Press Release: Save Skyline Forest - A Conservation Campaign

Photo: James Parsons

Save Skyline Forest

A conservation campaign to protect 50 square miles of private forestland in Central Oregon

Click on the map for a larger view.

Skyline Forest is an expansive landscape covering 50 square miles west of Bend and Sisters. This beloved forestland provides essential benefits for wildlife, water, wildfire security, and nearby access to the outdoors for residents and visitors alike. Given its proximity to the Deschutes National Forest and its history of public access for recreation granted by private owners, many Central Oregonians assume this vast area is public land.

Conversely, Skyline Forest is up for sale. This 33,000-acre forest is privately owned and was listed on the market in 2019 for $127 million. Central Oregon LandWatch, concerned about the future of this beloved forest, is organizing a community conservation effort to Save Skyline Forest. 

“If we want to ensure Skyline Forest remains a cherished piece of our landscape and does not fall prey to large-scale luxury development, the time to act is now,” says Executive Director Ben Gordon. 

The effort to Save Skyline Forest has been nearly two decades in the making, and Central Oregonians from all walks of life want to see Skyline Forest protected. According to a 2022 survey from Public Policy Polling, 3 in 4 Bend and Sisters residents support protecting Skyline Forest regardless of age, political affiliation, or how long they have lived in the area. 

The Save Skyline Forest campaign aims to permanently conserve this area for wildlife, wildfire security, water quality, and recreation. 

Often referred to as “Bend and Sisters’ backyard,” this vast, intact forestland provides essential wildlife habitat for our region’s iconic mule deer and elk. In fact, according to Public Policy Polling, 86% of Bend and Sisters residents are concerned about development in Skyline Forest harming wildlife habitat. Nearly a dozen intermittent and ephemeral streams flow through this landscape, contributing to our region’s water quality and bringing a supply of cold, clean water to the Deschutes River system.

Photo: Nate Wyeth

In addition to the immense community benefits the forestland provides, it is an unwise and unsafe place for development. Given the fire-prone ecology, it is especially susceptible to high-severity fires. Over the past 12 years, the Two Bulls and Rooster Rock fires burned over 13,000 acres in and around the property. To keep our cities and towns safe from wildfire, we need to avoid development in Bend’s wildland-urban interface.

Skyline Forest is a key part of daily life in Central Oregon. The forest’s proximity to Bend and Sisters affords residents and visitors convenient access to the great outdoors. It offers close-to-town outdoor access and stunning views of the Cascade Mountains and, if left intact, keeps homes and buildings out of a wildfire-prone area.  

“The fate of Skyline Forest is of regional significance,” says Executive Director Ben Gordon. “It would be a terrific gain for Central Oregon’s livable future to find a permanent conservation solution focused on community values of outdoor access, wildlife habitat, water quality, and wildfire safety.”

With mounting pressure from regional growth and climate change, this is a landscape that must be conserved for all the incredible values it has and benefits it brings to our Central Oregon communities. LandWatch is bringing the community together to Save Skyline Forest once and for all. Find out more at SaveSkylineForest.org.

Media contact:

Caitlyn Burford, Communications & Outreach Manager

541-647-2930 ext.807, caitlyn@colw.org