The Private Forest Accord (PFA) was a landmark agreement made between representatives from Oregon’s timber industry, the Oregon Small Woodlands Association, and prominent conservation and fishing organizations in 2022, to modify portions of Oregon’s forest practice laws and regulations in a way that expands protections for fish and amphibians while providing long term regulatory assurances. …
The Intertwine is the greater Portland/Vancouver metropolitan region’s network of parks, trails, and natural areas. The Intertwine Alliance works to support this system and to help ensure that its benefits flow to every member of our community. With over sixty partners from government agencies to businesses and nonprofits, the Intertwine Alliance advocates for investments in nature and builds …
A coalition of conservation organizations and volunteers, including Oregon Backcountry Hunters and Anglers, Oregon Hunters Association, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, United States Forest Service, and others come together annually to conduct wildlife habitat improvement projects on public lands. It is a collaborative effort by partners that have formally …
The Coastal Observation and Seabird Survey Team (COASST) is a community science project that strives to collect information to monitor marine ecosystem health through the power of coastal community collaboration. COASST is made up of more than 1000 volunteers who regularly walk the beaches of Oregon, Washington, and California to collect data on dead seabirds. …
When you’re out enjoying Oregon’s wild places, whether you’re hiking, fishing, paddling, or just relaxing, your eyes and ears can play a role in protecting the lands, waters, and wildlife we all care about. Unfortunately, not everyone treats these places with respect. Poaching (the illegal take of wildlife or fish), trespassing, littering, theft, property damage, …
The Wildlife Habitat Conservation and Management Program (WHCMP) offers a property tax incentive to private landowners who want to provide wildlife habitat on their properties instead of, or in addition to, farming, growing timber, or other land uses. Under the WHCMP, land receives a wildlife habitat special assessment, where property taxes may be assessed at …
Watershed councils play a vital role in protecting and restoring the health of local rivers, streams, and ecosystems by bringing together community members, landowners, scientists, and local governments to collaborate on conservation efforts. These councils often lead hands-on projects such as habitat restoration, invasive species removal, water quality monitoring, and education programs. By participating in …
People of Color Outdoors (POCO) Guardians is a nature education program that offers five-day sessions for children and families focused on the Smith & Bybee Wetlands and Whitaker Ponds. These areas, rich in wildlife such as northwestern pond turtles, western painted turtles, beavers, and many other species, hold important historical and cultural significance for Black, …
Coyotes can survive and even thrive in many different environments, including in cities and backyards. Coyotes are opportunistic omnivores and mainly eat rodents, fruit, and nuts but they will also consume whatever food they can find including food waste, pet food, and sometimes small pets like outdoor cats. It is not unusual to see coyotes …
Green Lents, a longtime presence in outer southeast Portland, works to build an environmentally and socially resilient community through resource sharing and strong local relationships. Since 2009, the group has led environmental justice efforts in neighborhoods facing economic and environmental hardships where higher pollution, hotter temperatures, and limited green space disproportionately impact low-income, BIPOC, and …
In September of 2023, the Idaho State Department of Agriculture (ISDA) confirmed the presence of multiple quagga mussel life stages in the Mid-Snake River. The discovery of quagga mussels in the Snake River marked the first time a rapid response plan had been put into action for quagga mussels in Idaho. ISDA has closely monitored the Snake River since the initial detections, …
There are many invasive species in North America that are not yet established in Oregon but will likely arrive without interventions. Cross-jurisdictional partnerships are foundational to preventing the spread of these species to Oregon that may have devastating impacts to native ecosystems and agriculture alike. Table 2. Examples of species with potential to arrive and become established in Oregon, including …
Non-native and invasive species are a concern for Oregon’s estuaries and nearshore waters. Non-native species arrive in a variety of ways including release of animals kept as pets, escapes from aquaculture facilities, intentional introduction, hitchhiking on boats or recreational equipment, seafood packing and disposal, and perhaps most importantly, ballast water. International shipping (including its ballast water component), followed …
The Crystal Springs Creek Restoration Project in Portland is a model of urban ecological restoration that directly supports climate adaptation for fish and wildlife. Crystal Springs Creek is a 2.7-mile tributary of Johnson Creek, located in southeast Portland. Crystal Springs Creek is spring fed, which keeps water temperatures cool and stream flow uniform throughout the year. This adds cool water to Johnson Creek in …
