The September issue of Oregon Stories features a letter from our director on why we're challenging Metro's reserves plan, a profile of two food innovators bringing a new kind of economic development to Salem, recent commendations for Oregon's land use program, and more.

A new report finds Northwesterners are using gasoline at rates not seen since the 1960s, as per-capita vehicle travel plateaued in the 1990s, vehicle efficiency has improved, and younger residents are less interested in driving especially.

Among the most well-known of Oregon’s land use planning tools, urban growth boundaries help ensure efficient growth while protecing the productivity of working farms and forests. But how effectively are they working in Oregon today? Last Friday, August 17, our Land Use Leadership Initiative participants went right to the edge to find out.

An award-winning magazine describes Oregon's innovative land use planning program as the country's foremost model for achieving a balance of high-quality communities and thriving rural resource lands.

It's sometimes hard to keep up with all the news in land use and livability. On Twitter and Facebook, 1000 Friends strives to keep you informed about what matters. But don't worry if you miss something along the way--our Livability List recaps some of our recent social media highlights.

Our Oregon Stories e-newsletter for August features new perspectives on quite a few things. From the attributes of good density, to the byways of eastern Oregon, to a renewed awareness of the importance of Oregon agriculture to the economy and what we eat.

After the USDA released impressive new statistics last week demonstrating a nearly 10 percent increase in national farmers markets, the Oregonian digs into what the numbers mean for Oregon. Unsurprisingly, we are a national leader in local consumers supporting local produce, and the impact is growing.

Farmers markets in communities large and small, like this one in Baker City, have a major impact on their local agricultural economy.

It's sometimes hard to keep up with all the news in land use and livability. On Twitter and Facebook, 1000 Friends strives to keep you informed about what matters. But don't worry if you miss something along the way--our Livability List recaps some of our recent social media highlights.

In a new guest viewpoint for the Eugene Register-Guard, Chris Rall and Richard Hughes argue that the newly passed federal transportation bill is a disapointment which “represents the last gasp of a 20th century approach.”

It's sometimes hard to keep up with all the news in land use and livability. On Twitter and Facebook, 1000 Friends strives to keep you informed about what matters. But don't worry if you miss something along the way--our Livability List recaps some of our recent social media highlights.