WA Campers Facing Possible Widespread Closures, DNR Budget Gutted by Legislature

The WA State Department of Natural Resources, or DNR,  has not been (from time to time) one of the most efficient or 'streamlined' agencies in WA state government. They've faced a lot of criticism for management of lands and dealing with growing wildfire issues.  But now they have been dealt what could be a significant blow to outdoor recreation.

   Despite Record Tax Hikes, DNR's Recreation Program  Punched in The Gut

DNR has several arms of operation, besides overseeing forest and wildlands, fire prevention and fighting, they also maintain hundreds of thousands of acres of public recreation lands and areas.

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  The Recreation Program, according to DRN Officials, has been hit with a proposed 20 percent budget cut, in Gov. Bob Ferguson's 2025 budget. DNR Officials say the funding affects a wide variety of recreation-related tasks, and said this in their release:

"The work to maintain recreation sites by clearing trails, cleaning restrooms, addressing ongoing public abuse, clearing storm damage, and more has been underfunded for years."

DNR Officials said the Recreation Program only has 60 field staff across the state, that's one worker for every 21.6 miles of recreation areas, or 50K acres for each worker.

Due to the proposed budget cutbacks, a previous cooperation program with the Washington Conservation Corps that added 70 more workers would no longer be feasible.

DNR says not every trail, park or camping area would be closed, but there would be significant reductions and cutbacks state wide. There are 160 DNR-managed campground and recreation sites in WA, including 80 in Eastern WA.

 Where Is All the New Tax Money Going?

Accountability in WA government has been severely lacking over the last 12-15 years at least, but with the record tax increases in almost every area, opponents and critics of these Recreation cuts are joining other voices in asking:  "where is the money? and where is it going?", only to have those questions fall on deaf ears, or slide into the economic sinkhole that is WA State government and the legislature.