WA Rec & Conservation Office Awards Record Grants Amount

The Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office has awarded nearly $190 million in grants to numerous organizations across the state, including several in North Central Washington.

Spokesperson Susan Zemek says the grants will provide financial assistance for a variety of purposes.

"They're designed to help build recreation areas. So this will give the recipients an infusion for maintenance and making new amenities. The grants will also help us in protecting some of our very special places in the state where we have endangered fish and wildlife, and plants."

Zemek adds this is a benchmark year for the grants.

"This is most amount of grants we've ever awarded in a single year. This is making an investment not only in these great outdoor places, but also in the economy and the jobs, and the families that rely on those recreation areas."

The grants went to over 100 projects in 37 of Washington’s 39 counties, including 21 in Chelan County; 4 in Douglas County; 5 in Grant County; and 11 in Okanogan County.

The projects funded by the grants include:
CHELAN COUNTY
- $1,133,595 for the purchase of land for a Waterfront Park in Malaga
- $660,000 to the Chelan-Douglas Land Trust for conserving Castle Rock Ridge
- $258,000 to the Leavenworth Winter Sports Club for improving restrooms and lighting at the Leavenworth Ski Hill
- $574,550 to the Manson Parks and Recreation District for the purchase of Leffler Field
- $10,000 to Tall Timber Ranch for outdoor ethics education
- $75,000 to the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest for upkeep on the Lower Lake Chelan Trails
- $185,506 to the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest for the completion of the Canyon Trail System
- $99,750 to the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest for maintenance of the Entiat and Chelan Multiuse Trails
- $47,500 to the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest for maintenance of the Entiat Ranger District Camping Areas
- $55,500 to the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest for the maintenance of snowmobile trails
- $149,980 to the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest for the maintenance of motorized-use trails
- $75,000 to the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest for maintenance of the Upper Lake Chelan Basin Trail
- $123,000 to the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest for the maintenance of the Wenatchee River Recreation Areas
- $149,602 to the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest for the maintenance of wilderness and multiuse trails
- $10,000 to the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest for providing snow rangers
- $197,596 to the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest for providing wilderness rangers
- $195,000 to the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest for planning of the Upper Wenatchee Valley Trails
- $325,000 to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife for continuing the redevelopment of the Roses Lake Access Area
- $1,927,277 to the Washington Department of Natural Resources for protecting rare and endangered plant life
- $528,175 to the Washington Farmland Trust Grant for conservation of the Parlette Cherry Orchard
- $750,000 to the City of Wenatchee for the conservation of Bighorn Ridge

DOUGLAS COUNTY
- $500,000 to the City of Bridgeport for the renovation of Berryman Park
- $298,500 to the Chelan-Douglas Land Trust Grant for the conservation of Kane Ranch
- $229,700 to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife for the restoration of West Foster and China Creeks
- $1,729,255 to the Washington Department of Natural Resources for the purchase of land in the Two Steppe Natural Area

GRANT COUNTY
- $59,990 to Grant County for maintenance of the Moses Lake Sand Dunes Recreation Area
- $350,000 to the City of Royal for the building of a soccer field at Lions Park
- $150,000 to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife the development of a shooting range at Lake Lenore
- $1,465,000 to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife for development of the Glen Williams Access Site
- $200,000 to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife planning and redevelopment of the Vernita Bridge Boat Launch

OKANOGAN COUNTY
- $122,968 to the Mountain Trails Grooming Association for grooming and maintenance of the Methow Valley Snowmobile Trails
- $648,375 to the Okanogan Land Trust for conservation of the Similkameen-Wahl Ranch
- $199,974 to the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest for the construction of the North Summit Trails System
- $150,000 to the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest for maintenance of the Methow Valley Recreation Areas
- $99,215 to the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest for maintenance of the Methow Valley Trails for motorized uses
- $149,997 to the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest for hiring a trail crew
- $200,000 to the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest for hiring wilderness and backcountry rangers
- $454,000 to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife for the construction of boating facilities at Spectacle Lake
- $295,000 to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife for the purchase of habitat inholdings in North Okanogan County
- $4,500,000 to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife for the conservation of Hunter Mountain North
- $325,000 to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife for expanding camping sites in the Green Lake Access Area Campground