WiserEarth Area of Focus Suggestions

1000 Friends of Oregon is a private nonprofit charitable organization formed in 1975 to protect Oregon’s quality of life through the conservation of farm and forest lands, protection of natural and historic resources and promotion of more compact and livable cities.

1000 Friends of Oregon works to: • Conserve Oregon's productive farm, forest and range lands

• Promote compact, livable cities with affordable housing, greenspaces and transportation choices

• Protect natural resources and scenic areas along the Coast and across Oregon

• Defend the opportunities for citizens to participate in the planning decisions affecting Oregon and their communities

These objectives are to be achieved through Oregon's pioneering statewide program to plan for Oregon's growth and in conjunction with other state, local and regional land use planning efforts.

Our work is a combination of advocacy, education and research.

Advocacy activities include defending and improving the state's land use laws and regulations before the Oregon Legislature and state agencies; developing and advancing new policies and programs that will help Oregonians manage growth at the state, regional and local level; and litigation to establish legal precedents and to enforce existing laws.

Educational activities include an annual Citizens Conference on Land Use, held for members and concerned citizens; technical and legal skills training programs provided on a variety of topics around the state; participation in public forums and making speeches on topics of current concern around the state; and the publication of our newsletter and other informational materials.

Research activities have included analyzing how well Oregon and various local governments have done in protecting farm and forest lands and assuring adequate land supplies for the full spectrum of needed housing types; developing a land use alternative to a proposed bypass highway; and digitized mapping of rural development patterns.