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rcowashington.bsky.social
Recreation and Conservation Office
@rcowashington.bsky.social
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Official Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office account. Agency manages grants to protect and improve Washington’s natural and outdoor recreation resources.

www.rco.wa.gov
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Reposted by Recreation and Conservation Office
washingtontrails.bsky.social
Fair-weather hiking? In your dreams. With the right layering system, you’ll be ready to experience trails all winter long.

Here are some tips for dialing in your layering system and staying warm during your cold weather outdoor adventures ❄️
#PNW #Gear #TrailSmarts #Hiking
Trail Smarts: Layering
YouTube video by Washington Trails Association
youtu.be
November 21, 2025 at 4:32 PM
rcowashington.bsky.social
Looking for funding for a project to restore, protect, and/or improve coastal land and water and the fish and wildlife they support? The Washington Coast Restoration And Resiliency Initiative program is accepting grant applications until December 9.

Learn more: rco.wa.gov/grant/washin...
Coast line with large rocky outcrops sticking out of the water. Text on graphic: Washington Coast Restoration And Resiliency Initiative; Accepting applications; applications due December 9
November 22, 2025 at 12:00 AM
rcowashington.bsky.social
We’re thinking of making changes to the manual for the Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program’s Habitat Conservation Account but want to hear from you before we do.
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Green grassy hills with purple and yellow wildflowers dotted throughout. Text on image: Seeking comments
November 20, 2025 at 11:02 PM
rcowashington.bsky.social
The Habitat and Recreation Lands Coordinating Group meets Wednesday at 9 a.m. Attend virtually to hear about new and notable initiatives, legislative updates, and more.

Register to attend: us06web.zoom.us/webinar/regi...
Graphic promoting Recreation Lands Coordinating Group meeting on November 19 at 9 a.m.
November 17, 2025 at 7:08 PM
Reposted by Recreation and Conservation Office
pspartnership.bsky.social
The Puget Sound Institute's free Salish Sea Science Roundtable online speaker series continues on Tuesday Dec 2nd from 12.30-1.30 pm to discuss collaborations between the səlilwətaɬ/Tsleil-Waututh Nation & Fisheries & Oceans Canada in Burrard Inlet.
Learn more & register here: https://bit.ly/4eS6Phb
November 15, 2025 at 12:57 AM
rcowashington.bsky.social
⏰ Reminder: The salmon recovery policy lead position closes November 16 at 11:59 p.m. If you’re policy-minded & have experience collaborating with local, state, federal, or Tribal governments on natural resource issues, take a look.

Learn more: www.governmentjobs.com/careers/wash...

📷: Paul Vecsei
Hundreds of young salmon swimming underwater.
November 13, 2025 at 10:49 PM
rcowashington.bsky.social
The Washington Coast Restoration And Resiliency Initiative program is accepting applications for grants to restore, protect, and improve coastal land and water and the fish and wildlife they support.
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Two people wearing lime green safety vests while working near and in a river. An excavator sits atop a temporary platform to get better access in the middle of the river. Text on image: Washington Coast Restoration and Resiliency Initiative application workshop November 13, 2-3 p.m.
November 12, 2025 at 5:03 PM
rcowashington.bsky.social
Outdoor recreation is a driving force in Washington’s economy, creating jobs and building rural businesses.
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Woman sitting on a large rock beside Lake Wenatchee. A large mountain looms in the distance and is fronted by green and yellow trees and plant life. Text on image, “More than $25 billion is spent on outdoor recreation trips and equipment in Washington each year, supporting 237,000 jobs.”
November 10, 2025 at 10:09 PM
rcowashington.bsky.social
Congratulations to Skagit County Public Works for restoring more than 2 miles of habitat for endangered Chinook salmon & steelhead trout in Fisher Creek.

The county replaced a nearly 100-year-old culvert that prevented fish from accessing critical habitat upstream with a 130-foot bridge.
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Two side by side photos. Left photo shows culvert with steep fish ladder and text on image, “how it started.” Right photo shows bridge with open waterway running underneath it and text on image, “how it’s going.”
November 7, 2025 at 6:12 PM
rcowashington.bsky.social
We’re hiring a salmon recovery policy lead. This person coordinates the implementation of the Governor’s Statewide Salmon Strategy, oversees the development of a biennial work plan for salmon budget and policy priorities, and much more.
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Hundreds of young salmon swimming underwater.
November 6, 2025 at 5:43 PM
rcowashington.bsky.social
The Washington Coast Restoration And Resiliency Initiative is now accepting grant applications. This program provides grants to protect and restore ecological systems of the Coast.
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Two people wearing lime green safety vests while working near and in a river. An excavator sits atop a temporary platform to get better access in the middle of the river. Text on image: Washington Coast Restoration and Resiliency Initiative application workshop November 13, 2-3 p.m.
November 5, 2025 at 6:39 PM
Reposted by Recreation and Conservation Office
pspartnership.bsky.social
The 2025 State of the Sound is here!

Our biannual report tells the story of Puget Sound's health, how far our restoration efforts have come & how much work remains.

