The Horizon

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.

Farmers and ranchers deserve affordable access to the land they need to grow food for our communities. Central Oregonians deserve to know their tax dollars aren’t subsidizing luxury sprawl. And all of us deserve to know that the working landscapes that make this place special will remain for generations to come. 

Next time you’re traveling back from Suttle Lake, marveling at the beauty in all directions, know that  soon, you, your friends and family, and the wildlife that call this spectacular place home, will all be able to safely reach their destination.

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.

On December 4, photographer, filmmaker, and National Geographic Explorer Kiliii Yüyan will share breathtaking stories of survival, Indigenous resilience, and ecological kinship. Through images and stories spanning the globe from the Arctic to Australia, Yüyan reminds us that when we protect the more-than-human world, we are also protecting ourselves.

​​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.

Either voluntarily or by enforcement, we call on Deschutes County to honor that covenant by ending its practice of spot zoning.

Originally published as a Guest Column in the Bend Bulletin on 08/27/2025.

LandWatch’s Rural Lands team recently won a case challenging Deschutes County’s decision to rezone 65 acres of irrigated farmland before Oregon’s Land Use Board of Appeals (LUBA).

Recently, we saw a fiery online debate about farm stands, agritourism, and DLCD Farm Stand rulemaking process. If you witnessed or participated in the recent dialogue but had a nagging feeling that you weren’t being told the whole story, this blog post is for you.

Six months of nonstop bill tracking, analysis, advocacy, and collaboration kept the entire LandWatch team busier than ever and on our toes every step of the way. It was well worth the effort, though, and now, it’s time to take a look back at everything that transpired.

The Trump administration has announced its plans to rescind the Roadless Area Conservation Rule. Check out our primer to come up to speed on the importance of the Roadless Rule, learn what can be expected next, and find out how you can plug in to defend public lands in Central Oregon and beyond from this new threat.

With strong community support, LandWatch and Advocates for the West team up to defend Central Oregon’s waters, wildlife, and public lands.

The USFS’ final decision on the Green Ridge project may represent incremental progress toward more meaningfully prioritizing wildlife habitat on the Deschutes National Forest.

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.