| Centennial Horizon - What is our vision? |
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| Save Oregon's special places |
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Using and adding to the endowment
Oregon’s iconic places—Crater Lake, Crown Point, Fort Stevens, Silver Falls—were once something else. They weren’t always conserved as public parks. They became fixtures in the Oregon landscape because people chose to make them so. Once chosen by one generation, every generation that follows is charged to conserve a place while enjoying it, so the people who follow can benefit from the choices made in the past. Each generation adds to the endowment, carefully selecting the most important places needed to conserve and improve our active outdoor lifestyle.
We all leave a mark on the landscape. Sometimes our remnants are simple, powerful and ancient—etchings on stone thousandths of an inch deep. Sometimes our mark is a few city blocks of beautiful architecture, a finely crafted home, or a bridge spanning violent waters with a peaceful, arching span. Often, our legacy is a natural wonder or stirring view, protected in its natural state.
We chose to protect Oregon’s history and nature partly for the sheer joy of it, but also to remind ourselves that we, too, will leave a mark. If we pause long enough, we may wonder if the mark we leave is worthwhile; important enough that our descendants will one day look upon our works and deem them worthy to preserve. These are the driving questions of our time: how do we preserve and use the natural and historic places we have inherited, and what new legacy are we leaving behind?
- Are we done adding new places to play, relax, reflect and learn about Oregon?
- Are we honoring the choices made by early Oregonians by protecting the places they set aside?
- Are the places set aside for recreation and appreciation of our history still relevant? How can Oregonians appreciate their relevance today, and in the future?
Talk to us.
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