Associated Press
 
October 27, 2009
 
ANTELOPE, Ore. -- A swap involving land at the site of the former Rajneeshee commune could lead to the creation of two new wilderness areas in Central Oregon.
 
The Bulletin newspaper of Bend reports that a Christian-based summer camp in Antelope is working on the exchange that would also make roughly 15,000 acres of popular hunting grounds accessible to the public.
 
The cult collapsed in 1985 and the land eventually became Young Life's Washington Family Ranch.
 
The ranch, however, is intermingled with Bureau of Land Management parcels, and hunters often wander onto camp property.
 
The swap would better define the boundaries. Meanwhile, the land received by the BLM could help create two wilderness areas.
 
The exchange must be approved by Congress.