oct. 2 to share your insights about the WWRP.   Survey Link

State officials and legislators are looking for your thoughts about if and how to revise the 25-year-old Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program (WWRP), which is the state’s grant program for wildlife conservation lands, state and local parks, trails, natural areas, and working farms and ranches.


The Legislature created the WWRP in 1990 to give the state a way to invest in valuable outdoor recreation areas and wildlife habitat conservation lands. They wanted to protect critical habitat and make sure our kids, grandkids, and future generations had places to recreate, and they wanted to do it before the land was developed. In its 25-year history, the grant program has funded projects in nearly every county of the state. As state officials review the program, they are looking to see if the program is accomplishing what it set out to and what might need to change going forward. So now’s the time to give them your thoughts.
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The Clock is Ticking for LWCF The Clock is Ticking for LWCF

The Clock is Ticking for LWCF

Advocacy Resources for You

The federal Land and Water Conservation Fund is a critical source of funding for recreation-focused projects across the country, which will expire next month without congressional action. It is very important that Big Tent members are active as part of this reauthorization push—please contact Vlad Gutman, Senior Policy Director, WWRC, if you would be willing to join the effort through occasional activities like letters to the editor, tweeting, outreach to congressional offices.


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State Parks Budget Update State Parks Budget Update

State Parks Budget Update

2015-2017 Spending Plan Details

With the end of the 2015 session - finally! – occurring the second week in July, State Parks leadership has had to scramble quickly to fully understand the financial resources available to us and come up with a program and spending plan for the 2015-17 biennium. The good news is that the Governor and Legislature - and park visitors through the fees they pay and the donations they generously give to State Parks - have provided resources that allow the agency to make some modest but significant investments to basic park operations.  Below you will see an email message from Director Hoch to Parks staff which is designed to provide a clear overview of extent and direction that those additional resources are to be used.
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An Impressive List of "Wins"

Blue Ribbon Task Force on Outdoor Recreation

Last interim, the Governor's Blue Ribbon Task Force on Outdoor Recreation put together a set of recommendations to the Legislature on outdoor recreation programs and State Parks funding. The attached chart shows all of the "wins" related to those recommendations, and it is pretty impressive list." 
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ESSB 5843 Signed! ESSB 5843 Signed!

ESSB 5843 Signed!

Tolmie State Park

Many of you attended a great event yesterday at Tolmie State Park for the Governor's signing of ESSB 5843 (outdoor recreation sector lead and No Child Left Inside revitalization). Thank you to everyone who could attend and to those who signed the paddles for Senators Ranker and Parlette - they LOVED them! Linked here are the pictures from the event.

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Governor Inslee Invites You to SB 5843 Signing Governor Inslee Invites You to SB 5843 Signing

Governor Inslee Invites You to SB 5843 Signing

May 13, 12:30pm, Tolmie State Park

Outdoor recreation leaders - You are invited to join Governor Inslee at 12:30 p.m. on Wednesday, May 13th at Tolmie State Park for the bill signing ceremony of SB 5843: “Concerning outdoor recreation.”  Sponsors: Senators Ranker, Parlette, Pearson, Rolfes, Hewitt, Litzow, Conway, Hasegawa, McAuliffe.

 

This bill creates an outdoor recreation policy advisor position in the Governor’s office and adds programs that utilize veterans for at least 50 percent of their program implementation to the list of criteria for the Parks and Recreation Director to use when awarding grants from the Outdoor Education Recreation grant program. Having a senior policy advisor to the Governor creates a voice for outdoor recreation that can work to build partnerships, identify opportunities, increase participation and develop incentives to increase the economic impact of outdoor recreation. Statewide, there are 199,000 jobs and $21.6 billion in annual spending related to outdoor recreation. No RSVP necessary.  Questions: call Simon Vila, 360.902.4137 or simon.vila@gov.wa.gov.

 

Date:                     Wednesday, May 13th, 2015

Time:                    12:30 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.

Location:             Tolmie State Park, 7730 61st Ave. N.E., Olympia, WA 98506

Parking:               Limited parking is available on site.


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Final Passage of ESSB 5843 - Now Heads to the Governor's Desk! Final Passage of ESSB 5843 - Now Heads to the Governor's Desk!

Final Passage of ESSB 5843 - Now Heads to the Governor's Desk!

Outdoor Recreation Bill

We have great news to share regarding the passage of a bill we at the Big Tent Outdoor Recreation Coalition have been supporting.  The bill is Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill 5843 on outdoor recreation - and its on its way to the Governor's desk!

A day after the House insisted on its position on 5843, the Senate took a vote to concur with the House Amendments to the bill. The vote count from the Senate yesterday is below. What this means:


  • Creation of a new Outdoor Recreation senior policy adviser in the Governor's Office.  There will be performance metrics the outdoor job will have to strive for and report on;
  • Specific statutory eligibility language in the No Child Left Inside for programs that utilize veterans in their implementation or administration;
  • An earlier Senate amendment to require confirmation of the new senior policy adviser, is dropped out of the bill;
  • There is specific funding in the Senate's budget - $1M for the NCLI and $331K for the new outdoor recreation position - will still need to work to ensure that in the final budget.
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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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Washington State's Outdoor Recreation Economy Generates

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