As Oregon reels from destructive wildfires and oppressive smoke, we at Central Oregon LandWatch want to express our heartbreak and sympathy for the communities experiencing unfathomable loss.

There’s still time to comment on the Forest Service’s plan to allow logging of big trees on public lands!

Over the past two years, the 21-member Citywide Transportation Advisory Committee (CTAC) worked to develop a new Transportation System Plan (TSP) for the City of Bend, and LandWatch was there every step of the way advocating for a safer, more equitable and more sustainable transportation future.

The Forest Service is moving forward with plans to weaken its rules that protect big trees on all National Forests in Central and Eastern Oregon.

After more than a decade of city planning and over two and a half years of community organizing, the vision for a vibrant, healthy, and inclusive Bend Central District is within reach!

For decades, LandWatch has been on the frontlines of defense against the negative impacts of destination resorts.

For 35 years, Paul’s leadership has propelled Central Oregon LandWatch to become the tireless defender of our farms and forests, our rivers and streams, and our thriving communities.

Highways present formidable barriers to wildlife movement. Thousands of deer and elk are hit by vehicles and injured or killed every year in Oregon; these wildlife-vehicle collisions also result of course in human injury, loss of life, and many thousands of dollars in property damage.

With the COVID-19 pandemic, residents of the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs Reservation of Oregon - especially those without shelter - are in need of supplies to ensure their health and safety.

After two years of work, the 21-member Citywide Transportation Advisory Committee (CTAC) recently held their final meeting. Thank you CTAC for your hard work and your commitment to creating a better future for transportation in Bend!

We believe that in preserving Central Oregon’s natural resources and livable communities, a just society for all people is more possible. A community cannot be livable when its Black residents are not safe. Central Oregon LandWatch stands in solidarity with those fighting to dismantle racism and to build a more equitable world.

As you well know, we are experiencing a significant interruption in the systems that we may take for granted as COVID-19 spreads across the world. From an over-burdened medical system to the social contracts implicit in a smile, no stone is left unturned, including our food systems.

The Forest Service is exploring a change in forest policy for all National Forests east of the Cascades in Oregon via what they’ve dubbed “Project 21.” This project would allow the Forest Service to cut and sell trees larger than 21” in diameter. Thanks to prior advocacy, current forest policy prevents cutting these large trees throughout the Deschutes, Ochoco, Fremont-Winema, Malheur, Umatilla, and Wallowa-Whitman National Forests.

LandWatch is pleased to announce the selection of Ben Gordon as our next Executive Director. As we celebrate our 35th year of defending our natural environment and building healthy communities, we are confident Ben has the vision and experience to guide LandWatch in its next phase.

Our community impact analysis found that residents of the Bend Central District's census tract are twice as likely to live in poverty as residents throughout Bend.

A recent guest column author argued that the solution for water shortages in the Deschutes River Basin is large canal piping projects for irrigation districts funded by the public, instead of much cheaper water market solutions. What he completely ignores is the cost of the large pipes, around $1 billion. In this economic crisis that is absurd. It will cost too much and take too long. Climate change, threatened fish and wildlife, degraded rivers and farmers without water security compel us to act quickly to solve this problem.

We've seen an incredible response from the helpers in our community as we face the threat of COVID-19 and its fallout together.