Recreation monitoring of state lands in Washington

2024-2025
Washington State Department of Natural Resources

DNR-managed lands in Washington are vital for the conservation of biological diversity and ecological function. DNR-managed lands also serve as a primary location to recreate outdoors, which is important for the health and wellbeing of people in the surrounding areas. As outdoor recreation increases in popularity, information on the amount and character of recreation on state lands is necessary to inform management actions for mitigating potential recreation impacts on the landscape. However, there is no formal recreation monitoring program and recreational use data is lacking. The purpose of this project was to design and implement a recreation monitoring approach and sampling design that quantifies recreation use patterns and characteristics in one management unit which DNR could then use to implement statewide in the future. Through this project, DNR has obtained a better understanding of the spatial and temporal trends of outdoor recreation use and where additional data or methods are needed. Results are being used to quantify and understand outdoor recreation use, in order to evaluate how recreation impacts natural habitats and wildlife.