Read the 2025 report & see where we are making progress, what is at risk, & how you can get involved here: https://bit.ly/43Shmpc
November 4, 2025 at 12:25 AM
rcowashington.bsky.social
For more than 60 years, RCO has been awarding grants for projects that protect & improve Washington’s natural & outdoor recreation resources. Nearly $4 billion in grants have been awarded to more than 12,000 projects. Grant recipients contributed more than $1.8 billion in matching resources.
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Mother and daughter fishing from a grassy shoreline.
October 30, 2025 at 7:19 PM
rcowashington.bsky.social
The Van Lierop Park Playground in Puyallup opens this Thursday at 4 p.m. The new farming-themed playground is accessible for children of all ages & learning types & features climbing walls, musical stations, slides, ramps, & more. There’s also a new rubber surface pathway to the playground.
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Farming-themed playground structure featuring a barn facade, grain facade, and ramps throughout the structure.
October 27, 2025 at 7:22 PM
rcowashington.bsky.social
The Recreation and Conservation Funding Board is meeting tomorrow. Attend for project updates, policy discussions, and other news from RCO and its agency partners.

Register to attend: us06web.zoom.us/webinar/regi...

📷 Phil Lowe
Person kayaking in lake. Behind them, orange, brown, and yellow trees in front of a majestic mountainside covered in green trees
October 27, 2025 at 3:07 PM
rcowashington.bsky.social
It’s Orca-tober and a great time to remind you that by taking care of your car can help Southern Resident orcas!

Southern Residents are some of the most polluted whales in the world. Much of that pollution comes from contaminants entering the Salish Sea and other waterways from stormwater.
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Infographic depicting the way chemicals from cars get into waterways, and eventually, orcas.
October 15, 2025 at 5:43 PM
rcowashington.bsky.social
Washington’s agriculture sector is worth $49 billion and employs 164,000 people. It’s essential to the state’s economy and part of the its identity. That’s why it’s so important farmland remains farmland. You can help with that by becoming an advisor on the Farmland Preservation committee.
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Man wearing a black ball cap with an infant on his shoulders standing next to a woman in a red and black checkered flannel shirt. Behind the family are fields of wheat.
October 13, 2025 at 9:20 PM
rcowashington.bsky.social
Some of our Salmon Section staff had the honor of helping the Puyallup Tribe of Indians with processing returning Chinook and Pink Salmon as they returned to Clark’s Creek and into the Puyallup Tribe Hatchery.
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Three images in the layout. Top left is two people in rain gear standing hip deep in water and putting a salmon in a large net. Top right is a woman standing in front of a row of salmon laid out on a table. Bottom image is three women and a man smiling at the camera.
October 13, 2025 at 7:14 PM
rcowashington.bsky.social
Since 1964, RCO has awarded nearly $4 billion in grants to more than 12,500 projects that protect and improve the best of Washington’s natural and outdoor recreation resources.
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Graphic encouraging people to serve on an advisory committee. Image of a coastline with colorful canoes stack along it. Across the river is a forest-filled mountainside. Text on graphic: Join an Advisory Committee. Advisors help ensure state money is invested in essential outdoor recreation and conservation projects. As and advisor you will provide feedback on grant applications, score grant applications, and occasionally, offer policy input. Apply now at rco.wa.gov/advisor
October 8, 2025 at 5:19 PM
rcowashington.bsky.social
The Brian Abbott Fish Barrier Removal Board is now accepting applications for grants to help identify and remove barriers that prevent salmon and steelhead trout from accessing spawning or rearing habitat.
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Graphic promoting the Brian Abbott Fish Barrier Removal Board accepting grant applications. Crane lifting large section of a culvert. Text on image: Brian Abbott Fish Barrier Removal board, application workshop, October 9, 10 a.m.-12 p.m.
October 7, 2025 at 7:38 PM
rcowashington.bsky.social
The Washington State Salmon Recovery Funding Board and Puget Sound Partnership have awarded more than $61 million in grants to 155 projects across the state aimed at restoring salmon habitat.
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Two blueback salmon leaping out of the water on their way upstream.
October 2, 2025 at 7:31 PM
rcowashington.bsky.social
We’re hosting an interactive webinar on October 7 to discuss cultural resource requirements for projects funded with our grants. This is a great opportunity to get your questions answered!

Sign up to attend the webinar: us06web.zoom.us/meeting/regi...

📷: Chris Popek
Mount St. Helens with blue skies overhead. Two puffy white clouds float near the top of the blown out crater.
October 1, 2025 at 5:12 PM
rcowashington.bsky.social
The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife estimates there are at least twenty thousand barriers that either partially or fully block salmon from reaching their spawning grounds in Washington.
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Two images. Top image shows a culvert blocked by vegetation and hardly visible, bottom image shows a bridge that was built to replace the culvert.
September 30, 2025 at 6:21 PM
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washingtontrails.bsky.social
#Washington has some of the best land-based #WhaleWatching locations in the world. If you're lucky over the next few weeks, you might even spot killer whale (orca) calf: www.wta.org/go-outside/s... 🐳

📸 Orca calf photos by Victoria Obermeyer
Orcas on calm blue water. An orca calf in the distant water at sunset.
September 26, 2025 at 4:21 PM
Reposted by Recreation and Conservation Office
pspartnership.bsky.social
The Puget Sound Institute's free Salish Sea Science Roundtable online speaker series continues on Tuesday October 7th, from 12.30-1.30 pm.

This month's roundtable will discuss UW's THORR tool, which maps river temperatures from space.

Learn more: www.pugetsoundinstitute.org/october-7-ro...
October 7 roundtable about THORR, which maps river temperatures from space | Puget Sound Institute
The Salish Sea Science Roundtable online speaker series continues on Tuesday, October 7 from 12:30 – 1:30 pm. The University of Washington’s Thermal History of Regulated Rivers (THORR) tool transforms...
www.pugetsoundinstitute.org
September 25, 2025 at 10:16 PM