Imnaha – State Wildlife Action Plan

Imnaha area — Photo Credit: Keith Kohl, ODFW

Geographic boundaries of the COAs were updated for the 2026 State Wildlife Action Plan and the associated COA profiles are intended to provide additional information. Content of each COA profile is being refined and will be updated to reflect current conditions when feasible. Please help us by submitting information on Local Conservation Actions, Plans, or Potential Partners to: OCS.revision@odfw.oregon.gov.

Follows canyons along the Snake River from Hwy 86 north to the ecoregion boundary.

Recommended Conservation Actions

Maintain and enhance aspen stands
Maintain and restore riparian habitats
Promote early detection and suppression of weeds
Protect and enhance vernal pool wetlands
Use fire and thinning to restore and enhance ponderosa pine forests

Local Conservation Actions and Plans

Important Bird Areas of Oregon
Interior Columbia Basin Ecosystem Management Plan (updated 2014)

Potential Partners

Bureau of Land Management
The Nature Conservancy
US Fish and Wildlife Service
US Forest Service
Nez Perce Tribe
Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla

Special Features

General

Adjacent to Hells Canyon Wilderness Area
Adjacent to Imnaha Wild and Scenic River and includes associated riparian habitats
Adjacent to Snake River and includes associated riparian habitats
Contains a significant amount of the ecoregion's grasslands

Previously Associated With

2006 COA ID BM-25 (Zumwalt Prairie Plateau)
2006 COA ID BM-26 (Hells Canyon)

Protected Areas

Big Sheep River
Clear Lake Ridge
Hells Canyon
Hells Canyon Wilderness
Homestead Area Of Critical Environmental Concern
Homestead Wilderness Study Area
Imnaha River
Imnaha River Roadside And Riverfront Zone
Irrigon Fish Hatchery
McGraw Creek Wilderness Study Area
Sheep Mountain Wilderness Study Area
Snake Wild And Scenic River

Ecoregions

Blue Mountains

Located in NE Oregon, the Blue Mountains ecoregion is the largest ecoregion in the state. It provides a diverse complex of mountain ranges, valleys, and plateaus that extend beyond Oregon into the states of Idaho and Washington.

Key Habitats

Grasslands

Grasslands include a variety of upland grass-dominated habitats, such as upland prairies, coastal bluffs, and montane grasslands.

Late Successional Mixed Conifer Forests

Late successional mixed conifer forests provide a multi-layered tree canopy, including large-diameter trees, shade-tolerant tree species in the understory, and a high volume of dead wood, such as snags and logs.

Natural Lakes

Natural lakes are relatively large bodies of freshwater surrounded by land that were formed through geological processes, such as glacial scouring, tectonic movements, volcanic activity and river meander cutoffs. In Oregon, natural lakes are defined as standing water bodies larger than 20 acres, including some seasonal lakes. Depth is not a reference for characterization of …

Ponderosa Pine Woodlands

Ponderosa pine woodlands are common in Oregon’s eastside ecoregions. While dominated by ponderosa pine, these woodlands may also have lodgepole pine, western juniper, aspen, western larch, grand fir, Douglas-fir, mountain mahogany, incense cedar, sugar pine, or white fir, depending on ecoregion and site conditions. Known for their open forest structure, these woodlands generally have fewer …

Flowing Water and Riparian Habitats

Flowing Water and Riparian Habitats include all naturally occurring flowing freshwater streams and rivers throughout Oregon as well as the adjacent riparian habitat.