ORS 273.586: Dedication of land as state natural area; notice and hearing; termination of dedication.

(1) A private individual or organization that is the owner of any registered natural area may voluntarily agree to dedicate that area as a state natural area by executing with the State Parks and Recreation Department an instrument of dedication. The instrument of dedication shall be effective upon its recording in the real property records of the office of the clerk of the county in which any or all of the state natural area is located. (2) Any public agency may dedicate lands under the provisions of ORS 273.563 to 273.591 following the providing of opportunity for adequate public notice and hearing by the agency. The Oregon Transportation Commission, the State Fish and Wildlife Commission, the State Board of Forestry, the governing board of a public university listed in ORS 352.002, the State Parks and Recreation Commission and the State Land Board shall, with the advice and assistance of the department, establish procedures for the dedication of state natural areas on land, the title of which is held by the State of Oregon, and which is under that agency’s management and control. (3) The instrument of dedication shall contain any information or provisions as the private owner, organization or agency and department consider necessary to complete the dedication. (4) Dedication of a state natural area may be terminated as follows: (a) The dedication of a state natural area by a public agency may be terminated following the providing of opportunity for adequate public notice and hearing and a finding by that agency of an imperative and unavoidable necessity, or a finding by that agency, with the approval of the department, that the state natural area is no longer needed according to the guidelines of the Oregon Natural Areas Plan. (b) The dedication of a state natural area by a private individual or organization may be terminated by the private individual or organization after the department is assured that there has been compliance with the procedures required by the terms of the dedication instrument. (c) The dedication of a state natural area may be terminated by the State Parks and Recreation Commission upon the advice of the department if the area is no longer needed according to the guidelines of the plan, or has permanently lost its natural character. [1979 c.711 §7; 1983 c.786 §8; 1991 c.121 §2; 2009 c.217 §7; 2011 c.319 §15; 2015 c.767 §75]