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Take Action!

Do you enjoy the places where you ski? Do you want to keep them and make them even better? It's up to all of us to let state agencies know that winter recreation is not just motorized users - there is a large skiing community too! Take action and send in a letter today.

Comment on June 2007 Sno-Park fee increase proposal

This past winter, non-motorized groups (like WSTC) sent comments about Sno-Park system improvements we'd like to see in the future. The Winter Recreation Advisory Committee (WRAC) listened, and has drafted a proposal to increase non-motorized user fees, in order to pay for system improvements. (Note: The motorized user fees increased several years ago, but non-motorized user fees have not increased in over 2 decades.)

While this increase might be alarming to some skiers, the fees will be used to implement many of the improvements we recommended when the WRAC was looking for input about the Sno-Park system. As a result, the WSTC is sending in a comment letter in support of the proposed fee increase. Please send in your individual comments BY JULY 15. See our official letter, and use it to craft your own, if you agree.

WSTC comment Letter

Charlie Cornish has prepared a position paper that looks at the various issues and reasoning behind the fee increase proposal. Read his paper for more details about the issue and the WRAC's decision.

A Draft Position Paper

To see the information from the WA State Parks and Recreation seeking comments, and their contact info, please read this attachment

WA State Parks Wants Your Comments

Please send your comments no later than July 15 to:
Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission
WINTER RECREATION PROGRAM
PO Box 42662
Olympia WA 98504
winter@parks.wa.gov

State SNO-PARKS Winter Recreation Strategic Plan

As you may know a draft of this plan came out this past January and was heavily slanted towards the snowmobile community. This plan was on a fast track in part to try and address issues that were brought forward by the snowmobile community. Working with members of the Winter Recreation Advisory Council (WRAC), we were able to convince the facilitators of the plan to slow things down a bit and receive active input from the non-motorized community.

The results have been fantastic! The plan now is more fairly balanced as a result of a number of comments sent it by the non-motorized community.

A copy of the current draft, as well as comments already submitted and other important documents can be found here: www.parks.wa.gov/winter/strategy

Public comment is being accepted until APRIL 30th . Please take a moment to email your comments to WinterRec.Planning@parks.wa.gov, and/or send in a letter to help keep Nordic skiing in the plan.

Links to two example letters are listed below, one that we will be sending in as a club, and the other is a "form" letter that you are free to download and personalize. In order to make comments as unique as possible feel free to use either letter and delete areas that may not be quite as important to you or add areas that you believe are important but not covered.

Sample letters for commenting on the Winter Recreation Strategic plan draft:

Grants for snow ranger education and enforcement program and winter trail maintenance program

Much of enjoyment you get from Sno Parks has been because of people like Todd Stiles of the USFS. Todd is applying for Education funds to continue snow ranger patrols, and also for ski trail maintenance dollars to keep the trails open and in good repair.

Todd and the snow rangers ability to continue the progress they have made for non-motorized winter recreation will require grant funding. You can help Todd by sending a letter requesting that he be provided that grant support.

Any personal experiences you have had with a work party or meeting rangers in the field would be great to mention in the letters. Hard copy or electronic email to Todd will both be fine. Todd has to have all materials in to Olympia by May 1, 2007. Thank you in advance for your help!

Todd's contact information: 509.852.1077 tstiles01@fs.fed.us

Links to example letters supporting grant applications by Todd Stiles/USFS Cle Elum are listed below, one that we will be sending in as a club, and the other is a "form" letter that you are free to download and personalize. If you participated in a work party with Todd, there is a letter for you to use too. In order to make comments as unique as possible feel free to use either letter and delete areas that may not be quite as important to you or add areas that you believe are important but not covered.

Sample letters for supporting Todd in getting grant money:

 

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