Public comment invited on future of state trails
Published 12:01 am Friday, May 31, 2013
OLYMPIA — The state Recreation and Conservation Office is asking the public to visit an online “town hall” to help plan the future of trails in the state.
“Whether people hike, mountain bike, ride horses or off-road vehicles or motorcycles, cross-country ski or just walk their dogs on trails, we’d like to hear from them,” said Kaleen Cottingham, RCO director.
“We’d like people who care about trails to tell us what’s important to include in the two trail plans we are drafting,” Cottingham said.
To participate, visit the Trails Town Hall website, which will be up through June, at www.watrailstownhall.wordpress.com.
A different question is posted every two weeks.
RCO is updating the state’s trails plan and the Nonhighway and Off-Road Vehicle Activities — or NOVA — plan.
The 2013 Washington State Trails Plan will assess progress on providing trail recreation opportunities since 1991, identify emerging issues and set the stage for future planning.
It will be drafted for submission to the Recreation and Conservation Funding Board for approval in November.
The NOVA plan update will guide funding to develop and manage recreation opportunities for activities such as cross-country skiing, hiking, horseback riding, mountain biking, hunting, fishing, sightseeing, motorcycling and riding all-terrain and four-wheel-drive vehicles.
“Input from the public is crucial for deciding what’s important to include in these plans and ultimately how and where trails should be built and maintained in Washington,” Cottingham said.
Comments also can be made by mail to contractor Michael Fraidenburg, 5432 Keating Road N.W., Olympia, WA 98502; or by email to MikeF@CooperationCompany.com.
