The Recreation and Conservation Office (RCO) is a small state agency that manages grant programs to create outdoor recreation opportunities, protect the best of the state’s wildlife habitat and working farms and forests, and help return salmon and orcas from near extinction.
The Recreational Trails Program (RTP) is focused on providing federal funds to support the rehabilitation and maintenance of trails that offer users a backcountry experience, characterized by immersion in nature away from the visual and auditory impacts of human development. The program covers a wide spectrum of trail activities including off-road vehicle riding, bicycling, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, hiking, horseback riding, motorcycling, water trails, and more. Key principles include ensuring trails are primarily set in natural environments, potentially near urban areas but shielded from the immediate effects of civilization. The grant supports various projects such as clearing overgrown vegetation, repairing trail damages from natural disasters, and replacing essential infrastructure like bridges and drainage structures. Funded by federal gasoline taxes, the RTP has set caps of $150,000 for general projects and $10,000 for education projects, with a long-term commitment requiring recipients to maintain the developed or improved facilities for 25 years post the final grant payment.