For our democracy. For our prosperity. For our communities. For our land. For our humanity.
Objective: Rebuild the public’s trust and engagement in land use decisions by defending democracy in land conservation and development efforts.
On the ground: We were proud to participate in an extensive grassroots effort that defeated controversial urban growth boundary expansion and corporate tax breaks during the 2026 legislative session.
Objective: Foster a diversified economy of the future to take care of all Oregonians and our natural resources/working lands in land conservation and development efforts.
On the ground: We're calling on our leaders to prioritize businesses rooted in stewardship, ingenuity, and partnerships right here in Oregon, like sustainable timber operation Zena Forest Products (pictured).
Objective: Reaffirm affordability, accessibility, and sustainability as top priorities in every land conservation and development effort for Oregon cities and towns.
On the ground: In January 2026 we launched the Housing Solutions Center, designed to provide evidence-based information and message-tested communications for community advocates, public officials, and developers to make meaningful change.
Objective: Build consensus for land conservation and development efforts that support Oregonians who call smaller/rural/frontier towns home.
On the ground: “We’re grateful to 1000 Friends for helping Friends of Marion County protect our farmland and ensure the next generation of Oregon farmers can have a bright future here.”
—Roger and Aileen Kaye, Friends of Marion County, regarding a March 2026 victory
Objective: Nurture the relationships needed to support the people, tools, and funding that are essential to drive our mission forward.
On the ground: Join us at an upcoming event! We offer a variety of in-person, hybrid, and virtual opportunities to connect with the 1000 Friends community.
Manifesto
We believe each and every person who calls Oregon home is afforded and deserving of a high quality of life—without condition. We oppose the belief that a person’s quality of life is conditional on whether or not one is contributing to our economy, the color of our skin, our sex, our gender, whom we love, how old we are, or where we live in the state. We believe Oregon is positioned for success when we discover how we can appreciate and value each and every person unconditionally.
We recognize and honor indisputable scientific truths. We understand and honor the connection we have with our soils, landscapes, waters, air, people, and the flora and fauna that surround and sustain us. We understand that changes in the availability, access, and quality of these building blocks of human life and our livelihoods are becoming less certain, under attack, and more precious. We recognize the need for us to protect and steward our natural resources. We also recognize the need for us to prepare for future scenarios where we must adapt.
We embrace our role as an organization that builds bridges over division, sources of misunderstanding, and perpetrators of injustice. We practice the acts of empathy and sympathy to understand the perspectives of all Oregonians and to better root out ignorance that can cause the fear of the unknown. Instead, we hone our skills of facilitation, conflict mediation, deescalation, and consensus-building consistently.
We support our board and staff—those on the front lines of building bridges—by building a home base. Oregon is our home. Our job is to protect it and leave it better than we found it for future generations.
View our 2025–2030 strategic plan