We at the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) co-hosted the workshop with the Department of Community, Trade and Economic Development (CTED) to start developing a statewide strategic plan, as requested by legislators, for boosting wildlife viewing tourism to provide sustainable economic development in rural areas and maintain the state’s diverse wildlife resources.

As I’ve relayed to you before, about 2.5 million wildlife viewers spent nearly $1 billion in 2001 in Washington state on various goods and services, according to a recently released federal survey. The survey placed Washington seventh nationally in total wildlife viewing spending, just behind states such as California, Florida and New York.

Wildlife viewers open their pocketbooks and let their discretionary income flow on restaurant meals and motel rooms, gasoline and galoshes, boats and binoculars, rain gear and rafts—you name it. And you know it, because as Backyard Wildlife Sanctuary managers you spend on landscaping plants, nest boxes, bird feeders, and feed throughout the year to view wildlife on your own property.

There’s no question in my mind that our rural communities stand to gain even more in the years ahead from wildlife viewing-related tourism.

Consider that in 1969 there was only one major wildlife viewing festival in Washington state. Today there are at least a dozen festivals, nine of which have been launched since 1990 in communities as diverse as Othello and Ocean Shores, Marblemount and Walla Walla.

Our Watchable Wildlife program coordinators Mike O’Malley and Chuck Gibilisco are working with George Sharp and Joan Stilz from CTED and Nina Carter from Audubon Washington as part of the planning team for development of the statewide strategic plan. A draft of the plan is expected to be presented at a statesponsored Tourism Forum in Seattle in November.

I invite you, as active wildlife viewers, to comment on the draft plan, which will be available at the forum and posted on our website (www.wdfw\.wa\.gov).