Bringing Diverse Voices Together for a Common Goal
Who We Are
What We DoThe Coalition promotes and advocates for state and federal funding for parks, wildlife habitat and working lands across Washington State. In 1989, the Coalition founded the Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program (WWRP grant program) to address the need to preserve more land for outdoor recreation and wildlife habitat. The Coalition also leads the national Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) Coalition in Washington State, promoting federal investments in Washington's natural heritage and outdoor recreation economy. What is the WWRP?The Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program is a state grant program funded from the capital construction budget that provides funding to protect habitat, preserve working farms and create new local and state parks. The Coalition lobbies the Governor and the Legislature, which sets the funding level and approves the final list of projects. What is the difference between the WWRP and the WWRC?The WWRC, or Washington Wildlife and Recreation Coalition, is the non-profit citizens group that serves as the watchdog and advocate for the WWRP grant program. The WWRP is a state grant program funded by the legislature and administered by the RCO. The Coalition relies entirely on the generous contributions of individuals, organizations, and corporations for our operations. What is LWCF?The Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) is the premier federal grant program to expand and protect our local, state and national parks, wildlife refuges, working forests, and trails. The program has been chronically underfunded, leading to a number of missed opportunities for investing in important areas in Washington state. The Coalition works to ensure our Congressional delegation provides robust funding for LWCF. |
See one of the many projects we've funded!
The Trout Lake Valley Farm is one of over 1000 projects that the Coalition has secured funding for since 1989.
The WWRP grant program is the only state source of funding for protecting Washington's farms and ranches, keeping them in production.
LWCF is funded by offshore oil and gas royalties--not taxpayer dollars--to protect natural resources around the country. |
New report: outdoors extremely important for Washington's economy
The Outdoor Industry Association has released new figures quantifying the economic impact of outdoor recreation in Washington. The report found that Washingtonians spend $22.5 billion each year on outdoor recreation, directly supporting 227,000 jobs and generating $1.6 billion in state and local tax revenue. See the report here!
124 park, trail, wildlife and farmland projects at risk!
Governor Gregoire's outgoing capital budget provided $65M for the Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program (WWRP). While falling short of the $90 million needed for Washington's quality of life, this proposal represents a growing understanding by lawmakers that the environment and the economy are inextricably linked. Help us secure funding for these critical projects!
LWCF full funding bill reintroduced
Sens. Baucus (MT), Burr (NC), and Wyden (OR) & 4 cosponsors have introduced a new bill, the “Land and Water Conservation Authorization and Funding Act of 2013,” to provide full, permanent and dedicated funding for LWCF. Please join us in asking Senators Maria Cantwell and Patty Murray to renew their support and once again co-sponsor the bill!
