$2 million on the way to support Whatcom County outdoor recreation, conservation
Whatcom County has received more than $2 million in grants from the Washington State Recreation and Conservation Funding Board for nine county-specific outdoor recreation projects as part of an effort to improve parks and trails, conserve wildlife habitats and maintain land for farming and forestry.
The board said it received 411 grant applications requesting more than $266 million in funding. Only 60% of applicants were selected.
About two-thirds of the total funding received by Whatcom County — roughly $2.16 million — will go to the county itself to help fund land preservation agreements for Canyon Creek Forest and Maple Falls Forest, as well as the development of a day-use park on Birch Bay.
Other grant-awarded projects include a public awareness campaign to improve mountain bike trail safety on Galbraith Mountain, repairs and upkeep for the Lynden Shotgun Club, maintenance of ski, snowshoe and hiking trails near Mount Baker, and restoration of habitats along Lake Terrell.
Whatcom County will also benefit from almost $375,000 in grants awarded to six trail maintenance projects that span multiple counties.
Whatcom County Parks and Recreation Department Director Bennett Knox said finding funding for projects is often a struggle, and the department does its best to be competitive in applying for grants. Sometimes grants make the difference between a project going forward or not.
The Parks and Recreation Department is specifically overseeing the $500,000 grant to support the development of Birch Bay Beach Park. Knox said the department has been working toward improving the park for years, as it’s one of the more heavily-visited areas in the county.
“It’s important for the economy in Birch Bay, which does then support the economy in the county as a whole,” Knox said. “The recreation component of tourism in this community is tremendous.”
More than 8,000 people are employed in outdoor recreation-related jobs in Whatcom County, according to a 2020 study by the nonprofit Earth Economics. Outdoor recreation supports more than 6% of all jobs in Washington.
“These grants are critical to keeping Washington a premiere destination for outdoor adventure as well as a great place for Washingtonians to live,” said Megan Duffy, director of the Recreation and Conservation Office, which supports the Recreation and Conservation Funding Board. “These grants are key to building great communities.”