The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission has been named as a finalist for the 2019 National Gold Medal Awards for Excellence in Park and Recreation Management.

The three other finalists are Florida, Maryland and Tennessee state park systems. According to the American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration and the National Recreation and Park Association, agencies are judged on their ability to address the needs of those they serve through the collective energies of community members, staff and elected officials.

“We are very honored and excited to be named a finalist in 2019,” Don Hoch said, director of the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission. “All Washingtonians should take pride in this honor, because the success of state parks in Washington really lies in the broad partnership between our incredibly hard-working staff, volunteers and friends, our dedicated board of commissioners, our Governor and legislature – and finally, the people of Washington who use and enjoy our parks, trails and programs.”

The Gold Medal Awards program was founded in 1965 and honors communities in the U.S. that demonstrate excellence in parks and recreation through long-range planning, resource management, volunteerism, environmental stewardship, program development, professional development and agency recognition.