On January 24, the Oregon Court of Appeals affirmed LandWatch’s and co-petitioners’ win at the Land Use Board of Appeals (LUBA) concerning Deschutes County’s attempt to rezone 710 acres of farmland for sprawling luxury development.

Looking ahead to the Oregon state legislative session that opens on February 5, 2024, LandWatch will be counting on our members and supporters to voice their support for an approach to development that urgently addresses our housing needs without eroding bedrock laws that are vital to our livability, human health, and a healthy environment.

LandWatch prevailed at Oregon’s Land Use Board of Appeal in appeals of Deschutes County’s decision to approve Thornburgh Resort’s Fish and Wildlife Mitigation Plan (FWMP).

This past fall, we were concerned to see a series of projects proposing large tree logging across a total of 73,000 acres on the Ochoco National Forest.

A comforting winter recipe that features ingredients that can be locally sourced in Central Oregon. It is also incredibly flexible and can be made vegetarian, dairy-free or gluten-free.

Trees are a terrific tool for making our city climate-resilient, livable and equitable. Bend is updating its tree code, and we’ve been working to ensure that more trees - especially large, mature trees - are being preserved as we continue to build the housing our community urgently needs.

Central Oregon’s unique spirit captivates the hearts and minds of those who know it well. From Cascade peaks to high desert horizons, there’s a lot to appreciate and explore!

Exciting news: we have a Winter Challenge Match underway, with three generous entities matching funds so that gifts from our community have twice the impact! Read on for the logistics and answers to questions you might have.

Most of the Deschutes River Basin’s water is used for irrigation and waste happens at every step in the process. It is time for irrigation districts to step up and truly embrace reform at the local level.

Here are some exciting updates about how we’re helping make Complete Communities happen in our community, right now.

What do we want Deschutes County to look like in 20 years? The County is asking for your input on its draft update to the Comprehensive Plan.

It’s clear there is an appetite amongst irrigators for solutions to wasteful irrigation practices, improved irrigation infrastructure, and policy reform to allow easier reallocation of water to those who need it the most.

Recently, LandWatch prevailed in a community effort to halt yet another instance of development interests seeking to convert agricultural land into rural sprawl.

On August 31, a federal judge made a sweeping recommendation to set aside an illegal Forest Service rule change made under the Trump administration.

Today, a federal judge made a sweeping recommendation to set aside an illegal Forest Service change to the Eastside Screens - a longstanding set of rules to protect old growth on six national forests in Eastern Oregon and Washington.

It is time to focus on solutions to water waste to ensure that both our frogs and our farmers get the water they need - and time is of the essence as climate change tightens its grip.

On August 9, the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) reversed their approval of LandWatch’s proposed amendments to the county code that would have limited new, luxury destination resorts in Deschutes County.

Oregon’s Land Use Board of Appeals ruled in favor of LandWatch’s appeal of Deschutes County’s controversial decision to approve a developer’s application to rezone 710 acres of agricultural land in Lower Bridge Valley.

On July 25, the Oregon Water Resources Department issued an order proposing denial of water rights requested by the developers of Thornburgh Resort.

Will you support our application to limit large-scale, luxury resort development in Deschutes County?