Oregon’s diverse natural and working lands encompass forests, grasslands, rangelands, farmlands, wetlands, and urban spaces. These lands serve a critical role as Oregon strives to meet greenhouse gas emissions goals. They not only provide essential habitat for fish and wildlife, but also function as powerful carbon sinks, helping build resilience against the impacts of climate change while supporting biodiversity and …
Adaptation to climate change is occurring across multiple sectors, including natural resource management, but at a pace and scale that is insufficient relative to climate change. While thoughtful planning is essential, the accelerating speed of climate change means that resource managers and decision-makers cannot wait for the perfect plan to guide decisions; rather, they must move forward now …
The White-faced Ibis is a colonial breeding bird that breeds in semi-permanent wetlands that are regularly impacted by drought and floods. This bird is highly nomadic, allowing it to compensate for poor conditions at traditional colony sites by moving between years to new breeding locations, resulting in local population fluctuations and colony abandonment in response …
There are many landbird species unique to oak and prairie habitats of western Oregon, including Acorn Woodpecker, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Bewick’s Wren, California Scrub-Jay, California Towhee, Hutton’s Vireo, Oak Titmouse, Red-shouldered Hawk, White-tailed Kite, and Wrentit. As one of the most conspicuous residents of Oregon’s oak habitats, the Acorn Woodpecker can be an effective catalyst for …
The forest’s engineer in the Pacific Northwest The Pileated Woodpecker plays a vital role in the health and biodiversity of the Pacific Northwest’s mature forests. As the largest woodpecker in the region, it is an ecological powerhouse that helps shape the forest around it. Pileated Woodpeckers are expert excavators, carving out large rectangular holes in …
Beavers are widely distributed across Key Habitats statewide, including Flowing Water & Riparian, Wetland, and Aspen Woodlands. Beaver habitat, or habitat for beaver, is the specific combination of water, food, cover, and space that beaver need to support their survival on the landscape through time. Beaver are semi-aquatic species that require still or slow-moving, perennial …
Hypoxia is the scientific term for low oxygen content. The waters near the bottom of Oregon’s Nearshore ocean along with other areas off the Pacific Northwest are becoming more hypoxic over time. The fraction of the waters that are inshore of 200 m (656 ft) that were hypoxic from 1950 to 1980 during the summer …
Oregon is lucky to have a distinct group of gray whales feed right off our coastline every summer and fall. Known as the Pacific Coast Feeding Group (PCFG), these gray whales use unique behaviors to feed, are shorter and skinnier than other gray whales, and use shallow, nearshore habitats that put them near a lot …
The Oregon Connectivity Assessment and Mapping Project (OCAMP) was a multi-year, collaborative effort to analyze and map statewide wildlife habitat connectivity at fine resolutions for 54 species. Initiated in 2019 and completed in 2022, OCAMP aimed to link landscapes for wildlife by identifying current wildlife habitat connectivity throughout the state for a wide diversity …
Background Wildlife rely on the ability to move across the landscape to fulfill their daily and seasonal requirements to access water, food, shelter, and opportunities to reproduce. Human changes to the landscape often restrict the ability of wildlife to move by creating barriers, causing impacts to critical migration stopover sites, increasing habitat fragmentation, and inducing …
ODFW Top 5 Wildlife Priority Strategy Species List In order to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of agency efforts to conserve Strategy Species, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife developed a ODFW Top 5 Wildlife Priority Strategy Species List for each ecoregion (except Nearshore). The intent of this list is to help direct and inform agency …
Oregon’s nearshore semi-pelagic Black, Blue and Deacon Rockfish all lack statewide fisheries independent surveys. These fish all live in subtidal rocky habitat and are important to both the ecosystem and Oregon fisheries. Rocky reef habitat has proven to be a difficult place to sample, especially over larger areas in a short period of time. Semi-pelagic …
The first wholly synthetic plastic was created in 1907, but there are many varieties produced today. Most are fossil fuel based. By the 1950’s and 60’s synthetic plastics had become much more common and widespread in modern life. Plastics have continued to be used for more and more purposes because they have many useful properties, …
The sunflower star was listed as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) on December 10, 2020. An estimated 5.75 billion sunflower stars have died due to sea star wasting syndrome with the global decline in population calculated to be 90.6%. The assessment is based on 61,000 surveys from 31 datasets …
Have you ever taken a picture of wildlife in Oregon and wondered if anyone might want to know where you saw it? We do! The Oregon Wildlife Conservation project is an iNaturalist project that allows you to share your wildlife observation data directly with biologists. This project was initiated under the State Wildlife Action Plan’s …
