Mapping America's Disappearing West
One of the main purposes of the urban growth boundary system in Oregon is to preserve farmland and natural areas. This interesting series of maps shows the percentage of land lost to development between 2001 and 2011. Oregon is still loosing land quickly, but at a slower rate than our neighbors in Washington and California.
““Natural areas in the West are going fast,” the authors of the report write in its introduction. “With each flight home, we get a bird’s eye view of sprawling new roads, oil wells, and pipelines. The Oregon woods we explored as kids are now stumps without songbirds. We see fewer stars through Santa Fe’s brightening lights.””