As frontline defenders of Central Oregon’s rural lands, water, and wildlife and as proponents of sustainable, attractive, prosperous communities, another of the arenas in which LandWatch actively engages is legislative advocacy. We track bills, conduct background research, work with partner organizations, meet with legislators, provide testimony, and participate in crafting legislation. We work to support and strengthen good bills and to oppose, defeat, limit, or mitigate bad bills.

Through an innocent-sounding “update” to County-wide codes in both Crook County and Jefferson County, longstanding protections for farm and forest lands could be weakened.  Both counties are considering the adoption of new “model codes” that would significantly replace the counties’ existing EFU and Forest zoning codes.

As development pressures grow in high-risk areas, we must consider every new development in the WUI carefully. Smart planning that takes wildfire risk into account will help avoid unnecessary loss of life and homes, risk to our health, and endangerment of firefighters.

Our win closes a local loophole that was allowing more development than is typically allowed on farm and ranch land. 

Agriculture is an important part of Central Oregon’s cultural heritage and supports a resilient local food system. Farm and ranch land has remained available for family farmers in Central Oregon because of protections put in place by our statewide land use planning system.  

We need to plan ahead so that together, our land uses and transportation system can reduce the average number of miles we all have to travel to get to where we want to go.

Last year when Deschutes County proposed amending the code to weaken winter range protections, LandWatch's members and allies, including the friends of the Tumalo Wildlife Corridor, voiced their strong support for protection of winter range habitat and the species that depend on it.

The Metolius Basin was once threatened by clearcuts and destination resorts, but thanks in large part to our Executive Director Paul Dewey's unwavering defense of the area, it is now protected as an Area of Critical State Concern (ACSC). 
 

Deschutes County is considering weakening its code to allow property owners in violation of county code to further develop their property. Now is the time to let the County know that you do not support giving this benefit to code violators!

Watch What's Brewing and Supper Club discussions.

Ever wonder why it's so easy to get out of the hustle and bustle of the city to explore the peaceful mountains, high desert, and farm and range land around Central Oregon?
 

Central Oregon LandWatch succeeded in getting the Oregon Land Use Board of Appeals to reject Deschutes County’s approval of an expansion of the Caldera Destination Resort near Sunriver. The County now has to reconsider.

Bend's new Urban Growth Boundary has been acknowledged by the Department of Land Conservation and Development in record time and goes into effect today.