The Horizon

All the latest updates on our work defending rural lands, creating livable cities and towns and preserving wild lands and water throughout Central Oregon

CO LandWatch CO LandWatch

The future of Bend’s transportation system is in your hands

Real investments in transportation options will make neighborhoods like the Bend Central District possible. Making these improvements to our transportation system now will shape future growth throughout Central Oregon and contribute to a better future.

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CO LandWatch CO LandWatch

Fish passage waiver denied at Bowman Dam

Had the requesting Crook County stakeholders offered more mitigation measures, including streamflow restoration in the Crooked River below Bowman Dam, the waiver application might have been approved.

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CO LandWatch CO LandWatch

What's up with Wikiup?

It is time to stop the wasteful business-as-usual practices that generate these tragic outcomes. There is too much at stake for our rivers, farmers, and communities. We advocate for sensible, incentive-based strategies that can work today.

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Bend CO LandWatch Bend CO LandWatch

A Win for Bend's Transportation Future!

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.

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Bend CO LandWatch Bend CO LandWatch

Don't miss the big picture of the Bend core area plan

Bend’s population is exploding, and we need a strategy to accommodate the growth. one that utilizes underdeveloped parts of our city instead of sprawling onto our farms and forests. We need well-laid plans that prioritize efficient use of land and protect what we value most about living in Central Oregon.

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Bend CO LandWatch Bend CO LandWatch

Economist on the Core Area Plan for Bend: It Makes Fiscal Sense

The vision for a vibrant, healthy, and inclusive mixed-use neighborhood in the Bend Central District with safe connections between east and west Bend depends on the Core Area Plan to be funded through Tax Increment Financing (TIF). Steve Porter, an economist who served on the Urban Renewal Advisory Board, explains why TIF is the right tool to use from an economic perspective. This Guest Column was in The Bulletin on July 31st, 2020. For more on TIF, see our Frequently Asked Questions.

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