The Horizon

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.

We’re kicking off Earth Month by sharing a selection of resources designed to inspire practical climate action — personalized for you. We hope these tools help you feel empowered to see yourself and your community as a tangible driver of climate solutions.

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!

When a data center came knocking, Christmas Valley farmers weren’t interested. Read on for the backstory on a significant win for Christmas Valley and Lake County, and an update on an ongoing challenge to preserve agricultural land in Jefferson County.

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.

Oregon’s land use planning system is hailed as a model for preserving its unique agricultural and forest landscapes while fostering sustainable growth.

Despite this, a troubling trend has emerged in recent years: spot zoning of farm and forest lands.

Today, the National Marine Fisheries Service’s “non-essential experimental population” (NEP) designation for Upper Deschutes Basin steelhead expires — meaning all steelhead above the Pelton Round Butte dams are now officially listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act (ESA).