A beloved Oregon waterfall that lies on private land is set to be purchased by the state after being placed on the market.
Far from being a story of a rallying cry to save nature from exploitation, Abiqua Falls has been owned for decades by good stewards who “bent over backwards” to facilitate public access, but who now feel their journey as such has ended.
The falls are one of the Pacific Northwest’s most iconic, are set on land owned by Mount Angel Abbey and Seminary and its foundation since 1908. The abbey put the falls up for sale on February 2nd.
A plunge-style waterfall, the Abiqua Creek surges over what looks to be moss-covered columnar basalt rock before falling 92-feet down into a pool below. Set near Scott’s Mill amid rustic surroundings and little trail infrastructure, it offers the chance for a stunning one-on-one encounter with nature.
State Senator Fred Girod (R) leapt at the opportunity to negotiate a price and close a purchase agreement to include within Senate Bill 5701, a $500 million funding bill that will pay for construction and maintenance of various kinds statewide.
The bill will include $2 million to fund the purchase of the falls, 42 acres immediately around it, and another 160 acres upstream owned by a large timber company. The abbey agreed to a price that would make the purchase as easy as possible, to ensure that its tradition of public access is maintained.
“If the abbey insisted on getting top dollar then this wouldn’t have happened,” Girod told the Statesman Journal. “They’ve been good stewards and bent over backward to make sure public access was guaranteed.”
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While the falls will come into public hands, Girod said that it’s not a given that they will feature in a new ‘Abiqua Falls State Park.’ Overcrowding the delicate microenvironment by beefing up parking and trail infrastructure is not what’s currently being envisioned, and, rather like the abbey has done, the prevailing concept is to leave it more or less as it is.
This could be done by transferring ownership of the land to the county, or to the state forestry department.
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“It is with deep gratitude and hope for the future that the Abbey Foundation of Oregon entrusts the stewardship and legacy of Abiqua Falls to the state of Oregon,” Dr. Amanda Staggenborg, director of communications for Mount Angel Abbey & Seminary said in a statement.
“The beauty of Abiqua Falls will be enjoyed by generations of Oregonians and all those who love Oregon’s natural wonders.”
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