General Interest - Big Tent Refresh

WELCOME TO

THE BIG TENT FOR OUTDOOR RECREATION

The mission of the Big Tent is to promote sustainable, diverse, equitable, and inclusive outdoor experiences in Washington state through advocacy and education.

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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 ]

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!

Outdoor Recreation Summit

Bellingham, WA

Wednesday, December 16, 2015

We are inviting you to participate in the 2016 Recreation Northwest EXPO as a member of the Recreation Community. Friday, February 26th. With special events on Thursday and Saturday as well. We will be hosting outdoor recreation businesses, organizations and events from the region to join us and share what you have to offer. We are adding the Outdoor Recreation Summit to the morning Friday 9:00 am – 1:30 pm. Our SUMMIT keynote speaker is Tim Niemier, founder of Ocean Kayak.

Clipper Round the World

Visit Seattle

Tuesday, December 15, 2015

The Clipper Round the World Yacht Race, which benefits UNICEF, is the world’s longest ocean adventure and regarded as one of the toughest endurance challenges on the planet. Spanning 40,000 nautical miles, the race takes almost a year to complete and consists of 12 teams competing against each other on the world’s largest matched fleet of ocean racing yachts. Seattle will be one of 14 host ports throughout the race, welcoming the crews of all competing yachts in April 2016 at the end of the Mighty Pacific Leg 6 from Qingdao, China.

Several National, State Parks Waive Fees for Visitors as Black Friday Alternatives

Mashable

Tuesday, November 24, 2015

Retailer REI announced in October it would close its stores on Black Friday — falling this year on Nov. 27 — and instead encourage people to #optoutside. Nearly 1 million people have since joined in on the idea, sharing photos and ideas of what they're going to do instead of spending hours in store lines. To make opting out more attractive, several parks are waiving entry fees for the day, including redwood state parks and two national parks in Washington state.

(Oregon) Governor Completes Successful Trade Mission to Asia

Travel Oregon

Friday, November 20, 2015

Last month, Governor Kate Brown and a delegation of 50 Oregon business leaders traveled to Tokyo, Japan and Beijing, China. As part of the delegation, Travel Oregon CEO Todd Davidson worked with Governor Brown to raise awareness with media of Oregon as a key vacation market for both Japanese and Chinese visitors. Japan has been Oregon's No. 1 overseas market for the last decade, just recently being surpassed by China. Continued growth is projected from both markets with Chinese visitors spending an average of $6,000 per person on a trip to Oregon. In coordination with the visit to Tokyo, Travel Oregon unveiled an updated version of its Japanese in-language website: traveloregon.jp

Tired, Irritable, Stressed Out? - *Try Nature

Award Winning Comedy Series Promoting the Outdoors

Tuesday, November 10, 2015

Nature Rx is a grassroots movement dedicated to entertaining and informing people about the healing and humorous aspects of nature. This video published on Aug 4, 2015: Set in the world of a spoofed prescription drug commercial, Nature Rx offers a hearty dose of laughs and the outdoors - two timeless prescriptions for whatever ails you. Side effects may include confidence, authenticity, remembering you have a body, and being in a good mood for no apparent reason.

Policy Advisor - Outdoor Recreation & Economic Development

Job Announcement: Office of the Governor

Thursday, October 15, 2015

This position will focus on economic development issues relating to outdoor recreation which includes performing policy planning, analysis, development, and implementation consistent with the Governor’s priorities. The success of this position will be based on measurable results relating to economic development strategies for increasing the number of new jobs and economic activity related to outdoor recreation. A secondary measure will be increased participation by citizens and visitors in outdoor recreation as well as increases in outdoor recreation opportunities. This position is responsible for working with outdoor recreation related businesses, the recreation industry, state and federal agencies, stakeholders, tribes, legislators and constituents to better understand the political landscape and provide informed counsel to the Governor. Closes October 31, 2015

The 7 Wonders of Oregon

Traveloregon.com

Sunday, September 27, 2015

There are 7 Wonders of the World, and not a single one of them is here in Oregon. All we can figure is whoever came up with the list must have never set foot here. They must have never seen Mt. Hood or the grandeur of the Columbia River Gorge. They certainly didn’t explore the Oregon Coast. The exposed earth of the Painted Hills, Smith Rock’s towers of volcanic ash and the alpine peaks of the Wallowas were overlooked as well. Even Crater Lake, the deepest lake in America, was left off their list.So we see your Wonders, world. And raise you 7 of our own.

And we invite you to not just see them, but experience them. Because our Wonders aren’t just for taking pictures of – to truly say you’ve seen our Wonders, you have to get out of the car, hike down from the scenic vista and feel them beneath your feet. Just remember: This is Oregon. So how you go about doing that is entirely up to you.

Washington Coastal Recreation Report Released May 14th, 2015

Surfrider Foundation

Wednesday, September 16, 2015

As expected, coastal recreation provides significant economic and social benefits to coastal communities and the state—these include direct expenditures, as well as social benefits such as citizen enjoyment. In 2014, Washington residents took an estimated 4.1 million trips to the coast, with nearly 60 percent indicating their primary purpose was recreation. That recreation included a variety of activities including beach going (67%), sightseeing (62%), photography (36%) hiking and biking (33%), surfing/kayaking/boating (7%) and wildlife viewing (40%). When at the coast, the average respondent spent $117.14 per trip, translating to an estimated $481 million dollars in total direct expenditures for coastal communities and the state, through hotel visits, shopping, dining and other trip-related expenditures.

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Washington State's Outdoor Recreation Economy Generates

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