Thanks in large part to our advocacy, the Westside Transect is a new concept for Central Oregon that is being used to plan development on Bend’s western edge where we are at most risk of wildfire sweeping into town from the Cascade Mountain forests.

As development pressures grow in high-risk areas, we must consider every new development in the WUI carefully. Smart planning that takes wildfire risk into account will help avoid unnecessary loss of life and homes, risk to our health, and endangerment of firefighters.

More than 100 of the iconic, old-growth ponderosa pine trees which greet us when we arrive back into Central Oregon from the Santiam Pass or the Metolius River Basin are dying because they were sprayed with a deadly herbicide by the Forest Service and ODOT over the course of three consecutive years. 

Last night, LandWatch advocated for wildlife habitat and protection from wildfire risk adjacent to Shevlin Park by supporting an application for a new zone in Deschutes County. The proposal to create a Westside Transect zone will extend to the county the 2016 UGB concept of tapering density as the city boundary nears the forest where there is higher risk of wildfire.

A victory in Central Oregon LandWatch’s fight to protect elk habitat and quiet recreation opportunities in the Ochoco National Forest came out Monday, August 27th, 2018.

The Metolius Basin was once threatened by clearcuts and destination resorts, but thanks in large part to our Executive Director Paul Dewey's unwavering defense of the area, it is now protected as an Area of Critical State Concern (ACSC). 
 

Ever wonder why it's so easy to get out of the hustle and bustle of the city to explore the peaceful mountains, high desert, and farm and range land around Central Oregon?
 

Currently, a bill is moving quickly through the Oregon State Legislature that threatens our quality of life under the guise of providing affordable housing.