Photos of Teanaway River and wildlife

2025 Legislative Priorities: Help Protect the Mountains to Sound Greenway

From the scenic trails of the Cascades to the working farms and forests that support our communities, the Mountains to Sound Greenway National Heritage Area (Greenway NHA) supports local, state, and federal legislative priorities that preserve this landscape for future generations. Protecting these special places takes collaboration, funding, and smart policies—and our voice makes a difference.

As we enter the state legislative session, we are reminded that this session will look a bit different from recent years past with some significant transitions at the state level of elected leaders in public land. By speaking up for programs that fund new parks and trails, we can continue to protect working forests, support outdoor learning for youth, and invest in salmon habitat restoration. January marks the start of Washington’s legislative session which will wrap up at the end of April, and you have many ways to get involved throughout that time, whether it’s emailing your legislator, attending a lobby day, or learning about the policies that impact the places you love.

Here are our top funding priorities for this session that we will be tracking and advocating for across the Greenway NHA.    

Recreation and Conservation Office | Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program (WWRP) 

Capital Budget: WWRP $150 million (Governor Inslee’s budget proposed $120 million) 

WWRP is the largest source of funding for recreation and conservation in Washington. Funding for this competitive grant program provides funds for new local parks, farmland preservation, critical habitat protection, new trails, and water access projects across the state.  

Kittitas County farm land

Recreation and Conservation Office | Community Forest Program Funding 

Capital Budget Request: $34 Million (Governor Inslee’s budget proposed $3.1 million) 

We support the $34 million request to fully fund the 13 proposed Community Forest projects that aim to protect over 19,000 acres of working forestland. $26.4 million would fund 10 projects. The current amount proposed in the governor’s budget ($3.1 million) would only fund one single project.

Community forests, including the Teanaway Community Forest here in the Greenway, include local community members in development, governance, management and use of working forest land, which brings substantial benefits to health and well-being, generates local jobs and economic activity, protects wildlife habitat, increases recreational access, and supports climate resilience.   

Washington State Department of Natural Resources, Trust Land Transfer Program (TLT) 

Capital Budget Request: $30 Million (Governor’s budget proposed $19.3 million) 

The innovative Trust Land Transfer program is a tool that allows the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to transfer under-performing state trust lands out of trust status and acquire legislative funding to purchase replacement lands with higher long-term income-producing potential. This enables conservation of lands that have high ecological value and public benefits. Through a legislative appropriation from the state capital budget, Trust Land Transfer enables conservation of special places on state land while also improving the revenue-generating capacity of the trust lands portfolio, which benefits local governments and schools across the state.  

Elk in front of the Interpretive Center at Meadowbrook Farm Park

Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) 

We strongly support DNR’s requests for operations and maintenance funding as well as critical capital projects, funding to mitigate recreation impacts on public lands, investments in forest health and tribal cultural resource protection, and funds to mitigate the effects of wildfires and climate change across the state.  

DNR Capital Budget Requests: 

  • $5.8 million Natural Areas Facilities Preservation and Access (Governor Inslee’s budget proposed $2.9 million) 
  • $7.7 million Safe and Sustainable Recreation (Governor Inslee’s budget proposed $2.9 million) 

DNR Operating Budget Requests: 

  • $3.3 million Natural Areas Program operating (maintained at current funding level) 
  • $2 million Community Forest Program (maintained at current funding level) 
  • $2.7 million Recreational Land/Cultural Resources (maintained at current funding level) 
  • $9.9 million conservation corps crews (Governor Inslee’s budget proposes $3 million) 

Washington State Parks and Recreation|No Child Left Inside Grant Program (NCLI)

Administered by the Recreation and Conservation Office (RCO)  
Operating Budget Request: maintain funding for the No Child Left Inside program at $4.5 million in the proposed operating budget.  

Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission’s No Child Left Inside grant program provides quality opportunities for underserved, underrepresented, and historically excluded youth to learn, play, and experience the outdoors.  

Research has shown that spending time outdoors produces powerful benefits for youth, including reduced depression and anxiety, improved focus, better social connections, and enhanced learning and creativity. NCLI supports essential youth outdoor programs across the state and helps to remove barriers for youth to access the outdoors. 

We strongly support Washington State Parks’ requests for many important investments including critical maintenance funding, tribal stewardship of state lands, funds to manage recreation impacts in state parks, investments in cultural resource protection and climate resiliency, and both capital and operating funds for Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliance ensuring equitable access to parks.  

Washington State Conservation Commission | Farmland Protection and Access Program 

Capital Budget Request: $4 million  

The loss of farmland is an urgent crisis in Washington. We support the WA State Conservation Commission’s request for $4 million to continue the recently established, successful Farmland Protection and Land Access Program to address an urgent, critical gap to protect farmland, support affordable access for new and historically underserved farmers, and strengthen food systems across Washington. 

salmon ladder in Issaquah

Salmon Conservation and Restoration

Habitat restoration needs consistent funding to commit to the long-term needs of vital keystone species like salmon. The Greenway Trust strongly supports the 2025 legislative priorities outlines by the Snoqualmie Watershed Forum. This includes $87.6 million for Floodplains by Design for the Department of Ecology, along with fully funding the top 10 projects on the ranked list, including King County’s Snoqualmie Collaborative project proposal. Policy legislation includes streamlining permits for salmon recovery projects and supporting efforts to reduce and address effects of climate change on salmon habitat.

