Five cyclists with extensive experience with “practical cycling” — the kind of riding that takes us to and from schools, shops, and workplaces — share their advice for people who are curious about bike commuting in Bend.

You will find a number of low-stress routes in Bend to enjoy already, and options will improve in coming years.

April is National Poetry Month. To celebrate, we’re highlighting a creative mind using land use, advocacy, and art to realize a more just and sustainable future.

On March 29, essential protections for large trees in eastern Oregon and eastern Washington were fully reinstated!

The county’s proposed Comprehensive Plan update offers up a less-than-satisfactory framework for our future. Here’s one last chance to let County planners know what you want to see prioritized and help define a better future for Deschutes County.

Listen to some familiar melodies. While simply beautiful to our ears, birdsong has a variety of important and complex functions in communication among different species of birds.

A practical guide to appreciating seasonal changes, deepening your local natural history knowledge, and relishing the longer daylight hours.

Tidying your space is a well-known spring tradition. But what about taking a step back from that and addressing your mental space before diving into a physical clean-up project? In this practical guide to making the most of spring in Central Oregon, we’ll spur you to do the spring cleaning you want to do.

Over just 32 days after it began, Oregon’s 2024 legislative session delivered a mixed bag for environmentally-minded housing and land use advocates. Here’s our take on what went well, what could’ve been better, and what we’ll be working on next.

Housing production bills have been front and center during Oregon’s 2024 legislative short session and we’ve heard an encouraging message from lawmakers that our advocacy matters. Proposed Urban Growth Boundary (UGB) expansion provisions are being scaled back.

On January 24, the Oregon Court of Appeals affirmed LandWatch’s and co-petitioners’ win at the Land Use Board of Appeals (LUBA) concerning Deschutes County’s attempt to rezone 710 acres of farmland for sprawling luxury development.

Looking ahead to the Oregon state legislative session that opens on February 5, 2024, LandWatch will be counting on our members and supporters to voice their support for an approach to development that urgently addresses our housing needs without eroding bedrock laws that are vital to our livability, human health, and a healthy environment.

LandWatch prevailed at Oregon’s Land Use Board of Appeal in appeals of Deschutes County’s decision to approve Thornburgh Resort’s Fish and Wildlife Mitigation Plan (FWMP).

This past fall, we were concerned to see a series of projects proposing large tree logging across a total of 73,000 acres on the Ochoco National Forest.

A comforting winter recipe that features ingredients that can be locally sourced in Central Oregon. It is also incredibly flexible and can be made vegetarian, dairy-free or gluten-free.

Trees are a terrific tool for making our city climate-resilient, livable and equitable. Bend is updating its tree code, and we’ve been working to ensure that more trees - especially large, mature trees - are being preserved as we continue to build the housing our community urgently needs.

Central Oregon’s unique spirit captivates the hearts and minds of those who know it well. From Cascade peaks to high desert horizons, there’s a lot to appreciate and explore!

Exciting news: we have a Winter Challenge Match underway, with three generous entities matching funds so that gifts from our community have twice the impact! Read on for the logistics and answers to questions you might have.

Most of the Deschutes River Basin’s water is used for irrigation and waste happens at every step in the process. It is time for irrigation districts to step up and truly embrace reform at the local level.

Here are some exciting updates about how we’re helping make Complete Communities happen in our community, right now.

What do we want Deschutes County to look like in 20 years? The County is asking for your input on its draft update to the Comprehensive Plan.