The Oregon Parks & Recreation Commission voted last week to buy a 32-acre property to add to its Beaver Creek natural area in Brian Booth State Park north of Seal Rock. The purchase price is $357,000.
The property, owned by Barbara Wichman, consists of a section of South Beaver Creek, about 13 acres of wetlands and upland forests. There is a manufactured home and small outbuildings on the property, state parks staff said in a report to the commission, and the owner will be allowed to continue living there.
“The owner, who has been our neighbor here since some of our earliest Beaver Creek natural area acquisitions, has expressed an interest in selling this property to OPRD,” the staff report said. State parks owns land on two sides of Wichman’s property.
“In addition to expanding the trail network at Brian Booth State Park, conserving additional wetlands in the Beaver Creek area and providing recreational opportunities like hiking and bird watching, the existing residence could eventually be used as office space or employee housing,” the staff report said. “Staff envisions this property fitting nicely with OPRD long-range goals for this park.”
Wichman agreed to sell the property for its appraised value of $357,000, subject to the clause of allowing her to continue living there.
