Advocacy in the Blog
Current issues affecting trails and hikers.
Current issues affecting trails and hikers.
- Tell Legislators: Please Fund State Parks
- The Washington State Legislature is in extra innings, and funding for Washington State Parks is at stake. Here's how you can help.
- WTA Endorses Funding For King County Parks
- A King County Parks levy will be going to voters in August. This property tax levy will fund ongoing maintenance on recreation facilities in King County Parks, as well as planning and implementation of potential new trail connections in the South Sound. WTA has endorsed this levy and encourages its supporters to vote yes in August.
- Budget Proposals Contrast On State Park Funding
- The Washington State House released its operating budget yesterday, allocating $23.7 million for Washington State Parks - $7.2 million more than what was allocated in the Senate's budget.
- Speak Up for State Parks on their 100th Birthday
- Washington State Parks turn 100 this year, and they're showing their age. Please call your state senator and ask them to reinvest in our state parks.
- What Sequestration Means for Hikers
- Last week, when our elected officials in Washington, DC decided not to act on a "sequestration" deadline, they set in motion a set of fiscal cutbacks that could dramatically impact hiking and other recreation on federal lands. Seasonal hiring for the backcountry, trail work, reduced hours and even closures are a stake in this latest showdown.
- The Legislature: What's In, What's Out, What's Next
- WTA runs down the status of bills in Olympia pertaining to the Discover Pass and hikers.
- Outdoor Recreation Boosts Washington's Economy
- According to the Outdoor Industry Association the outdoor industry in Washington State is responsible for $22.5 billion in direct sales, $7.1 billion in wages and salaries, $1.6 billion in tax revenues and 226,000 jobs.
- WTA Visits The Other Washington
- Four members of Washington Trails Association's board and staff visited Washington, DC last week and met with both U.S. Senators, seven members of Washington's Congressional delegation and key staff from the remaining three Congressional districts about recreation funding issues.
- WTA Releases State Of Access Report
- WTA today released State of Access: The Future of Roads on Public Lands. In an era of major storm events, budget cuts and environmental sustainability, this report is a tool to help land managers and the hiking community assess which roads to fix and which roads to let go.
- How Looming Sequestration Would Impact National Parks
- The country's latest fiscal stand-off, known widely as "sequestration," is set to commence on March 1, locking in five percent across-the-board budget cuts. Leaked documents from the National Park Service provide context to the issue by demonstrating the broad and adverse impacts that these cuts would cause, including $1.6 million from Washington's three national parks.
- Possible Logging Adjacent To Cougar Mountain
- More than 200 forested acres adjacent to Cougar Mountain and the Cougar/Squak Corridor may be logged if the King County Department of Natural Resources does not succeed in acquiring the property.
- Olympic National Park Wants Your Feedback
- Alpine Lakes Wilderness Expansion Bill Reintroduced
- Senator Murray and Congressman Reichert have joined with co-sponsors Senator Cantwell and Congresswoman DelBene to reintroduce legislation aimed at protecting 20,000 acres adjacent to the Alpine Lakes Wilderness and designating both the Middle Fork Snoqualmie and Pratt Rivers as Wild and Scenic. This important legislation has cleared every legislative hurdle other than Senate passage.
- 2013 State Legislative Session Kicks Off
- The 2013 state legislative session opened in Olympia Monday, and WTA is already working on advocating for issues that are important to hikers, including funding to keep Washington State Parks open, safe and maintained.
- Senators Murray and Cantwell Introduce Green Mountain Lookout Legislation
- On December 14, Washington Senators Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell introduced legislation in the U.S. Senate that would protect the Green Mountain Lookout in the Glacier Peak Wilderness.
- Exploratory Drilling Approved On Goat Mountain
- This week, the Gifford Pinchot National Forest gave the go-ahead for a Canadian mining company to begin exploratory drilling on Goat Mountain, a setback in the ongoing fight to protect Goat Mountain Trail (#217) and Mount St. Helens Monument from mining threats.
- Discover Pass Now Has "Choose Your Date" Option
- The Discover Pass just got more flexible. When you order a Discover Pass online, you can now specify the day you want it to start within the next year. This added "choose your date" option is the result of legislation that Washington Trails Association and hiker advocates helped pass earlier this year.
- Protect Public Lands, Preserve Washington's Economy
- A new report from Headwaters Economics focuses on the critical role that the West's public lands base plays in supporting Washington's economy. The report provides new evidence that outdoor recreation opportunities play an important role in job growth. In short, Washington's incredible recreation opportunities make it a great place to live and work.
- Suiattle Road 'No Impact' Finding a Big Impact on Hikers
- Repairs to the Suiattle River Road may finally become a reality after a new finding from the Federal Highways Administration Western Federal Lands Division. WTA and hikers have been advocating for repairs to the Suiattle River Road since flooding and landslides closed it in 2003.
- Recreation in Washington: Three Ways to Have a Say
- Raise your voice in three ways to have a say in the future of Washington's recreation planning. Weigh in on how visitors value the Olympic Peninsula, on the future of Mount St. Helens and on broader issues of recreation in Washington state, like the commercialization of parks.
