Willamette Falls Trust, governed by collaborative inter-Tribal leadership has signed an agreement with Portland General Electric as a first step to explore restoring public access at Willamette Falls, a natural wonder - the 2nd largest waterfall by volume, on the continent.  

The vision of the Willamette Falls Inter-Tribal Public Access Project is to honor the history and practice of Native peoples and create a shared public space. This potential project includes cultural programming, restorative pathways, native plants, first foods and medicines, and gathering areas for many communities. 

The Trust brings together multiple communities, across many different cultures and lifeways, with the expertise to ensure that this project would be culturally, environmentally, and economically sustainable for future generations.  

This cooperative Agreement applies to a portion of PGE’s land on an island on the west side of the Willamette River, which affords close and dramatic views of the Falls, and is outside of the federally licensed and regulated area around their hydropower plant. 

The Agreement between Willamette Falls Trust and PGE enables the Trust to assess a portion of PGE property on the west side of Willamette Falls for a project intended to return public access to a place of deep spiritual, cultural and historical connection for the region.