View of North Sister from Skyline Forest as seen in "Faces of Skyline Forest," by the Central Oregon LandWatch.

The second installment of Central Oregon LandWatch’s seven-part video series, “Faces of Skyline Forest,” was released this week, in an ongoing effort by the environmental watchdog organization to advocate for the land’s conservation.

Skyline Forest, officially known as the Bull Springs Tree Farm, is a tract of land owned by Shanda Asset Management, LLC. It made national headlines last month when an article by a right-wing news and opinion website drew attention to the company’s owner, Tianqiao Chen, a Chinese billionaire and former member of the Chinese Communist Party.

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The 33,000-acre forest west of Bend is beloved by recreationalists. It also serves as an environmental refuge for red-tailed hawks, mule deer and rare species such as great gray owls and Sierra Nevada red foxes, said Sally Compton, executive director of Think Wild, a wildlife rehabilitation and conservation nonprofit.

Mule deer habitat and migration corridor

The latest video installment shines a spotlight on the mule deer who depend on the forest. Skyline Forest is a critical habitat and migration corridor for the species, as is explained in video interviews with Compton and Corey Heath, a biologist with the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife.

During the winter months, mule deer migrate to lower elevation areas to forage for food and seek respite from the snow, Compton said. The ponderosa trees, creeks and tributaries of Skyline Forest serve as a haven for wildlife that have been continually forced into closer proximity to humans.

“Everybody that lives (in Central Oregon) has seen a deer on the side of the road that’s been hit by a car, or a three-legged deer or a deer that’s mangled or stuck in a fence,” Compton said.

In 2023, Think Wild received over 200 calls about mule deer to its wildlife hotline, Compton said. Think Wild isn’t able to rehabilitate deer, so as a result, the animals are either left to suffer or are euthanized.

“There’s not much land like this left in our region. And if we continue selling this and getting rid of it, things are only going to get worse,” Compton said.

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A deep connection to Skyline Forest

The first video in the series featured professional gravel cyclist Serena Bishop Gordon, who has developed a deep connection to Skyline Forest after spending over 1,000 hours riding through it.

“As more members of our community learn about Skyline, the more empowered we will be to raise a collective voice and propel this grassroots movement toward its ultimate goal — permanently conserving Skyline Forest for its essential natural values and public access,” Bishop Gordon said.

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Stories from the community

Future videos will include appearances by students in Cascades Academy’s Eco-Club, Vámanos Outside athletes, owner of Bend’s Somewhere That’s Green plant shop John Kish, Central Oregon Community College’s Ganas Edúcate summer program and Klamath Tribal Elder Romaine “Smokey” Miller.

“These videos capture the strong sense of connection that local residents feel with Skyline Forest and the importance of preserving this immense forest for future generations,” said Alex Hardison, communications manager at the LandWatch.

All seven videos in the series will be available to watch at saveskylineforest.org and on LandWatch’s website and social media channels.

If You Go

What: “Faces of Skyline Forest”

When: First and second video installments of the video series are now available. Remaining installments will be released into the spring.

Where: Online

Cost: Free

Contact: saveskylineforest.org

“There’s not much land like this left in our region. And if we continue selling this and getting rid of it, things are only going to get worse.”