If you spent enough time outside this year, you probably missed a few key conservation stories in the news. But don’t worry, we’ve collected a “greatest-hits” list of news items, editorials, and think pieces from 2013 for your weekend reading.
The Coalition’s work in the news
OPINION: Little-known Land and Water Conservation Fund vital to outdoor legacy, Seattle Times and re-published in the Huffington Post
OPINION: Need to preserve outdoor access, Ellensburg Daily Record
EDITORIAL: Coalition helps preserve state’s quality of life, Wenatchee World
Liberty Lake man honored for elk habitat conservation, Spokesman Review
State Wildlife and Recreation Coalition: A bipartisan success story, Seattle PI
Herrera Beutler urged to protect conservation funding, The Columbian
Cross Kirkland Corridor to receive $500,000 state grant, Kirkland Reporter
State gives millions to local parks, The Columbian
State grant bridges final funding gap for North Kitsap park expansion, Kitsap Sun
Funds for farmland protection, Skagit Valley Herald
EDITORIAL: The long, long trail nearly here, Wenatchee World
Conservation and the outdoor economy in the news
Why We Need More–And Not Less–Conservation Funding In The Federal Budget, Forbes
POLL: American voters see conservation as beneficial investment, Public Opinion Strategies (pdf)
Shutdown threatens small businesses near parks, Seattle Times
Conservation cuts won’t fix budget, may harm economy, Roll Call
A Republican case for climate action, NY Times
National Heritage Area for our Greenway: What’s up, Doc?, SeattlePI.com
Conservation is Patriotic, Huffington Post
Outdoor gear joins coffee, jets as key Seattle industry, Puget Sound Business Journal
Study: Green Space Means More for Satisfaction Than a Neighborhood’s Average Income, The Atlantic
National Monument will protect Cattle Point, Turn Point, other San Juan Islands treasures, Seattle Times