DNR Update 4-19-2010

[Grumpy]

April 19, 2010


Hi, folks

It has been awhile since my last e-mail. I thought it would be good to catch you up on several important items from the Washington State Department of Natural Resources’ (DNR) Recreation Program.

State supplemental budget is out; Legislature goes home

Last week, the Legislature just passed the supplemental budget. I’m pleased to report that DNR’s Recreation Program was spared any further general fund budget cuts. This means we will be able to keep open facilities such as Mt Si, McLane Creek, Lake Spokane, Cypress Island and 16 other recreation facilities that the general fund supports.

And more good news: the Legislature also granted our request to allocate an additional $200,000 from the ORV account (portion of the fuel tax). These funds will be used to partially plug the loss of $1.5 million in grant funding we normally receive from the Nonhighway and Off-road Activities (NOVA) program. The funding from the ORV account is used to maintain facilities, trails, and provide education and enforcement staff.

Developing the 2011-2013 budget…your input needed

Believe it or not, it is time to start developing the Recreation Programs budget for the 2011–2013 biennium. And if we thought this year was difficult, we fully expect to have even more challenges with funding next session as state economists are predicting a $3 billion shortfall.


My initial thoughts are that the focus for the 11-13 budget will be on:

- Maintaining existing facilities and trails.

- Providing education and enforcement.

- Implementing the recreation plans for Reiter Foothills Forest, Ahtanum State Forest, and Western Yacolt Burn Forest.

- Addressing the impacts of unauthorized trail building on water quality.

- Conducting recreation planning in three additional landscapes to ensure safe, sustainable, and enjoyable recreation opportunities on state trust lands.


You can help with the last item by providing us with your thoughts on where we should focus our next three comprehensive planning processes in the coming years.

A couple of years ago, DNR field staff identified the blocks of state trust lands that the public is actively using, whether or not these areas have been designated for recreation. (For example: Reiter Foothills Forest had not yet been designated as a recreation area, but it is on our list of areas where recreation occurs.) DNR staff will be reviewing this information in the next few weeks to make sure the information is still accurate. I would also appreciate it if you could take a look at the list of landscapes to make sure the information is correct.

- Map of DNR’s recreation landscapes.

- Inventory of recreation landscapes.


If you have anything to add to this list, please get back to me by May 5.


After we’ve updated the list of landscapes, we will be establishing criteria for ranking which landscapes most need planning.

In addition, we will be interested in exploring further with you the recommendations from the Sustainable Recreation Work Group. The bill containing some of the work group’s recommendations (HB 2480) died in session this year. We’ll be reaching out to our user groups to get their suggestions on what might be viable for the 2011 legislative session.


Forest watch program launched

DNR’s forest watch program is beginning to take off. This winter we trained nearly 70 volunteers in Yakima, Issaquah, Sultan and Sedro Woolley, and initiated a successful program in the Ahtanum area for the winter snowmobile season. Members of the Ahtanum forest watch this winter put in excess of 500 hours providing information, answering questions, reporting vandalism and inappropriate behavior, and just being a presence in the area. Members of the Yakima Ski Benders and All Wheelers 4x4 club have been extremely helpful in making this program a success. We are about to launch the Reiter Foothills forest watch program, and we will be soon establishing programs in Tahuya and Capitol state forests.


Volunteers efforts have increased

Dedicated Volunteers’ have been instrumental in helping to keep trails and facilities open this year.. Last year, we recorded more than 70,000 hours of volunteer time. This year, we are on target for more than 95,000 hours! Keeping track of volunteer hours is critical because we are able to use them as in-kind match for many of our grant applications. The time our volunteers put in translates to 47 full-time employees (FTE). To put this in perspective, historically, the maintenance and education and enforcement NOVA grants support 15 FTEs and the ORV account and general fund support 28 FTEs. Volunteers comprise almost half of the staff time to keep these facilities open.

New state trust lands map available from DNR

I’m excited to report that DNR just published an updated map of all the state trust lands in Washington that we manage, along with other types of lands that we manage. You can download the map online or order a copy. More information is available on our Blog and on our Website.

Grant season is upon us

As I have mentioned before, DNR depends a great deal on grants to maintain and develop facilities and provide education and enforcement programs. This spring we are applying for:

· Up to 13 federally funded Recreational Trails Program (RTP) grants focused on maintaining existing facilities, rebuilding trails, and educating the public.

· 8 state-funded Washington Wildlife Recreation Program (WWRP) grants focused on developing facilities and trails.


If you or your organization are interested in writing a letter of support to the granting authorities or are willing to commit to volunteering a certain amount of hours in each area, please contact the following staff:

For WWRP grant applications:


Reiter Foothills Forest — Trail development

Reiter Foothills Forest — Trail acquisition

Reiter Foothills Forest — Trail restoration

Contact: David Way, david.way@dnr.wa.gov

Cypress Island — Facilities renovation

Contact: Christ Thomsen, christ.thomsen@dnr.wa.gov


McLane Creek development

Contact: Phil Wolff, philip.wolff@dnr.wa.gov

Ahtanum Trailhead

Contact: Mike Williams, michael.williams@dnr.wa.gov


Mailbox Peak — Trail development

Contact: Kelly Heinz, kelly.heintz@dnr.wa.gov

Tiger Mountain — bridges

Contact: Sam Jarrett, sam.jarrett@dnr.wa.gov

For RTP grant applications:


Ahtanum – motorized

Yakima Maintenance Crew

Contact: Mike Williams, mailto:michael.williams@dnr.wa.gov


Western Yacolt Burn

Non-motorized maintenance

Motorized maintenance

Contact: Jessica Kimmick, jessica.kimmick@dnr.wa.gov



Morningstar Natural Resources Conservation Area — Education

Walker Valley ORV area — Motorized trail maintenance

Walker Valley ORV area — Motorized trail rehabilitation

Contact: Jim Cahill, jim.cahill@dnr.wa.gov

Morningstar — Non-motorized maintenance

Contact: Christ Thomsen, christ.thomsen@dnr.wa.gov

Elbe Hills — Maintenance and Operation equipment

Contact: Nancy Barker, nancy.barker@dnr.wa.gov

Capitol Forest — Motorized trail development

Capitol Forest — Non-Motorized trail renovation

Contact: Phil Wolff, philip.wolff@dnr.wa.gov


Capitol Forest — Education

Contact: Dwight Combs, dwight.combs@dnr.wa.gov

Ahtanum State Forest — Education

Contact: Erin Kreutz, erin.kreutz@dnr.wa.gov

Reiter Foothills Forest — Education

Contact: David Way, david.way@dnr.wa.gov

Hoh River — Boat launch renovation

Contact: Cathy Baker, cathy.baker@dnr.wa.gov


Mark R. Mauren
Assistant Division Manager
Recreation, Public Access and WCC Programs
Asset Management and Recreation Division
Washington State Department of Natural Resources
360-902-1047
mark.mauren@dnr.wa.gov


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