Success! Central Oregon wildlife corridor protected
Central Oregon LandWatch has for years worked to preserve the last remnants of a critical wildlife corridor that was threatened by a planned expansion of Caldera Springs Destination Resort south of Sunriver. After LandWatch’s legal action blocked an initial proposal to expand across the 600 acres of forested elk and Mule Deer habitat, we successfully negotiated redesign of the resort site plan.
The Sunriver area is a key corridor for Mule Deer, which have an amazing ability to retrace their steps year after year and often follow the same migration route from summer to winter ranges. The Mule Deer population in the area has plummeted over the past several decades as people have moved into and fragmented the landscape the deer have inhabited for thousands of years. As Central Oregon’s population continues to grow, it is essential that we maintain connected habitat for the survival of our wildlife.
The original Caldera Springs expansion proposal would have impacted the last remnants of a key wildlife corridor south of the current Caldera Resort. The corridor connects the Little Deschutes River to Forest Service land east of Highway 97, and is the last piece of connected land in that important area.
In 2016, Deschutes County approved a proposal by Pine Forest Development LLC to expand the Caldera Springs destination resort. LandWatch successfully appealed that proposal to the Land Use Board of Appeals, and it was sent back to the County for reconsideration. The decision was then appealed to the State Court of Appeals which also sent the decision back to the County.
After extensive settlement discussions, LandWatch and the Resort came to an agreement that resulted in maintaining a wildlife corridor about ¼ mile wide. The 221-acre Wildlife Mitigation Tract is oriented east-west to match migration needs and restricts uses that disturb wildlife. It will now also be in exact alignment with a wildlife underpass that the Oregon Department of Transportation plans to build under Highway 97.
LandWatch and Caldera plan to continue to work together to maintain habitat in that area.