Willamette Falls Trust

As the second largest waterfall by volume in the United States, Willamette Falls is a place where multiple histories and cultures converge.

For millennia, Native peoples have fished salmon and lamprey from the Willamette River and gathered foods and materials from its shores. Twentieth century industrialization that vitalized the regional economy at Willamette Falls created serious ecological and cultural damage to the area, limiting the domestic resources relied on by Native peoples and early settlers.

Today, Willamette Falls Trust is is guided by the Tribal Leadership Committee (TLC) composed of appointed representatives from the Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation, the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians, the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, and the Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs Reservation of Oregon. These official tribal representatives lead through our TLC to bring healing to this place of power. Together, the TLC are providing the guidance and wisdom that is shaping the acquisition of Moore’s Island and the opening of public access at the Falls.

We are proud of our focused collaborative efforts and strong commitment to public access, which includes restoration advocacy, deep community engagement, and the promise that all future generations will have a meaningful connection to Willamette Falls.

Mission

Willamette Falls Trust’s mission is to champion and sustain an exceptional Willamette Falls experience that offers year-round connection to the grandeur of the Falls, historic and cultural interpretation, healthy habitat, public open spaces, and elevates Tribal voices and interests in the Falls and its waterway.