RCO Home Page - RCO Recreation and Conservation Office Home Page

Featured Projects

North Bend’s Tennant Trailhead Park

Funding Source: Land and Water Conservation Fund

Funding: $300,040

Recipient: City of North Bend

Location: North Bend

The City of North Bend collaborated with Si View Metropolitan Park District, King County, Snoqualmie Tribe, and the Trust for Public Land to conserve nearly thirty-five acres on Rattlesnake Mountain. The partnership used an RCO grant of $300,040 from the federal Land and Water Conservation Fund, and matching resources of $1.7 million, to build a community park, parking lot, picnic area, viewpoints, interpretive signs, and a restroom.

More About This Project
Featured Projects

Camp Coweeman Restoration

Funding Source: Salmon Recovery and Puget Sound Acquisition and Restoration

Funding: $993,069

Recipient: Lower Columbia Fish Enhancement Group

Location: Cowlitz County

The Lower Columbia Fish Enhancement Group used six RCO grants over a period of eight years to plan, coordinate, and manage the creation of 7.35 miles of contiguous cold-water habitat in the Coweeman River to benefit endangered Columbia River Chinook and coho salmon and steelhead trout. The group enhanced two side channels, added wood loads to recover alluvial reach, and re-engaged with the floodplain, which will lead to flushing out fine sediments that have accumulated from historic logging practices and improve spawning habitat.

More About This Project
Featured Projects

Olympia’s Lions Park

Funding Source: Recreation Projects-Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program

Funding: $500,000

Recipient: City of Olympia

Location: Olympia

The City of Olympia used a WWRP–Local Park grant to build a sprayground at Lions Park in Olympia. The City also built a new stormwater facility, improved the park’s shelter to allow better access to the spray ground, improved the parking areas, constructed walkways that can be accessed by people with disabilities, and added lighting.

More About This Project
Featured Projects

Shaw Island's Broken Point

Funding Source: Estuary and Salmon Restoration Program, Salmon Recovery and Puget Sound Acquisition and Restoration

Funding: $273,866

Recipient: Friends of the San Juans

Location: Shaw Island

The Friends of the San Juans used three RCO grants to unbury and restore upper intertidal and backshore habitat at Broken Point on Shaw Island. They removed 225-feet of toxic creosote wood retaining wall and fifty dump truck loads of unnatural rock and dirt fill along the marine waters, which restored 370 linear feet of shoreline and 13,000 square feet of habitat for forage fish, salmon, and the Southern Resident killer whales that depend on them. The organization also planted 1,500 dune grass plants and more than fifty native shrubs to create a natural erosion buffer and habitat.

More About This Project
Featured Projects

Edmond's Civic Center Playfield

Funding Source: Land and Water Conservation Fund, Recreation Projects-Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program, Youth Athletic Facilities

Funding: $1,350,000

Recipient: City of Edmonds

Location: Edmonds

The City of Edmonds hosted a grand opening of Edmonds Civic Center Playfield in June 2023. Edmonds used three grants to build the playfield, an eight-acre park in the city’s downtown. The new park features an inclusive playground, skateboard park, multiuse sport fields, a basketball court, tennis/pickleball courts, a walking track with outdoor fitness equipment, the Hazel Miller Pollinator Field, local artist installations, a picnic area, and restrooms.

More About This Project
Featured Projects

Kenmore’s Tl’ awh-ah-dees Park

Funding Source: Aquatic Lands Enhancement Account, Habitat Conservation Projects-Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program

Funding: $700,000

Recipient: City of Kenmore

Location: Kenmore

The City of Kenmore used two RCO grants to renovate Tl’ awh-ah-dees Park, part of the City’s 2016 Waterfront & Natural Open Space Access Project. The renovated park improves water access with a new non-motorized watercraft facility and float and hand carry launches. It also includes a community plaza, picnic shelter, public restrooms, trails, and elevated walkways with river viewing platforms. In addition to the amenities, the City improved the nearby wetlands habitat for migratory birds, fish and salmon species, and other wildlife by removing more than four acres of invasive species and plant

More About This Project
Featured Projects

Wenatchee's Lincoln Park

Funding Source: Youth Athletic Facilities, Recreation Projects-Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program, Land and Water Conservation Fund

Funding: $1,263,192

Recipient: City of Wenatachee

Location: Wenatchee

The City of Wenatchee used three grants to complete a major renovation for its beloved Lincoln Park, an eighteen-acre park located in South Wenatchee. The City replaced the existing playground equipment and installed a BMX pump track, a splash pad, new soccer and lacrosse fields, added a picnic shelter and restrooms, and built a stage to hold concerts and movies in the park.

