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• In the mid-1970s , Eugene received a unique gift - the only remaining piece of pre-city South hills landscape, all wrapped up in a histor- ical context and containing resource values that have never been fully explored . The one overriding reason for the Wayne Morse Ranch ' s existence is that historical significance, and when Eugene accepted responsibility for the Ranch ' s management, it also accepted responsi- bility for retaining the historic integrity. Over the years , areas of the Ranch have been adapted and changed for various uses - a bit here and a bit there with no cohesion or inte- grated whole. Such piecemeal use is not how other historical prop- erties are managed and if Eugene is serious about historical park ownership, then Eugene must develope the special kind of stewardship such a property demands . This means that the public must be educated as to the placement and purpose of this property in the park system as a whole. If the park system wishes to have a rich and diverse. set of parks , then each park' s government must be dictated by the property itself , not by what the public would wish to impose upon the property. The Ranch, by virtue of its historical status , has requirements not found in any other park in Eugene. Some time ago, the Wayne Morse Historical Park Corporation began a process to create a Master Plan to oversee the direction of the Ranch. The Eugene Parks , Recreation, and Cultural Services Dept. agreed to cooperate in this process and we now ask that we be allowed to com- plete and present the Plan in its fullest form. Introducing new elements , such as the "Morse Ranch Dog Park" , as the Morse Ranch Off Leash Asso . refers to it, unbelievably complicates what should be a rational discussion of the logical goals of historical property management . The Master Plan will define appropriate uses for the Ranch. We have four catagories for any activity that takes place on the property (excepting , of course, the affiliations of groups that wish to re- serve the house or shelter for meetings , weddings , etc. ) : 1 ) historic, 2 ) educational , 3 ) environmental , 4 ) recreational . Each of these ele- ments is subservient to the element preceding it, with historic appropriateness as the ultimate determining factor.