Guest Column: Oliver Tatom for Deschutes County Commission

Sounds just like the summer of 2021. And the summer of 2020. Whatever happened to our perfect summers?

Well, this is exactly what the Oregon Climate Assessment Reports have been forecasting since the first was released in 2010.

Like it or not, this is the 21st century, and climate change is happening before our eyes. But, we here in Central Oregon are actually in a surprisingly strong position to weather (pun intended) the challenges of a hotter, drier, smokier present and future.

Our water situation is far better than most of us realize. Because the Central Oregon Cascades are geologically young, they act like a sponge and soak up the enormous amounts of precipitation (snow and rain) that drench them from October through April every year. So even as the snowpack diminishes and warm winter rains fall instead of snow, our aquifer will still recharge and our spring-fed rivers will still flow. The real challenge is how we share the water amongst irrigators, municipalities and the rivers themselves.

The heat waves will continue, but our cities could be much more resilient. Bend has the 14th worst urban heat island effect in the country (according to Climate Central); in other words, the way we built Bend, with vast swaths of black pavement that soak up and re-radiate heat, makes it much hotter than it would otherwise be. As more people move here and our cities get denser, we must make sure that urban green spaces are expanded while parking lots (the worst offenders for heat) are diminished and replaced by vertical parking garages.

The wildfires are perhaps the trickiest problem. It is clear that there is no one solution; we need to burn more, and thin more, and acknowledge that some smoke much of the year is historically normal for our region. Yet there is still much that can be done. For example, we could encourage beavers to repopulate our streams. One study in California demonstrated that even in the worst megafires, every beaver dam on average preserved nearly three acres of lush green riparian habitat.

Climate resilience means accepting and adapting to our changing world. Therefore, we need local leaders who accept the difficult climate reality engulfing us. Business as usual with Tony DeBone is not acceptable. Despite 11 years of DeBone on the County Commission, Deschutes County does not have a Climate Action Plan.

In contrast, Oliver Tatom, who is running for Deschutes County Commissioner, seeks out information on climate resilience. His platform on water emphasizes that we should be using it for farms and cities, not for resorts. And he understands that building fire-resistant communities is necessary. In his service on the Board of Directors for Central Oregon Community College, he connects with his constituents when they voice their concerns, and he is a steadfast supporter of the college’s efforts towards sustainability.

We can survive and thrive through the 21st century here in Central Oregon. But only if we adapt to our changing climate. Therefore, we need to vote for leaders like Oliver Tatom who will help us transition toward a more sustainable Central Oregon.