How did Buford Park get started?

In 1973, then-Oregon Governor Tom McCall and the Oregon Legislature approved the purchase of over 3,500 acres to create Mt. Pisgah State Park.  At that time, only 2,300 acres could be acquired.  Howard Buford, planning director for Central Lane County had been instumental in urging McCall to approve the purchase. In 1982, the state transferred title to Lane County, which  renamed it the Howard Buford Recreation Area (HBRA or Buford Park).  It is  by far the largest park in the county park system, and one of the most popular.

What is the Howard Buford Recreation Area's purpose?

The 1994 Howard Buford Recreation Area's (HBRA) Master Plan states: "The purpose of the HBRA is to provide opportunities for primarily low intensity outdoor recreation and educational activities while protecting, conserving, enhancing and maintaining the natural, scenic, historical, rural and recreational qualities of this large, strategically located regional park." This unique park is  devoted primarily to enjoying the natural beauty of the land itself, rather than developed facilities.

Howard Buford Recreation Area is a Lane County Park. For information, contact Lane County Parks at 3050 Delta Hwy., Eugene, Or. 97408 or (541)682-2000, recorded info: (541)682-4414