Oregon Parks and Recreation Department survey aims to gather public input amid projected funding shortfall
Barney Lerten
SALEM, Oregon (KTVZ) — The Oregon Parks and Recreation Department wants to better understand the public’s values and priorities for the future of state parks through a new survey as it launches a strategic initiative to reimagine how parks are funded, operated and supported.
OPRD faces a potential 14% budget shortfall for park operations by 2027, even with recent fee increases. The gap is due to increasing costs, the impact of higher visitation and changes in lottery funds. The strategic initiative will work to address that shortfall before 2027.
“For more than a century, Oregon’s parks have been a source of pride, joy and connection for communities across the state,” said OPRD Director Lisa Sumption. “But the way we fund the system has not kept up with how Oregonians use and value it today. We’re not waiting for the crisis—we’re planning ahead to build a more resilient and relevant park system.”
OPRD launched an online survey this month to collect feedback from visitors and potential visitors about their priorities for new and existing experiences, services and amenities, as well as views on public-private partnerships, sponsorships and other funding options.
The survey is open to everyone and will help inform decisions about the future of state parks. Those who complete the survey have the option of entering a drawing for a free Oregon State Parks annual parking permit.
Oregon State Parks continues to experience record visitation with more than 56.6 million estimated visits in 2024. It is one of the most visited park systems in the country.
This level of use significantly increases wear and tear on aging park infrastructure, driving up maintenance needs and long-term operational costs.
Parks’ funding comes from three main sources. A little less than half comes from constitutionally dedicated lottery funds, about 15% comes from the agency’s share of recreational vehicle license plate fees and roughly 35% comes from park fees from visitors. Oregon State Park operations is not funded by general fund taxes.
“We already operate leanly, but we’re also taking a hard look at costs and spending decisions as we plan the future. We’re building new partnerships with Oregon businesses and growing opportunities for visitors to experience state parks in new and innovative ways,” Sumption said.
In addition to operating more than 250 state parks and maintaining hundreds of historic structures, the agency also manages the ocean shore, the State Historic Preservation Office, ATV safety programs and permits as well as multiple grant programs for trails, ATVs, historic structures and local government projects.
For more information about the survey or to learn about ways to support parks, visit stateparks.oregon.gov/ or take the survey at bit.ly/stateparksurvey.