Oregon State Parks Trust endorses Oregonians for Water, Parks and Wildlife Initiative
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Oregon State Parks Trust has endorsed the Oregonians for Water, Parks and Wildlife initiative, which will continue Oregon’s existing, voter-approved dedication of 15% of Oregon Lottery funds to protect and restore our watersheds, parks, and natural areas.
In 1998, Oregon voters overwhelmingly passed a measure dedicating 15% of lottery funds to parks and natural areas. Before this measure, state and local parks were in disrepair and many faced closure. In addition, over 30,000 miles of Oregon’s rivers and streams were classified as polluted or degraded.
Since then, Oregon’s parks and natural areas have turned a corner. The dedicated lottery funds have been used to preserve and improve state and local parks, from restoring trails to constructing playgrounds. Oregon has also created new state parks for the first time in decades, such as Stub Stewart State Park in Washington County and Arizona Beach State Recreation Area in Curry County.
In addition, these dedicated funds have been used to restore 2,600 miles of Oregon streams, providing critical habitat for fish and wildlife. Grants have enabled landowners to plant trees, remove barriers to fish migration and control invasive plants. Grants have also helped protect almost 40,000 acres of prime habitats from coastal wetlands to valley woodlands to desert grasslands.
Without this ballot measure, all funding for this highly successful program will end soon, undermining a decade of support for our rivers, lakes, parks and natural areas.
HOW YOU CAN HELP:
- Sign up and talk to your community about Oregon's water, parks and wildlife.
- Help collect the signatures needed to get the initiative on the November 2010 ballot. The campaign needs your help collecting signatures to meet its volunteer goal of 60,000 signatures by June 30.
- Contribute to the campaign.
- Vote “Yes” for Water, Parks, and Wildlife in November.
For more information, to volunteer, or to make a donation, contact Oregonians for Water, Parks and Wildlife at (503) 206-8933, campaign@waterparkswildlife.org or www.waterparkswildlife.org.
