WWRC Newsletter May 2007

Coalition Honors Speaker Chopp and the Washington Realtors

On a beautiful evening last week, Coalition members gathered at the Seattle home of Marc and Maud Daudon to celebrate our successful effort to secure $100 million in state funds for the Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program (WWRP).

Awards were presented to Coalition members who had shown outstanding leadership in helping to secure the single largest investment in parks and natural areas in Washington's history!  Washington's Speaker of the House, Frank Chopp, received the Coalition's board leadership award.  And board members Jon Soine, 2008 VP Elect of Government Affairs of the Washington REALTORS and J. Lennox Scott, Chairman and CEO of John L. Scott Real Estate, accepted an award on behalf of the Realtors for their leadership as one of the Coalition's 130 member organizations.

Grants for Working Farms - Deadline July 2nd

Of the $100m just appropriated for WWRP grants, $4.3m is still available for productive farmland. 

WWRP farmland grants can be used to buy development rights, reducing a farmer's financial pressure to develop. They can also compensate farmers who put a portion of their farm into wildlife habitat.

Make sure your city or county knows they can apply!  Letters of intent are encouraged (but not required) by June 1st, and final applications are due July 2nd.  See the application guidelines.

State-of-the-Art Skate/BMX Facility to Open in Kent

A grand opening celebration for the Arbor Heights 360 Degree Park will be held on June 9th. The skate and BMX park was acquired and developed with $540,000 from the WWRP grant program. REI donated over $14,000 for the climbing pinnacle.

Kent Dedicates 3 Friends Fishing Hole

The memory of three local friends who lost their lives on a fishing trip in Alaska in 2002 were honored with the dedication of a fishing spot along the Green River on May 8th.

$300,000 in funding from the WWRP grant program enabled the city of Kent to acquire and develop 9 acres of the 3 Friends Fishing Hole along with a picnic area, a new trailhead, parking and restrooms. The Boeing Company donated nearly $1.8 million in property toward the park.

Join Us for Breakfast - September 26th

Save the date!  The Coalition kicks off a new event this fall with a breakfast at the Seattle Sheraton.

New WWRP Projects in Your Backyard

The Coalition just secured state funds for the acquisition, development or restoration of 135 projects around the state. Use the "My Backyard" feature on our homepage to see what was funded in your city, county or legislative district.

Coalition Welcomes New Boardmembers

At our May meeting Coalition board members elected three new members. The new board members are elected to terms of 3 years each.

• Diana Gale - Diana currently serves as Chair of the Washington  State Public Works Board and as Faculty Chair of Executive Education and a Senior Lecturer at the Daniel J. Evans School of Public Affairs. She is the former Director of Seattle Public Utilities and the City of Seattle Office of Management and Budget.
  

• Linda Hanson - Linda is a Landscape Architect and Watershed Consultant.  Previously she served as Project Coordinator for Salmon Habitat Planning and Action for the Green/Duwamish and Central Puget Sound Watershed.
  

• Deborah Jensen - Deborah is President and CEO of Woodland Park Zoo. Formerly, she served as Vice-President of the Conservation Science Division at The Nature Conservancy in Arlington, Virginia.

Help Support Our Work

The Coalition is a non-profit membership organization which does not receive any of the funding it lobbies for in Olympia, so we rely on the support of members like you!

Your support leverages millions of dollars for outdoor recreation and protected wildlife habitat. Click here to contribute to and join the Coalition today!