Guest Column

The cougar lifted its head from its kill, and we locked eyes. It took a step forward. I took a step back.

The location was Skyline Forest, a vast tract of undeveloped forest just a few miles northwest of Bend. At 33,000 acres, it is one of the largest privately owned contiguous forest parcels in the west. Situated between Tumalo and Whychus creeks, this land is critical habitat for a wide variety of wildlife. Far-ranging animals such as cougars, mule deer, elk, and raptors all require large tracts of wilderness habitat, and I regularly see all of these first-hand during my near-daily exploration of abandoned logging roads and trails in the area.

Until recently, when the entire area was closed to all access. Unfortunately, this land is privately owned by an international investment company. Their land management company recently closed all public access to the land due to extreme fire danger. This is understandable, especially in light of the Two Bulls fire which burned nearly 7000 acres in 2014. Nonetheless, it is a sad loss for Bend area residents who have come to love the forest.

I personally feel the loss keenly. I don’t know if the area will be reopened, or if I have already said my final good-byes to my favorite places. I do know that I’m not alone in my sense of loss. I have spoken with many other hikers, mountain bikers, and runners who have all come to cherish the area for the solitude and connection with nature that it offers. It is such a treasure to have right in our backyard.

The land is currently up for sale, and it’s anyone’s guess what a purchaser might want to do with the land. The original price of $127M was recently reduced for the first time since being listed. However, the current price of $95M is still highly speculative and seems to directly target buyers with visions of large, expensive, luxury development. And although the property is currently zoned for limited forest uses, zoning can be changed.

The land sale, while concerning, also presents the community with an opportunity to put this area under conservation. It has been on the radar of local conservation groups such as Central Oregon LandWatch and Deschutes Land Trust for years. But time is running out to save this precious resource from sale and likely subsequent development. It is crucial for our community to get involved and let our leaders know how important this land is, both for wildlife populations and for human recreation. We need to save this land.

It won’t be easy. To quote from Linda English’s excellent column from August 19, “It’s going to take community support, additional resources, and leadership from our elected officials to meaningfully tackle these issues and create a safer, more certain future for this place and how we access it.” Hear, hear! Please consider joining the community effort and adding your name to the community letter to Save Skyline Forest by visiting www.saveskylineforest.org.

My staredown with the cougar ended as I slowly backed away, never letting my gaze drop, until the cat was obscured by manzanita and pine. I will never forget that experience, and hope that others can find their own adventures in Skyline Forest for years to come. But we will have to act quickly to make it happen.

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