There is a critical need to develop connectivity maps for a broad array of Oregon’s terrestrial wildlife species. Many species rely on the ability to move throughout the landscape to fulfill their daily and seasonal needs for access to food, shelter, and opportunities to reproduce. Human changes to the landscape often restrict the ability of …
Project Summary The Oregon Connectivity Assessment and Mapping Project (OCAMP) was a multi-year, collaborative effort to analyze and map statewide wildlife habitat connectivity for Oregon’s wildlife. There has been a critical need to develop connectivity maps for a broad array of Oregon’s wildlife species. Many species rely on the ability to move throughout the landscape …
The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife would like to invite artists to participate in our annual Fish and Wildlife Conservation Art Contest. The winning artists will receive a $2,000 award, and the winning artwork will be featured on collector’s stamps, art prints, and other merchandise (e.g., wine label). The department will organize an art show …
In 2012, the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission (OFWC) adopted rules to implement Oregon’s first Habitat Conservation Stamp. The stamp is not required for any activity, but provides an opportunity for the public to give financial support for native fish and wildlife conservation in Oregon. Revenue from the sale of stamps, art prints, and other …
Join us for the free ODFW Art Show and Duck Pond Wine Tasting Event! It will be held on Saturday, November 3rd, 2018 from 1pm-4pm at Duck Pond Cellars showroom (23145 Hwy 99W, Dundee, OR). There will be live music, complimentary Conservation Cuvee wine tasting, and lots of beautiful fish and wildlife artwork to enjoy. …
The ocean continues to draw the attention of the federal government for its importance to our nation. On January 27, 2021 President Biden issued an Executive Order on Tackling Climate Change at Home and Abroad. While not specifically focused solely on our oceans, it does set goals and a path for conserving 30 percent of …
A female Sierra Nevada red fox (SNRF) was captured and radio-collared in Deschutes County in early May 2017, a first for Oregon wildlife biologists researching this rare sub-species of red fox. A second SNRF, a male, was captured about a week later, and a juvenile born that year was captured and collared in August 2017. …
The Cornell Lab of Ornithology captures footage of Burrowing Owls
The Cornell Lab of Ornithology captures footage of a Ferruginous Hawk nest
Video footage of an American marten in the Wallowa Mountains of northeast Oregon, captured by Dr. Audrey Magoun, The Wolverine Foundation, 2012. This bait station was part of a research project to photograph wolverines.
Soft substrates make up much of the Nearshore subtidal bottom habitat. Two of Oregon’s most economically valuable commercial fisheries, Dungeness crab and pink shrimp, occur in soft bottom habitat. Like many crustaceans, both of these species begin their lives as plankton drifting in the water column with the ocean currents before settling out to the …
The Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies’ Crucial Habitat Assessment Tool (WAFWA CHAT) was developed to bring greater certainty and predictability to planning efforts by establishing a common starting point for discussing the intersection of development and habitats. Spanning 16 states, CHAT is an online system of maps highlighting important fish and wildlife habitat areas, based …
ODFW Kit Fox research in southeast Oregon captures rare footage of pups playing Rare footage of Kit Fox pups playing in the Eastern Oregon desert recently was captured on video. Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife biologists have been studying the foxes since 2012. Kit Fox are a Strategy Species in the State Wildlife Action …
Researcher captures video of wolverine in Wallowa County In April 2011, five days after discovering wolverine tracks in the Wallowa Mountains of Northeast Oregon, researcher Audrey Magoun downloaded photos of two wolverines from a remote camera. It was the first confirmation of wolverines in Wallowa County. Before that, they were the stuff of legend, rumor …
Many nearshore species that inhabit subtidal rocky reefs are important both ecologically and economically. Black, blue, China, deacon, copper and quillback rockfishes, cabezon, kelp greenling, lingcod, sea urchins and abalone are examples. Investigating and sampling the fish and wildlife species that inhabit rocky reefs is thus of great interest to scientists and fishery managers. But …
Phytoplankton, the microscopic algae that live in marine waters and drift with ocean currents, are a key component of the marine ecosystem. These primary producers at the base of the food web create the food directly consumed by many marine animals. The productivity of the marine waters off of the Oregon coast, like that of …
Gases from earth’s atmosphere are absorbed in ocean waters. The amount of carbon dioxide in the earth’s atmosphere has increased substantially since the industrial age that began roughly 150 years ago. Dubbed the “evil twin” of global climate change, ocean acidification results from carbon dioxide added to earth’s atmosphere being absorbed by ocean waters. Roughly …
Oregon’s nearshore environment is public domain, and opportunities for public participation in conservation and management of nearshore resources are present throughout the entire Nearshore ecoregion. For the other eight ecoregions, Conservation Opportunity Areas (COAs) were developed to guide voluntary, non-regulatory actions to benefit habitats where broad fish and wildlife conservation goals could be best met. …