The Greenway Trust also supports the 2025 legislative priorities outlined by the Lake Washington/Cedar/Sammamish Watershed Salmon Recovery Council. This includes $125 million for the Salmon Recovery Funding Board to the Recreation and Conservation Office to fund grants for salmon habitat projects and half of the operating costs for the salmon recovery Lead Entity program to coordinate implementation of salmon recovery. Policy legislation includes improving regulatory protections for important salmon habitat and supporting outreach, education, and stewardship projects and programs.

Aerial view of the Snoqualmie River and adjacent farm land between Snoqualmie Falls and Fall City

Transportation Priorities

We strongly support funding for safe and sustainable transportation infrastructure across Washington State, including a comprehensive transportation system of regional trails and pedestrian walkways that will improve transportation options, enhance work environments and quality of life, provide equitable opportunities for recreation, improve public health, and reduce traffic congestion and greenhouse gas emissions. 

Thanks to Eastrail Partners and the future vision of a completed 42-mile Eastrail between Renton and Woodinville, we strongly support their agenda for timely allocation of Move Ahead Washington funding for Eastrail projects to ensure that funds are obligated within specific timeframes for project planning and construction, including:   

  • Ensure $5 million in previously appropriated Eastrail (Move Ahead WA) funds for City of Woodinville’s SR202 project are obligated in the 2025-2027 biennium to support construction in 2026. 
  • Ensure Eastrail funding from Move Ahead WA is retained in Bellevue (including connection to the Mountains to Sound Greenway Trail) and Renton.
     

Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction | Outdoor Learning Grant Program

In partnership with the Recreation and Conservation Office and the Washington School Principals’ Education Foundation  

The Outdoor Learning Grant Program funds three initiatives that provide outdoor education opportunities for students across the state to support science education, John McCoy (lulilaš) Since Time Immemorial curriculum implementation, and social-emotional learning. These programs deepen students’ sense of place and community through habitat restoration, gardening, field STEM experiences, and career-connected learning in natural resources, outdoor recreation, and education. Overnight outdoor educational experiences are life-changing for many students, providing insight into peer relationships and illuminating future career paths.  

Legislative Request
 
The Legislature created the Outdoor Learning Grant Program during the 2021–23 biennium and provided $10 million in fiscal year 2023. The Legislature increased their investment to $20 million in the 2024 fiscal year and $20 million in the 2025 fiscal year. At a minimum, the request is to continue this program to be funded at $20 million per year through the next biennium. In order to meet increasing demands for outdoor education and to take steps toward fully funding outdoor education for all, we support the OSPI Decision Package Request which asks for an additional $10 million in fiscal year 2026 and an additional $10.9 million in 2027 for a total additional amount of $20.9 million in the 2025-27 biennium. 


Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction | FieldSTEM 

In partnership with the Pacific Education Institute 
Operating Budget Request: $1.5 million
Request to Legislature to reinstate the FieldSTEM proviso which has been in place since 2015 to support hands-on, outdoor education across the state  
 FieldSTEM empowers teachers and inspires students by integrating real-world environmental education
into the classroom. It equips students with critical thinking skills, hands-on experience, and a deeper
understanding of the natural world—essential for thriving in Washington’s green economy.
The FieldSTEM budget proviso was not included in the Governor’s budget. Without this funding, we risk
losing a program that has proven its value to educators, students, and communities statewide.
FieldSTEM bridges the gap between the classroom and the world outside, equipping students with skills
they need to thrive in the green economy while fostering a deeper connection to their communities and
environment.


YESS Riverview 2024 student interns during a team building activity on the first day of YESS

2025 Priorities from Partner Organizations


Snoqualmie Watershed Forum 2025 Legislative Priorities  
Snoqualmie/Skykomish Watershed (WRIA 7)
Lake Washington/Cedar/Sammamish Watershed (WRIA 8) Priorities
Green/Duwamish and Central Puget Sound (WRIA 9) Priorities
WRIA 9 2025 Legislative Priorities (pg. 21 & 22)  
Additional Active Transportation Priorities from Washington Bikes

Ready to Take Action?
Join us in tracking key priorities, from forest health and transportation funding to outdoor learning grants. Sign up for a lobby day or contact your representatives. These events are easy ways to engage in the legislative process about support issues you care about. Together, we can ensure that Washington’s public lands, trails, and natural wonders continue to thrive for generations to come.

Upcoming Lobby Days:


Want to support these important investments in public lands? Contact your state legislators and make your voice heard!