Year in Review: Notable Numbers from 2020
Our Notable Numbers from 2020
Through the tumult and uncertainty of 2020, LandWatch stayed true to our values of protecting and conserving Central Oregon’s ecosystems and wildlife habitats, and fostering thriving, sustainable communities. We met the challenges head-on and stood up for what we love about this place and its people.
The numbers below provide an overview of our accomplishments that would not have been possible without our dedicated supporters.
Together, we did this for the future of Central Oregon:
LandWatch celebrated its 35th anniversary as an organization. We’ve spent over three decades advocating for the good life in Central Oregon. This year we also saw the role of Paul Dewey, our founder, shift from Executive Director to Strategic Advisor.
LandWatch welcomed 2 new staff members. Ben Gordon joined as Executive Director and we’ve recently welcomed Caitlyn Burford as Communications and Outreach Manager.
In 2020, we welcomed 72 first-time members.
According to the State Board of Agriculture, 97% of Oregon farms are family-owned. Despite our world-renowned land use system, Central Oregon is losing farmland at an alarming rate. The loss of these lands threatens not just the agricultural industry in Oregon, but a way of life. Check out our documentary short, “Our Last Crop,” which highlights the beauty and promise of our local farms.
In 2020, our LandWatch legal team reviewed 1,189 land use applications in rural Jefferson, Crook, and Deschutes counties. We review land use applications for consistency with state and local laws that keep our forests and farmlands intact, and protect open space and wildlife habitat.
LandWatch filed 12 appeals this year of various county land use decisions across Central Oregon. We brought 3 appeals before the Oregon Land Use Board of Appeals (LUBA).
For decades, LandWatch has been on the frontlines against the negative impacts of destination resorts, which carve up the landscape and take a heavy toll on Central Oregon’s wildlife habitat and water resources. LandWatch joined in filing a local appeal this year of the county’s approval of a proposed destination resort. This proposed resort would use up to 6 million gallons of water per day (more use than the entire city of Ashland).
In our national forests east of the Cascades, trees larger than 21” inches in diameter have been protected from logging since the early 1990s. Now, those protections are under threat. LandWatch is a part of the ongoing fight to protect places like the Ochoco National Forest from increased logging of big trees.
As mule deer migrate from the Cascades into their winter range, safe passage through Central Oregon is key. One particular area of interest for migration is the Skyline Forest, 33,000 acres of privately-owned land. For decades, LandWatch has helped protect the Skyline Forest and, with the lot up for sale, we are intent on making sure the forest remains a healthy habitat for our wildlife.
This year, we saw wolves disperse across Central Oregon from the northeastern corner of the state to establish new packs in the Oregon Cascades for the first time since they were eradicated decades ago. A total of 22 wolf packs were documented across the state in 2019.
This year, Oregon saw devastating wildfires. 4,009 homes were tragically lost along with just over 1 million acres of scorched land. At LandWatch, we want to ensure no one’s home is threatened by wildfire, which is why we advocate for smart planning in the Wildland Urban Interface. We know state land use planning was designed to protect homes from wildfire and want to ensure that development doesn’t happen in high-risk areas. We can have a healthier relationship with fire.
We voiced our concern for the final draft of the Habitat Conservation Plan, noting that it fell far short of mitigating impacts to wildlife and river health. LandWatch submitted 320 pages of expert testimony and comment to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, resulting in a revised plan with slightly increased water flows in the Deschutes and Crooked Rivers and Whychus Creek. But you know us, we’re still fighting for more.
The Bowman Dam blocked 500 miles of stream when it was constructed in 1961. With the dam system devastating Steelhead populations, adding a fish passage could help restore those numbers. This year, LandWatch was a part of challenging a waiver for Bowman Dam that would deny fish safe passage through the dam system. We offered public testimony because of inadequate mitigation efforts.
Bend City Council voted to designate the Bend Central District as an urban renewal area, approving the ordinance 6 votes to 1. This year, our BCD Initiative was deeply involved in community engagement to steward an inclusive and sustainable development plan for the area.
We conducted a community impact analysis of the Bend Central District and found that residents in the area were 2x more likely to live in poverty than residents throughout Bend. Our focus on the area includes closing the equity gap with careful, thoughtful, and justice-focused planning. We put forward a set of equity recommendations for the City of Bend’s Core Area Plan, centering the needs of vulnerable populations and existing businesses and residents in future development.
In the largest transportation investment in Bend’s history, voters passed a bond, $60 million of which is designated for road safety, walking, biking, and transit over the next decade. With the goal of making it safer to get around Bend on foot and bike, LandWatch supported the bond and engaged in public outreach throughout 2020.
The newly passed Bend Transportation System Plan states a goal of a 30% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. LandWatch’s vision for creating complete communities will continue to include low environmental impact transportation planning throughout the region.
With your support, LandWatch will continue to rise to the challenges of the day so that Central Oregon retains its unparalleled quality of life. We are eternally grateful to each of you who gave your time, your voice and your resources to the cause. As we prepare for another pivotal year for our region and our community, your support remains critical.