Western Rivers Conservancy and Oregon Parks and Recreation Department collaborate to protect outstanding riverfront property

September 29, 2009
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The Oregon Parks and Recreation Department has made an initial purchase of more than 2,400 acres along the lower John Day River from Western Rivers Conservancy that will eventually become premier new state park.

"This is a rare opportunity to create a park that will aim to preserve and enhance the quality of the John Day River, the salmon runs it supports and the surrounding landscape," Oregon Governor Ted Kulongoski said. "As an Oregonian who loves our streams and rivers, new state parks are a great way to continue delivering quality outdoor recreation opportunities for families."
 
The conservation opportunity for this property is significant. The John Day River hosts the largest remaining wild spring and fall Chinook runs in northeast Oregon, and has the healthiest run of wild summer steelhead in the Columbia basin. These and other threatened, at-risk, and desirable species -- including Oregon's largest herd of California big-horn sheep -- will benefit from the new state park.
 
 "This is a park for the future, for people who know we become fully Oregonian when we enjoy the outdoors," says Tim Wood, Director of the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department. "I think our descendants will look back on this moment as a pivotal time in the conservation and recreation history of the John Day River."
 
The new park, located between Wasco and Condon, will ultimately protect both banks of approximately 16 miles of the John Day River -- the longest free-flowing river in the Northwest -- and offer extraordinary recreation on the river and in the surrounding hills. Once all the acreage is purchased, it will become the largest state park recreation site in Oregon.
 
On Friday, September 25, the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department purchased the first 2,403 acres from Western Rivers Conservancy for $2.2 million. Over time, the Department will spend Lottery funds - dedicated to improve and expand state parks by Oregon voters in 1998 -- to purchase 8,000 acres from Western Rivers Conservancy. The Conservancy came to own the 8,000 acres through the purchase of private property in September 2008.
 
Western Rivers Conservancy's purchase also included grazing rights on 8,000 acres associated with the ranch property.  Western Rivers Conservancy will work with the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department to incorporate their management into the adjacent state park.
 
Sue Doroff , Western Rivers Conservancy's Vice President, explains, "When this ranch came on the market, we knew that we needed to act quickly to conserve this special landscape.  The John Day is an exceptional river that supports the healthiest runs of summer steelhead in the Columbia basin, and this ranch offers the opportunity to create a major new conservation and recreation area for fish, wildlife and people. Bringing these 16,000 acres of riverfront and hilly grasslands into the State Parks system is a huge benefit for both the John Day River and all Oregonians."
 
Though the property is not yet open to the public as a state park, planning will begin shortly.  The Oregon State Park and Recreation Commission approved a series of preliminary management goals for the property with its acquisition.  These include habitat work, a small, vehicle-accessible campground and other boat-in camping and river-access opportunities, and hiking and other nature-based recreation.

People interested in staying in touch with the park planning process can sign up for a mailing list by sending an email to chris.havel@state.or.us.  Western Rivers is conducting streamside restoration on portions of the property with help from the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife and Gilliam County.
 

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