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 grant program, created in 1984, aims to support projects that protect, enhance, or improve public access to aquatic lands in Washington State. These lands include tidelands, shorelands, harbor areas, and the beds of navigable waters. Grants can be used for acquisition, improvement, or protection endeavors that serve public interests. Specific types of projects encouraged by the program include restoring natural beach functions by removing bulkheads, estuary restoration, waterfront boardwalk replacements, shoreline restoration for salmon habitat, and the development of waterfront parks. Funding is distributed typically every two years, with possible awards up to $1 million for combined acquisition and development or restoration projects, with a maximum of $500,000 dedicated to development or restoration activities. The source of funding is almost entirely revenue generated from the managed aquatic lands, including leases to waterfront sites and sales of harvest rights for certain marine species.