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!

Draft Environmental Assessment - San Joaquin Central Valley spring-run Chinook salmon hatchery program

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) is making available for public review its draft Environmental Assessment (EA) analyzing effects of our proposed approval of the San Joaquin River Salmon Conservation and Research hatchery program currently in operation within the San Joaquin River Basin, California. The program is described in a Hatchery and Genetic Management Plan (HGMP) prepared by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS).

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Local high tech executives advocate for public lands, outdoor recreation

Chronicle

As discussions heat up over land use issues both locally and nationally, a panel of area high tech industry executives met in Bozeman on Thursday to discuss the importance of outdoor access, recreation and public lands to their businesses. Hosted by advocacy group Business for Montana’s Outdoors, the public meeting amounted to a celebration of the positive impacts the outdoors has on an industry typically more associated with cubicles than cutthroat trout.

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Recreational Immunity Statute Stands

Good News

Good news for the operation of facilities used by the public for outdoor recreation. A Washington court has unanimously found in favor of Pierce County in the Lockner vs. Pierce County case regarding whether Pierce County was covered by the state’s recreational immunity statute when a cyclist was injured on the Foothills Trails. View the opinion
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Outdoor Recreation Satellite Account

Bureau of Economic Analysis

BEA has developed its first statistics showing how outdoor pursuits like snowboarding, biking and boating ripple through the U.S. economy. These prototype statistics published Feb. 14, 2018, mark a milestone in BEA's work to measure the size and growth of the outdoor recreation economy.
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New Economic Data for all 435 Congressional Districts New Economic Data for all 435 Congressional Districts

New Economic Data for all 435 Congressional Districts

Outdoor Industry Association (OIA)

Outdoor Industry Association (OIA) today released congressional-level Outdoor Recreation Economy reports for all 435 congressional districts. These reports are the first of their kind that captures the power of a vast, multi-billion dollar economic engine in our local communities and across the nation. From Alabama’s 1st Congressional District to Wyoming’s At-large District, these reports show that from rural towns to the most densely populated cities, outdoor recreation is a vital economic force that not only creates billions in spending and millions of good-paying American jobs, but also creates healthier communities, healthier economies and healthier people.
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Puget Sound cleanup survives Trump attempt to kill it

The Seattle PI

Puget Sound gets $28 million as part of $8.08 billion in funding for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The Trump administration had wanted to slash EPA's budget to $5.7 billion, in real dollars its lowest spending in 40 years.
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Big wins for people who bike as the 2018 legislative session adjourns

Washington Bikes

Washington Bikes laid out an ambitious legislative agenda at the end of 2017 and we are thrilled to share we experienced success in every category. What this means is: More funding for trails and bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure, leading to more connected and safe spaces for people who bike. An update to e-bike laws ensuring that there is clarity around this exciting new technology while breaking down bicycling barriers for new and different types of riders. Lastly, further understanding what bicycling can mean to the local economies of Washington state’s trail communities.
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Washington State's Outdoor Recreation Economy Generates

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