State parks in Oregon

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The US state of Oregon has 228 state parks (as of November 2010). The state parks in Oregon are from the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department manages. The aim of the state parks is to protect and preserve particularly beautiful natural areas and landscapes, cultural and historical sites, and recreational areas for entertainment and education for present and future generations. Today there are 228 state parks in Oregon, with a total area of ​​over 381 square kilometers. 170 parks are accessible to visitors with sanitary facilities, parking lots and other facilities.

history

Due to the increasing motorization of broad sections of the population from the 1920s, individual tourism increased and with it the demand for cheap campsites with water and other supply facilities. In 1921, the Oregon State Park Commission was established as a division of the Oregon Highway Department to acquire and operate campsites to complement the highway network. In 1922 the land was given to the state for the first state park, Sarah Helmick . In 1929 Samuel Boardman became superintendent of the new agency. During his tenure, which lasted until 1950, over 200 square kilometers of land were purchased for the state's state parks. He is therefore known as the father of Oregon State Parks . Large areas of primeval forest were also found among the now protected areas. In 1933, during the Great Depression, the Works Progress Administration and the Civilian Conservation Corps began work . This massive program opened up 45 parks with roads, paths, and buildings in Oregon. After the Second World War, the economic boom led to the expansion of 27 campsites in the state parks. The federal Land and Water Conservation Fund Act of 1964 regulated the administrative and planning sovereignty of the parks. The 1967 Oregon Beach Bill gave the Department responsibility for the Pacific Coast. A first, then unofficial support association was founded in 1969 as Friends of the Tryron Creek State Park , since 1985 there have also been official volunteer associations to support the state parks. The Oregon Parks and Recreation Department in its current form was created in 1989. Until 1996, the state parks were funded primarily through shares in the petroleum tax. When the Oregon government used this tax for other purposes, the State Parks Administration, Oregon Parks, and Recreation Commission threatened to close 64 parks. An emergency program by parliament prevented this, and since 1998 the state parks have been financed by the proceeds of a lottery. Since then, numerous park facilities have been renovated and expanded, and in 2007 the Stub Stewart State Park was the first new park to open in 30 years.

organization

Oregon state parks are divided into nine regions:

  • North Coast (eleven parks)
  • North Central Coast (20 parks)
  • South Central Coast (23 parks)
  • South Coast (23 parks)
  • Willamette Valley (24 parks)
  • Columbia River Gorge (20 parks)
  • Central (13 parks)
  • Southern (15 parks) and
  • Eastern (20 parks)

The Oregon Parks and Recreation Department has over 200 employees and is supported by numerous volunteers. Twelve parks now have their own development associations.

Alphabetical listing

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E.

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G

H

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J

K

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M.

N

O

P

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S.

T

U

V

W.

Y

literature

Web links

Commons : State parks of Oregon  - Collection of pictures, videos, and audio files