2016 Annual Report 2016 was a year of celebration for Washington Trails Association. We took time to honor our 50 year history while recognizing the amazing community who has supported us along the way. The past year reminded all of us at WTA of our very best asset: You! Your enthusiasm translates into action. Whether you hike, volunteer on trail, write a trip report or support WTA as a member, you helped us accomplish some incredible milestones in 2016. Thank you for showing that a diverse community of hikers can do so much for trails and public lands. We look forward to continuing our work together toward achieving our strategic goals. Photo (above) by Juliana Pearson Cover photo by Erik Turner 1 4,700 WTA volunteers contributed $3.9 million in donated labor to trails. WTA volunteers completed 150,000 hours of trail work across the state in 2016. That’s like hiring a Photo by Ben Corwin full-time workforce of 70 trail workers. Everyone in Washington has access to local trails and WTA’s advocacy director traveled to Washington, D.C., opportunities to enjoy quality to meet with members of Congress and hand-deliver hiking experiences. WTA’s petition, signed by nearly 1,000 hikers, to In 2016, WTA volunteers worked year-round to build and maintain support better more than 240 trails from urban adventures to remote wilderness. funding for trails. This sweat equity, and your support, helps WTA amplify the voices of hikers. Our on-the-ground impact makes WTA a powerful influencer in planning processes and policy decisions to keep the trails system you love safe, accessible and growing to meet the increasing demand. In 2016, Gabe became a new volunteer crew leader VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT: in Southwest Washington. He strives to make each GABE SMITH day of trail work interesting and engaging for volunteers. Gabe continues to reinforce what he learned on his very first day volunteering. While the work is important, it is the people that keep you coming back. “There are so many benefits to volunteering — getting outside, working with great people and making a real difference. I am so grateful to everyone who comes out on a work party. I always find new reasons to come out, but I it is most rewarding when a volunteer teaches me somethingPhoto by Ben new Corwin and, at the same time, I am able to share with them a new aspect of trail work.” —GABE SMITH, WTA VOLUNTEER CREW LEADER Photo by Ryan Ojerio 2 YOUTH SPOTLIGHT: New generations JULIANNA HOZA will connect with, explore and conserve the outdoors. WTA is committed to inspiring the next generation of hikers, outdoor leaders and stewards. With your help, we are working on reducing the significant social, structural and institutional barriers that prevent communities from enjoying the outdoors. WTA strives to meet hikers where they are and fosters a community united by a shared love of the outdoors and a desire to protect these special places. WTA’s Outdoor Leadership Training WTA Youth Ambassador Julianna Hoza has program empowers teachers and youth accrued almost 25 days on trail, including workers with the training and resources an extended volunteer vacation on the Hoh they need to lead safe and fun outdoor River. She has no plans of slowing down. Julianna adventures. OLT helped support more than has consistently gone above and beyond on her 1,370 outdoor experiences for youth in 2016. youth ambassador projects. Not only did she start a hiking club at her own high school, she also inspired a nearby school to do the same. 25 percent of WTA’s volunteers in 2016 were under the age of 18. That includes 8 teens who joined our unique 15-day trip on the Hoh River Trail. “My projects have made the They repaired storm damage and then took a outdoors a life focus for me. break to truly experience the trail during a Maybe the biggest impact on backpacking side trip. my life has been the Hiking Club I founded at my high school. Anyone is welcome on We hosted events across the state, bringing these hikes, and perhaps the hikers together to learn more about our most amazing part of making work and discover a new favorite trail. WTA@50, our anniversary celebration, this group has been seeing brought out hundreds of enthusiastic people who have never been in supporters and partners. the mountains go out and have an outdoor adventure for the first time.” —JULIANNA HOZA, WTA YOUTH AMBASSADOR 3 In honor of our 50th anniversary, Gov. Jay Inslee declared Washington Trails Day, a day to celebrate trails. The City of Seattle followed suit, highlighting the powerful impact that WTA has had on outdoor recreation in Washington. WTA’s online community is one of the largest of its kind with 7,940 hikers helping their fellow hikers by writing more than 19,880 trip reports in 2016. Photo by Kyle Lewis Across the