Bend residents have an opportunity — before March 11 — to submit comments on the continued implementation of the city’s tree code priorities and regulations, as developed by the Tree Regulation Update Advisory Committee. LandWatch will be encouraging the City of Bend to continue including junipers as both a regulated and priority tree under the updated code, and hope you’ll join us.

With just 35 days on the clock, LandWatch is coming into the 2026 legislative session focused, coordinated, and ready to advocate for what matters most in Central Oregon: communities where people can afford to live and thrive, rural lands that remain productive and protected, and wild lands that support the wildlife and outdoor pursuits that define our region.

Having more businesses in our neighborhoods is a natural part of healthy urbanization and would support how much of the community would like to live. So, LandWatch is partnering with Bend YIMBY to find ways to make this happen.

​​Important decisions that will guide Bend's growth for the next 20 years are in the works and on the horizon.

There is a lot of work ahead to continue to unlock the potential of the BCD—but we are well on our way to this part of our city becoming one of Bend’s most incredible Complete Communities. We are so excited about the transformative changes underway and for the future of this area. 

The City of Sisters is wrapping up its Urban Growth Boundary (UGB) expansion process with a new expansion area that will serve Sisters’ future well.

LandWatch has been engaged in Sisters’ growth since the start of the Comprehensive Planning process in 2020, and over the past year, we’ve helped guide progress as part of the Sisters UGB Steering Committee.

The City of Bend’s first annual review of its new tree code has just been completed—and so far, pretty good.

In reviewing one year of data, it seems the tree code is helping the city strike a tricky balance between the need to preserve trees and the need to develop housing.

Get to know Ian Gray, the City of Bend’s new and first-ever Urban Forester. With experience shaping city canopies across the West, he brings a clear vision for a thriving, climate-resilient Bend.

In Deschutes County, over half of daily trips are under 3 miles. . That means there is great potential for many of those trips to be done by walking, biking, rolling or by bus if our transportation infrastructure supports safe, connected, and appealing travel.

Oregon’s 2025 legislative session is heading into its final weeks, and LandWatch is proud to report that it’s shaping up to be a good year for us in Salem.

Wildfire is essential in our landscape, and an expected element of living, working, and playing in Central Oregon. As we plan for the future, we must learn to coexist with fire.

Cascade East Transit is offering free rides, expanded service, and fantastic prizes from June 2—8 during Try Transit Week! We checked in with Derek Hofbauer from CET to learn more about Central Oregon’s many transportation options.

Urban sprawl doesn’t solve the underlying problem of America’s housing shortage—it is the underlying problem.

Shared Post from the smart growth minds at strongtowns.org

LandWatch is advocating for a data-driven approach that ensures Bend’s new tree code continues to support both streamlined housing development and the health of our urban forest.

Bend has advanced to the Final Four in the national Strongest Town Contest—an exciting recognition of the work being done to create a more sustainable, resilient, and livable city.

Your vote can help propel Bend to the championship!

Our Cities & Towns team is focused on two key priorities during Oregon’s 2025 legislative session: affordable housing and transportation. 

We’ve detailed some of the key opportunities on our radar in Salem this year that will move Complete Communities forward in our cities and towns east of the Cascades.

The City of Sisters and its residents have been hard at work planning to accommodate a 20-year supply of needed housing and employment lands.

Five UGB concept alternatives will be discussed at a Dec 9 Open House. Thanks to their thoughtful approach, the City is poised to preserve the attributes that make Sisters the distinctive town it is today.

There are many ways to contribute to your community as an individual, with a group, or through local government. There are larger commitments, as well as simple actions, formal and informal, and all of it adds up to a more Complete Communities in this place we call home. So, how might you act locally? We’ve compiled a list of ideas!

Rapid growth presents us with a challenge and an opportunity: to grow well and with intention so that our communities are more vibrant, affordable, inclusive, and climate-resilient. So let’s take a look at what we can do to act locally for our climate and community.

The City of Bend’s new tree code took effect in August, with the aim to balance protecting more trees — especially large, mature trees — during development, without hindering the production of much-needed housing. That’s a tight needle to thread, to be sure. Striking that balance was a long, tough process - and the road ahead isn’t looking any easier. Local developers have challenged the newly adopted code.

The future of Bend is happening now.

The City of Bend is beginning work that will guide our community’s growth now and for the next 20 to 50 years. LandWatch’s Cities & Towns team is and will be deeply involved with these efforts on the path ahead—and we’ll make sure our community knows the best times to make their voices heard along the way. 

The revitalization of the Bend Central District — affectionately known as the BCD — into a Complete Community is one of the most promising, broadly supported, and exciting efforts in the entire city. In 2024, the BCD will really start to look, feel, and function differently and we’re so here for it!