A long time Bend resident, Bob Woodward served on the Land Trust’s Board of Directors from 2001 to 2009.
Bob’s passion for fish, photography, and the telling of a good story helped greatly in our acquisition of the Metolius Preserve. For those unfamiliar with the Preserve’s acquisition, it took an 18 month capital campaign and 950 donors to help raise the $2.6 million needed to make the Preserve a reality! At the time, the Land Trust was less than seven years old, had only five staff, and had yet to lead a capital campaign to acquire such a significant property. Bob was hugely helpful in generating visibility for our capital campaign whether it was through his amazing photography, or by helping connect the Land Trust with the Orvis Company, who shared the Land Trust’s acquisition efforts with more than 250,000 people worldwide.
Bob was also a visionary and huge proponent in the Land Trust’s quest to acquire Skyline Forest. As one of the original mountain bikers in Bend who helped create the trail networks loved by so many, Bob always envisioned Skyline Forest as the “next” awesome mountain bike trail network. He spent hours in the forest (with permission!) riding routes, thinking about connections, and leading bike rides for the Land Trust. He also spent hours with Land Trust staff and volunteers helping raise awareness and the funds to chase after this ambitious project.
Those who met Bob, or Woody, know that he was one of the warmest people out there. His humor and awesome stories always drew you in and put you at ease. He was a huge connector sharing the Land Trust’s work with others in the community and beyond. He had a huge love for Central Oregon, donating photos to help share the beauty of Land Trust protected lands that we still use today.
A thousand thanks to Woody for all his dedication and commitment to the Land Trust. We will miss him tremendously!
Learn more:
- Klunkers and Stumpjumpers (Deschutes County Historical Museum Exhibit featuring Bob Woodward).
- Klunkers and Stumpjumpers: Central Oregon Mountain Bike Pioneers (video to go with Museum exhibit)
- Bob Woodward: A Central Oregon Legend