More About This Project
Featured Projects

Wenatchee's Kenzie's Landing

Funding Source: Recreation Projects-Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program

Funding: $1,000,000

Recipient: City of Wenatchee

Location: Wenatchee

The City of Wenatchee used an RCO grant to acquire 51.76 acres of open space, known as Kenzie’s Landing, in the Wenatchee foothills. The City built a trailhead with paved parking, restrooms, a picnic shelter, and other amenities. The new trailhead connects to more than eighteen miles of existing trails. The City also planted native plants and seeds along the perimeter to prevent invasive species.

More About This Project
Featured Projects

Jefferson County's Universal Movement Playground

Funding Source: Recreation Projects-Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program

Funding: $500,000

Recipient: Jefferson County Parks

Location: Jefferson County

Jefferson County used this grant to construct the county’s first inclusive and accessible playground at HJ Carroll Park. The sea creature-themed playground features accessible surfacing and play equipment including an elevated play structure, a net climber, a merry-go-round, two spring riders, musical instruments, a disk swing, an elevated play-mound with roller-slide, and three connected climbing rocks. There is also a central seating area, accessible parking, a pull through drop-off area, and upgraded restrooms.

More About This Project
Featured Projects

Thurston County's Latigo Street Fish Passage

Funding Source: Brian Abbott Fish Barrier Removal Board

Funding: $1,700,000

Recipient: Thurston County

Location: Thurston County

Thurston County cut the ribbon on a bridge that replaces two underperforming culverts on Spurgeon Creek. The new bridge will allow salmon and other fish to move more freely up the creek. In addition to the bridge, large tree roots and trunks were placed in the water to create shade and cover for fish.

More About This Project
Featured Projects

Seattle's Lowman Beach Park Restoration

Funding Source: Aquatic Lands Enhancement Account

Funding: $500,000

Recipient: Seattle Parks and Recreation Department

Location: Seattle

The Seattle Parks and Recreation Department cut the ribbon on restoration work at Lowman Beach Park in September 2022. The work included removing 130 lineal feet of a failing concrete seawall, which resulted in 7,000 square feet of unobstructed shoreline. This enables the beach to develop and move more naturally.

More About This Project
Featured Projects

Kirkland's David E. Brink Park

Funding Source: Aquatic Lands Enhancement Account

Funding: $500,000

Recipient: City of Kirkland

Location: Kirkland

The City of Kirkland used an RCO grant to improve access to Lake Washington and restore the shoreline in David E. Brink Park. The City removed derelict pilings and part of a bulkhead to create two pocket beaches with native shoreline plantings and new access points for canoes and kayaks. The City also built an accessible pedestrian loop, replaced stairs to the water, installed a new seating wall and viewing area, improved the existing pier with new grated decking, and installed terraced rock walls and educational signs.

More About This Project
Featured Projects

Tacoma's Owen Beach

Funding: $2,250,000

Recipient: Metropolitan Park District of Tacoma

Location: City of Tacoma

The Metropolitan Park District of Tacoma used a $3 million RCO Recreation Grant to renovate Owen Beach, which incorporated climate adaptive designs to plan for sea level rise and increased flooding. Project elements included an elder’s viewing area for canoe launches, two accessible human-powered boat launches, a redesigned lawn, a reconfigured vehicle access, and a renovated picnic shelter, play area, and restrooms.

More About This Project

Investing in Washington's Great Outdoors

Get the Latest RCO News

Climate Commitment Act Proposed Projects

We’ve Changed Grant Scoring Criteria!

Featured Projects

North Bend’s Tennant Trailhead Park

Featured Projects

Camp Coweeman Restoration

Featured Projects

Olympia’s Lions Park

Featured Projects

Shaw Island's Broken Point

Featured Projects

Edmond's Civic Center Playfield

Featured Projects

Kenmore’s Tl’ awh-ah-dees Park

Featured Projects

Wenatchee's Lincoln Park

Featured Projects

Wenatchee's Kenzie's Landing

Featured Projects

Jefferson County's Universal Movement Playground

Featured Projects

Thurston County's Latigo Street Fish Passage

Featured Projects

Seattle's Lowman Beach Park Restoration

Featured Projects

Kirkland's David E. Brink Park

Featured Projects

Tacoma's Owen Beach

News and Events

Invasive Species Council Recognizes Leaders

State Awards Grants for Outdoor Recreation Facilities in Underserved Communities

Spokane Tribal Citizen Joins State Recreation and Salmon Agency as Liaison

Reports and Studies

Public Lands Inventory

State Recreation and Conservation Plan

State of Salmon in Watersheds

Get Involved

Volunteer for an Advisory Committee

Policy Changes