state, trip reporters share their experiences on local hikes and provide updated Washington is the trail conditions to the community. nation’s strongest voice for hikers and trails. WTA rallied 36,200 activists to help shape recreation policy in Washington, including engaging Outdoor recreation is vital to our state’s economy and hikers in local planning processes quality of life. Thanks to the voices of our members and and highlighting the supporters, WTA has become a powerful force to protect need to invest in our trails in our state and is a national model for growing and public resources. organizing communities of stewards.. MEMBER SPOTLIGHT: Charlie exemplifies what makes the WTA community so CHARLIE LIEU powerful. Whether volunteering on a work party, speaking out in support of funding for public lands or writing for Washington Trails magazine, she is always ready to step up and do what she can to protect the places she cares about. “For years I took wilderness protection and trail access for granted. WTA showed me that the politics and policy around hiking trails can be complex. There are competing forces for use of our public lands, and not all intend to preserve it for posterity. Advocacy for our wild places is not something we can take for granted—everyone needs to get involved.” —CHARLIE LIEU, WTA MEMBER Photo courtesy Charlie Lieu 4 Financial Information Revenue Sources 2016 Condensed Statement of Financial Position Assets Dec. 31, 2016 Dec. 31, 2015 Current Assets 1,332,895 1,375,313 Investments 2,225,515 1,603,690 Fixed Assets 406,961 417,571 (less accumulated depreciation) Long Term Assets 2,793,734 2,721,586 Total Assets $6,759,105 $6,118,160 Liabilities & Net Assets Liabilities Current Liabilities 226,245 189,647 Total Liabilities Net Assets Unrestricted 3,247,622 2,549,301 Individuals 57% Contracts and Fees 15% Temporarily Restricted 2,013,548 2,260,603 Permanently Restricted 1,271,690 1,118,609 Grants & Corporate Other 11% Total Net Assets 6,532,860 5,928,513 Support 17% Total Liabilities and Net Assets $6,759,105 $6,118,160 Condensed Statement of Activities Use of Revenue 2016 Revenue Membership 497,418 455,650 Donations and Grants 2,783,538 3,359,789 Contracts and Fees 742,276 653,538 Interest and Other Income 226,885 84,489 Change in Investments 64,474 59,064 Total Revenue* $4,314,591 $4,494,402 Expenses Program Services 2,941,788 2,619,027 General and Administrative 342,292 268,237 Fundraising 426,166 389,305 Total Expenses $3,710,246 $3,276,569 Changes in Net Assets Unrestricted 698,320 601,768 Temporarily Restricted 370,647 465,991 Permanently Restricted 276,672 150,074 Total Changes in Net Assets $604,345 $1,217,833 Program Services 76% Fundraising 10% Net Assets Beginning of Year $5,928,515 $4,710,682 General & Administrative 14% Net Assets End of Year $6,532,860 $5,928,515 Financial information has been derived from Washington Trails * Includes $503,000 either Permanently or Temporarily Association’s financial statements, audited by MKD CPAs, PLLC. Restricted in 2016 and $1.178 million in 2015. Visit wta.org for the most recent audited financial statements. WTA Board of Directors AT LARGE DIRECTORS OFFICERS Carole Bianquis Jonathan Lau Bruce Burger | President Lisa Black Geoff Martin Andrea Baines | Secretary Perry Burkhart Matt Martinez Joe Gregg | Treasurer Michael Dunning Steve Payne Susan Queary | Vice President, Philanthropy Ethan Evans Stephen Tan Wendy Wheeler Jacobs | Vice President, Board Development Jennifer Faubion Titti Ringström Mason White | Vice President, Advocacy Thomas Goldstein 5 Photo by Dale Blair Washington Trails Association gratefully acknowledges all of our members Thank you! and supporters whose financial contributions in 2016 helped to protect trails and wild lands. Eric, Johanna and Nelson Rayl * David Bradlee and Barbara Metch * ⁰ Legacy Circle Kuehlthau Family Foundation The Lion Glass Foundation Rao and Satya Remala ⁰ Kathryn Gardow ⁰ Margaret Metzger * Stuart Rowe Joan Gilbert Anonymous (4) Peter Mason * Nathan Millan and Greg and Dion Rurik Niele Gillooly and Cary Foster * Lindsay Wilkinson * Charles Ardary Craig McKibben and Rachel and Nick Tomczek * Greg Glass Eileen Miller Elizabeth (Betsy) Bell Sarah Merner ⁰ Larry True and Linda Brown Linda and Gary Glein Amelie Mabbutt and Lisa M. Black Eric Noreen and Suzi Hill * ⁰ Robert Wightman Jr. and Eric and Cara Godwin Edward Monrad * Rachael Black in memory of Michael and Cathy Radcliff * Lindie Wightman * ⁰ George Moyer Jr. Ron Barensten Suri and Mala Raman ⁰ Goldstein Family Foundation Frank Yandrasits * ⁰ Kathi Murata Rebecca Collins and Terri Raymond ⁰ Charlie Gough * Richard Merrill Estate of Gary A. Richardson Mary and Gerald Zyskowski * Paul Gould and Laura Douglas Murdock and Beth Rappaport * ⁰ Karen Daubert Titti Ringstrom and Kennedy Gould D.