OLYMPIA - Backcountry trails in 17 counties got a boost this week when the Recreation and Conservation Funding Board announced grant funding for improvements totaling more than $3 million.
The grants from the federally funded National Recreational Trails Program support rehabilitation and maintenance of backcountry trails, as well as projects to educate trail users about protecting the environment and having a safe experience. The board approved projects in the following counties for funding. (For details on each grant, visit our breakdown by county.)
| Chelan |
$388,380 |
|
Pend Oreille |
$143,430 |
| Clark |
$43,628 |
|
Pierce |
$63,000 |
| Ferry |
$60,000 |
|
Skagit |
$28,075 |
| Garfield |
$72,672 |
|
Skamania |
$83,001 |
| Grays Harbor |
$13,998 |
|
Snohomish |
$105,915 |
| King |
$713,286 |
|
Spokane |
$19,923 |
| Kittitas |
$355,698 |
|
Whatcom |
$140,000 |
| Lewis |
$125,000 |
|
Yakima |
$20,000 |
| Okanogan |
$229,281 |
|
Multiple |
$518,931 |
"Our surveys show that walking and hiking are the most popular outdoor activities in Washington. We need to ensure that people have safe and well-maintained places for those activities," said Laura Johnson, director of the Recreation and Conservation Office (RCO), which manages the grant awards. "These grants help do that by providing money to maintain trails that give people access to the most remote areas, making it easier to enjoy the spectacular mountains, forests and backcountry that surround us."
RCO surveys peg the number of Washingtonians who hike at least once a year at nearly 5 percent, with another 8 percent venturing into the backcountry on bicycles, horses, motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles, four-wheel drive vehicles, snowshoes, cross-country skis and snowmobiles.
The Recreation and Conservation Funding Board received 112 grant proposals requesting more than $4.7 million under the National Recreational Trails Program, which is paid for by federal gasoline taxes. RCO evaluates and ranks the proposals and manages the distribution of the federal funding. The board was able to award 75 grants totaling
$3.12 million.
"Washington can be proud of the recreational facilities it offers," Johnson said. "Keeping them well maintained and up-to-date takes the resources of many different groups, including the grant applicants themselves who are contributing more than $4 million toward the projects. It's great to see that kind of commitment to keeping Washington a great place to live and play."
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