Our Call to State Legislators: Invest in Trails & Public Lands

Ninety percent of Washingtonians walk, hike, climb and mountaineer each year. The majority do so by utilizing trails on public lands. Yet over the past few decades, funding for parks, trails and other open spaces has been drastically reduced. The 2015 state legislative session started on January 12th. WTA has had a regular presence at the state’s capitol in Olympia, ensuring that hikers’ voices are heard loud and clear, and calling for support and sustainable funding of outdoor recreation.

For 2015 WTA is requesting support for:

Making Washington the best place to live, work, play

Expanding the outdoor recreation economy in Washington state with SB 5843. Outdoor recreation generates $21.6 billion annually for the state according to a recent state outdoor recreation economic study. SB 5843 would appoint a senior policy advisor to the governor who would promote and increase opportunities for outdoor recreation in Washington state. The bill would also fund the No Child Left Inside program, which provides grants to Washington state outdoor education and recreation programs for youth.

What do you care about when it comes to trails on state lands?

Sign up to join us for Hiker Lobby Day in Olympia on Feb. 24

Direct funding for cool trail (and other recreation) projects

The $97 million Washington Wildlife and Recreation Coalition’s budget request for the Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program. WWRP is the largest source of funding for bike and ski trails in Washington. WWRP is also a critical funding source for hiking trails and walking paths. Important capital projects that would be funded include: completing Phase I of the Twisp Community Trail, a comprehensive trail system connecting neighborhoods, town facilities and parks in Twisp and providing improved access and a designated trail at Tim’s Pond in the Oak Creek Wildlife Area in Yakima County.

Your state recreation lands, folks: let's fund them!

Washington State Parks’ operating ($159 million) and capital ($91.6 million) budget requests. These funds would put State Parks on a pathway to restore the health of the agency and provide essential funding that would help reduce the $500 million deferred maintenance backlog for State Parks. Important capital projects that would be funded include: expansion of hiking and equestrian on Squak Mountain near Issaquah by installing necessary bridges on several trails; trail improvement projects for Larrabee State Park near Bellingham; and the development of a safe highway crossing for the Willapa Hills trail in SW Washington.

Washington Department of Natural Resource’s requests for recreation funding: $6.9 million – Sustainable Recreation; $2 million – Teanaway Community Forest; and $3.1 million – Natural Areas Program. DNR lands provide substantial outdoor recreation opportunities, but do not receive adequate funding for recreational improvements and trail maintenance. DNR employees must vie for the same external grants that many non-profits do to fund their projects. Important funding requests include: $2 million for the Teanaway Community Forest in Kittitas County, including the development of a recreation plan; ensuring public access and trail development in the Middle Fork Snoqualmie Natural Resources Conservation Area ($1 million); and trail development in the Mount Si NRCA – the most popular hiking destination in the state ($1 million).

Join us at Hiker Lobby Day!

We need your help – join us in Olympia on Tuesday, February 24th for Hiker Lobby Day. Let our elected officials know that you want them to invest in our parks, public lands and trails! Click here to RSVP.