DNR FORUM ON RECREATION
(NOTE: The DNR Forum on recreation is now closed for comments. Thank you to everyone who participated.)

From September 13-17, DNR hosted an online discussion about issues related to recreation on DNR-managed lands. DNR values its relationship with the recreating public and strives to keep an open dialog in a variety of ways. The DNR Forum was one part of this ongoing dialog. Through this Forum, participants could engage in an online conversation with their fellow recreation enthusiasts and share their thoughts and opinions about a variety of topics, including:

• Where you like to recreate and what kinds of recreation you like to do on DNR-managed lands.
• Education and enforcement.
• Funding.
• Planning.
• And more...

This conversation was one tool for DNR to survey the public and capture their thoughts as we move forward in developing our budget and policies in this extraordinarily challenging economic climate.

READ THE COMMENTS FROM THE DNR FORUM ON RECREATION

This page provides background information to help Forum participants understand more about DNR's Recreation Program and the issues facing recreation on DNR-managed lands.

LEARN MORE:

Sustainable Recreation Work Group — Background and Recommendations
The Sustainable Recreation Work Group played an instrumental role in developing recommendations to the Washington State Legislature for improving recreational funding and access to DNR-managed lands. The work group members represented a diverse range of recreation interests. The public also provided input to the work group members as they developed their recommendations..

• Background on the Sustainable Recreation Work Group
• Final Report to the Washington State Legislature | December 2009
• Appendix to the Final Report | December 2009

Documents prepared for the Joint Transportation Committee Review of Fuel Tax Refund
The Washington State Legislature directed the Joint Transportation Committee to review fuel tax refunds for non-highway or off-road use of gasoline and diesel fuels. DNR has been a key participant in this review. The following documents provide additional information about the goals of the review committee, background on the fuel tax refund, and DNR's supporting documents, which offer even more background.

• Non-highway and ORV Fuel Tax Refund Administration
  Background about the goals of the Joint Transportation Committee review.
• Task 1: Overview of DNR’s Off-road and Nonhighway Road Program
• Task 3: Analysis of DNR’s historical funding and expenditures. Document DNR’s unmet need for the last 10 years and what wasn’t accomplished.

Recent recreation planning efforts on DNR-Managed Lands

• Ahtanum State Forest
• Reiter Foothills Forest
• Western Yacolt Burn State Forest

Additional Recreation Information 

• DNR's main recreation web page (www.dnr.wa.gov/recreation)
  A jumping-off spot for information about DNR's recreation campgrounds, trailheads, and trails. Find a recreation area by region, county, or name.
• Recreation Guide
  Map showing the location of DNR's designated recreation areas with driving directions, types of recreation opportunities, and more.

• Inventory of recreation landscapes on DNR-managed lands
  Links to a list of DNR's 74 landscapes in which recreation occurs. 

• Map of DNR's 74 Recreation Landscapes
  Shows the different blocks of lands managed by DNR—from 1,200 to 120,000 acres—that the public uses, regardless of whether the areas have been officially designated as recreation areas.