About Save Bend Green Space (SBGS)
Save Bend Green Space (SBGS) grew out of a grassroot effort of neighborhood volunteers concerned about the future of the very special Deschutes South Canyon natural area. In 2022, SBGS became a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt nonprofit organization with the mission of advocating for the protection of green spaces in Bend that connect people with each and the environment.
Our vision is a Bend that balances growth with saving green spaces for the wellbeing of our community and the environment now, and for the future.
SBGS' Notable Achievements
Save Bend Green Space's notable achievements have been community engagement and activations that lead to the public submitting more than 300 letters to the City surrounding property line adjustments on the COID’s Deschutes South Canyon property.
This resulted in the City establishing a covenant that provides valuable protections to the land, if and when it is developed. Namely, it requires that the property be developed through a single Master Plan application and that none of the parcels may be developed individually.
Most recently, SBGS lead a campaign with a federal agency to Save the Canopy Trail in the Deschutes South Canyon. This popular trail begins at Brookswood Blvd and provides a vital connection to the Deschutes River Trail. Again, SBGS mobilized hundreds of people to send letters to the agency urging it to require COID to preserve the Canopy Trail.
In addition, SBGS filed a legal motion to intervene on the matter of the Canopy Trail. We are awaiting a decision from the agency but intend to pursue opportunities for appeal should the decision go against the Canopy Trail. Read more about this issue here.
Meet the SBGS Board
Roberta "Robbie" Silverman
Chair
A public relations professional with more than 25 years’ experience, Robbie has developed and implemented campaigns for a diverse roster of clients ranging from Los Angeles International Airport and Bandai Toys to the Television Academy, Honda and Bosch Home Appliances. She has also lent her talents to public education campaigns for non-profit organizations empowering residents to improve their neighborhoods by planting trees and conserving natural resources, offering medical and legal aid to sexual assault survivors, and providing free swim lessons to disadvantaged kids.
Robbie spent her early years between Washington, DC and her family’s farm in rural Virginia and credits this experience with sparking a lifelong passion for advocacy and the protection of the environment and natural spaces. Hiking Central Oregon trails with her Redbone Coonhound / Vizsla mix Marcy and skiing at Mt Bachelor are among her favorite pastimes.
Robert Anderson
Vice-Chair
Robert has a distinguished career in the architectural, planning and interior design industries. First as an architect working with others and as a principal in his own firms, he focused on planning office, retail, commercial interiors and multi-family residential projects. He later transitioned to software development leading a team in creating design plug-ins for the “Vectorworks” CAD software product and as a senior software architect prototyping and designing scores of product features.
Robert’s professional interests include the development of land use and zoning strategies and computerized analytics to balance responsible city growth with natural preservation. An avid recreational cyclist, Robert can frequently be spotted pedaling on the Historic and Larkspur trails among others. He also serves on the board of, and performs with the Central Oregon Mastersingers, a choral group focusing on classical music.
Elizabeth Rhodes
Treasurer
Bio coming soon!
Judy Clinton
Founding Board Member
With BS and MS Degrees in Art with a minor in geology, Judy worked as a scientific illustrator for many years including at UCSD's Scripps Institution of Oceanography. She is the illustrator of the National Audubon Society Field Guide to Rocks and Minerals and numerous other scientific papers and books. Judy also pursued a career in architecture working for the award-winning San Diego firm Rob Quigley Architecture.
After moving to Bend in 1995, Judy employed sustainable building principles in designing and building her home that incorporates passive and active solar and energy-saving features, while protecting the property’s natural features. Her conservation values were formed growing up in the Wisconsin of Aldo Leopold and John Muir.
In addition to SBGS, she has been involved with environmental organizations including Deschutes Land Trust and Oregon Wild, contributed to the Bend Urban Land Survey for the City of Bend, and served on numerous volunteer boards. Gardening, hiking, cooking, metal smithing and cross-country skiing are among Judy’s favorite pastimes. Her metal work can be seen at Tumalo Art Company.
Karen Bergsvik
Secretary
Karen retired after 30 years of experience working in the field of human services and senior services for two suburban cities in the Seattle, WA area. During that time she served on many non-profit boards (The Salvation Army, Renton Ecumenical Association of Churches, Sammamish Farmer’s Market, Communities in Schools). When she moved to Bend OR six years ago, she was on her HOA board and then got involved with the Southern Crossing Neighborhood Association, and the City of Bend Neighborhood Leadership Alliance. In her free time she hikes, mountain bikes, paddle boards, and walks with her dog Bonzo.
Bonnie Redler
Founding Board Member
Bio coming soon!
Joe Teig
General Board Member
Joe is a retired litigator and trial lawyer who spent most of his legal career as a partner with Holland & Hart in Wyoming and Alaska. He grew up in northern Minnesota, graduating with a BA degree from Bemidji State University in 1979, then a Master of Public Administration degree from the University of Wyoming before earning his law degree from the University of Wyoming School of Law in 1985. While spending most of his career representing natural resource-related clients in high-profile cases, he has also handled significant land use and development disputes for property owners and homeowner’s associations, particularly in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, where he lived and practiced for 25 years before moving to Bend in 2019.
Joe is an avid outdoorsman and fly fisherman. He has had a life-long love for open spaces and the nourishment they provide, as well as a deep appreciation for natural resource conservation principles. With a strong background in science and law, Joe brings solid practical and analytical skills to any discussion.