The Source printed a rare editorial in this week's paper (07/27/07) suggesting that the community should think twice before accepting the deal that Skyline Forest's owner - Fidelity National Financial - has offered to build on 5,000 acres and donate 28,000 acres.

HeadWaters Economics, who also just released this study on the potential economic impacts of a Badlands Wilderness east of Bend, has also released a new study on the potential for future development on fire-prone lands and the implications on future fire-fighting costs. The report, which addresses fire risk throughout the west, also as a section on Oregon.

The Source just printed an 1,800-word piece on Skyline Forest as well as a pretty lengthy side-bar on the man with the money behind the whole effort to develop a large portion of the Skyline Forest. LandWatch was given a few mentions and quotes as well.

I particularly like the part where 11-year-old Javier Colton told The Source, “I don’t really know that many people who don’t want to save it.”

Really, the kid’s on to something. Frankly – aside from those who want to develop it themselves – who does want to see the Skyline Forest developed? The question everyone is asking, however, is what exactly is the best way to save the forest? And to that question there appears to be some notable disagreement.

News accounts of Skyline Forest are pretty slim, but I thought I'd post a few stories for those looking for some background information on the matter.

The Sisters Nugget printed this piece entitled "Skyline Forest Owner Seeks Development" on August 21st, and this letter on August 29th.

The Skyline Forest is a 33,000-acre piece of privately-owned forest land, bordered on three sides by National Forest and lying to the west of Bend and south of Sisters. Looking westward towards the peaks of the Cacscades, this piece of property constitutes the majority of the foreground view. More a more detailed understanding of the proeprtie's extent, take a look at these maps created by the Deschutes Basin Land Trust.