The most significant barrier to mule deer movement across the landscape is highways. However, Wildlife crossings, in the form of highway underpasses and overpasses, have been shown to be highly effective in reducing the wildlife/vehicle collisions that are a major source of mule deer mortality.

Whether you grew up in Central Oregon or just recently moved to the high desert, the effects of population growth are on everyone’s mind. How we respond to the change will define what it is like to experience this landscape for generations to come.

The appeals continue over a proposed destination resort at Cline Buttes near Redmond. Unfortunately, despite the outpouring of public concern in the remand hearing, a hearings officer approved the resort's current development application in October.

We began monitoring the Green Ridge Project near the Metolius Basin in 2017. Now, the current plan preferred by the Sisters’ Ranger District would impact 19,991 acres with thinning and logging throughout the entire project landscape. Take action for the forest today!

Our role as watchdog is to sound the alarm and draw attention to threats to the quality of life of our region and the very land beneath us.

In the 1960s and early 1970s, Oregonians were increasingly troubled by unbridled growth and the urban development sprawling across the state's farmland and forests. In 1973, Governor Tom McCall made an impassioned plea to the Oregon legislature to enact a statewide land use planning program to protect Oregon's threatened agricultural and forest industries.

If you visited a produce stand in Central Oregon this past summer, you likely came across local vegetables, herbs, and seeds grown every year in Jefferson County.

Right now, Oregon is undergoing a once-in-a-lifetime process that has the power to transform our communities and tackle climate change head-on.

LUBA decides in favor of LandWatch’s challenge to an urban growth boundary expansion. As Jefferson County is home to the most productive agricultural land in Central Oregon, LandWatch was concerned that the UGB expansion would permanently convert prime farmland away from agricultural use without any need to expand the UGB.

At the places where rivers begin and end, we find the ephemeral streams and tributaries that connect a diverse network of waterways.

If you want to help make our communities safer, healthier, and more pedestrian-friendly, this is a pivotal moment to make your voice heard.

Listen to Dirty Freehub's recent podcast episode to hear more about LandWatch's work in the Ochocos. In this episode, Rory Isbell discusses the importance of migration corridors and riparian areas for Redband Trout and elk, along with our recent victory to protect wildlife habitat in the Ochoco National Forest.

Take action today! Healthy habitats are homes for wildlife. As Deschutes County grows, a growing population, increased recreation activity, and development are putting wildlife under pressure.

Growth in Deschutes County continues to outpace the rest of the state. But as places like Bend continue to boom, how can the county grow responsibly? We hear details from Ben Gordon, the executive director of Central Oregon LandWatch, and Deschutes County Commissioner Phil Chang.

The ongoing drought remains at the forefront of our minds as summer draws to a close. Isn’t it time to work together to change our water policies and eliminate wasteful practices? We all stand to benefit.

There is a housing shortage across the country, driving up costs and limiting available housing options for residents in cities and towns nationwide. Bend is no exception. HB 2001 requires most cities in Oregon, including Bend, to allow more middle housing options within city limits.

In September of 2020, we watched wildfires ignite across Oregon in one of the most devastating fire seasons on record. How can we plan for a safer future in our fire-adapted landscape?

No more excuses. It’s time for the County to require Thornburgh Resort to make good on its promises to mitigate for its effects on fish and wildlife.

We’ve got a community vision for Hawthorne Avenue and connecting the Bend Central District to downtown. Together, we can make this vision come to life. Learn more about the Hawthorne Bridge and find out how you can support the project.