The following is a list of ongoing LandWatch projects. Please click on the subject you're interested in and you will be taken to its project page. (As of the launch date for this site, this page and the related project pages were still under construction. - EK)

Skyline Forest

In 2006, and following the bankruptcy proceedings of Crown Pacific Lumber, the 33,000 Skyline Forest west of Bend and south of Sisters was purchased by investors looking to develop or otherwise profit from the land. The land's present owners - Florida-based Fidelity National - have announced an intention to go to the state legislature in 2008 and ask for special permission to develop on 5,000 acres of critical habitat in exchange for donating the other 28,000 to a local land trust.

Because many members of the community have expressed disappointment that more of the forest wouldn't be conserved, because there are very real concerns of placing a large resort-like community deep in a fire-prone forest, and because there is overarching concern that a deal of this nature could set a dangerous precedent and spur the development of other private forest land around the state, LandWatch is endeavoring to ensure that as much of the forest as possible is conserved. To learn more about this effort please visit our Skyline Forest project page.

Bend Urban Growth Boundary Expansion

The City of Bend is attempting what may prove to be the largest UGB expansion in the state's history. There are many questions swirling around this project: How many acres can the City justify including? What's the best land to include? What will be the fate of Juniper Ridge? How will this expansion guide future growth and what does that mean for the residents of Bend?

If the City's UGB expansion is a topic of interest to you, if you are concerned for the future of our city, or of your neighborhood, and what to learn how Central Oregon LandWatch is getting involved and what you can do to help, please visit our Bend UGB Expansion project page.

Metolius River

Late last year, Jefferson County approved several code changes that would allow the development of large-scale destination resorts near the Wild & Scenic Metolius River and would do nothing to prevent those resorts from impacting this natural wonder. LandWatch and four other parties appealed these decisions to the State's Land Use Board of Appeals, with a decision forthcoming in early October.

Since the County approved these changes, plans have surface for two destination resorts near the river which would lead to numerous impact that would harm to remote Metolius River and upset the delicate balance of the surrounding landscape. LandWatch helped lead the fight to support Ben Westlund's Senate Bill 30 to ban resorts near the river, but for political reasons - and despite overwhelming public support - a final vote never came to pass. Governor Kulongoski, however, wrote a letter of concern, saying that one way or another, he would help find a way to protect the Metolius.

LandWatch is committed to seeing through our appeals of Jefferson County decisions and to fighting for the future of the Metolius River by whatever means necessary. If you'd like to learn more about this effort, please visit our Metolius River projects page here.

Destination Resorts

Central Oregon, consisting of Deschutes, Crook, and Jefferson Counties, is ground zero for large-scale destination resort development. Approved because of the property tax revenue they provide to county governments, elected officials have shown little concern for the economic, social, environmental, or energy-related impacts that these resort bring that affect our landscape, our natural resources, our environments, and our communities.

LandWatch is dedicated to doing what we can to halt the senseless proliferation of destination resorts in Central Oregon and esnure that the resorts that are approved provide real enefits without the negative impacts. If you'd like to learn more about our efforts to spearhead change on destination resort policy locally and at the state level, or would like to help support this cause, please visit our destination resorts project page.

Measure 49

Passed by the voters of Oregon in November, 2004, Measure 37 has been the most radical and disruptive change to Oregon's statewide land use and planning guidelines since those laws were passed in the early 1970s. Throughout the state, thousands of claims have been filed that propose to divide up and develop many hundreds of thousands of private acres throughout Oregon threatening farmland, rangeland, forests, and throwing land use planning in Oregon into a state of chaos.

In November, 20007 with Measure 49, voters took a huge step in recctify the mistake of Measure 37, helping to protect many of our most important landscapes from inappropriate developments, and get planning back on the right track. LandWatch has long been committed to challenging the most egregious claims throughout Central Oregon with the hope that we can prevent the subdivision and development of thousands of acres. However, even with the passage of Measure 49, many claimants are still pushing to get vested under Measure 37's standards. LandWatch is working to ensure that as these claims are processed, land use regulations are followed, and elected officials are held accountable to the law and the will of the general public. To learn more about our efforts or to learn how you can support them, please visit our
Measure 49 project page.

Watchdog Projects

For the past decade, LandWatch has appealed thoughtless growth, sprawl, conversion of farmland, forest land, and inappropriate developments, as well as critical code changes on topics from solar ordinances, to transportation plans. In all our appeals, the principles we strive to support remain the same: conserving our rural and natural landscapes on the one hand, and supporting smart growth and energy conservation-related initiatives on the other.

Despite taking on larger projects over the past year, LandWatch will continue watchdogging and appealing developments and code changes that run contrary to our core principles. To stay up on this element of our work, you can visit our watchdog projects page and learn more.