The concept of a keystone species, one that affects its biological community assemblage, in both direct and indirect ways which are out of proportion to its biomass, is based on research done on the ochre sea star, Pisaster ochraceus, in the rocky intertidal zone (Paine 1969). Dr. Robert Paine’s concept that a keystone species shapes …
The Rogue River is unique, with an ecosystem much more similar to California watersheds than any coastal watersheds in Oregon. Rogue salmon and steelhead are included in management units with California salmon and steelhead, rather than with Oregon coastal populations. Spring Chinook The Rogue River’s spring Chinook salmon, particularly the early-returning, early-spawning portion of the …
Little is known about the basic biology and ecology of lampreys. To address this deficiency, National Marine Fisheries Service biologists analyzed data from two fish assemblage studies that span three decades (1980″“1981 and 2001″“2012) to provide the first analysis of anadromous western river (Lampetra ayresii) and Pacific (Entosphenus tridentatus) lampreys in the Columbia River estuary: …
East Fork Hood RIver Irrigation District Diversion Upgrade The Hood River Conservation Opportunity Area (COA) is located at the northern end of the East Cascades Ecoregion. The COA parallels the Hood River extending from the mouth of the Hood River at the Columbia River part way up the Middle Fork and encompassing the entire headwaters …
Located in the Salmon River Estuary-Cascade Head Conservation Opportunity Area, multiple partners have been working together for more than four decades on restoring the 1,300 acre Salmon River Estuary. Estuaries are important nurseries for young salmon, and the Salmon River Estuary is one of the few remaining relatively undeveloped and/or restored estuaries on the Oregon …
Art and Anita Johnson have spent the last 20 years working to restore ecological function to their land. The fruits of their labor are now preserved with a conservation easement on 152 acres north of Fern Ridge Reservoir near Eugene. The Johnson family has a long, deep connection to Coyote Oaks; it’s been in the …
Bald Hill Farm is a working landscape located close to the City of Corvallis which today is being managed for its outstanding plant and wildlife value. In 2013 the Greenbelt Land Trust acquired and is protecting a very significant community resource for the people of Corvallis and for Oregonians who visit Benton County. The 587 …
Native grasslands are the most imperiled habitats in western North America. It is a habitat type that is disappearing rapidly globally. Grasslands are a Strategy Habitat in the Blue Mountains ecoregion, and are vanishing across Oregon as they continue to be converted for agricultural uses and urbanization. Zumwalt Prairie is North America’s largest remaining grassland …
The Luckiamute Watershed Council (LWC) partnered with Oregon State Parks on the Luckiamute Landing State Natural Area enhancement project at the confluence of the Luckiamute and Willamette Rivers. The confluence area is called out in several regional plans as an area of concern. Both the Middle Willamette River Floodplain and Luckiamute River and Tributaries are Conservation …
The watershed for the Metolius River, a designated Wild and Scenic River, is located in the Metolius River Conservation Opportunity Area. The Metolius Watershed is relatively undeveloped, with large blocks of federal and tribal land comprising approximately 94% of the land base. Cold, spring-fed streams characterize the watershed. The Metolius River and its tributaries support …
Confluences, the point where two or more river systems come together, are ecologically vital areas, especially along the Willamette River. Over the past two centuries, the Willamette River has been transformed from complex and dynamic system, to a much more simplified and largely channelized river. Throughout the Willamette Basin, there has been widespread loss of floodplain …
Wetland Prairie Restoration: An Online Resource is a comprehensive introduction to the history and ecology of wetland prairies in the Willamette Valley and overview of the restoration process. The online resource is based on the Practical Guidelines for Wetland Prairie Restoration in the Willamette Valley, Oregon, which distills 10 years of research and lessons learned …
The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife released a comprehensive guide focused on conserving Oregon’s native turtles and their habitats. It includes Best Management Practices (BMPs) to protect and conserve Oregon’s two native turtle species, the northwestern painted turtle and the western pond turtle. Guidance for Conserving Oregon’s Native Turtles Including Best Management Practices is …
Bird watchers spend $36 billion annually in pursuit of their hobby. In doing so, they contribute significantly to the economies of the birding places they visit in Oregon. Along with their binoculars and cameras, bird watchers bring their dollars to spend on food, lodging, entertainment, gifts, and other services. Many birders pursue their passion throughout …
During drought, sagebrush plants produce fewer stems, leaves, and flowering shoots, resulting in a smaller canopy coverage. Drought can reduce perennial grass and forb production and result in smaller insect populations. Both forbs and insects are of dietary importance to sage-grouse during brood rearing. During dry years, sage-grouse shift to wet meadow areas earlier in …
Coastal Ecotourism Ecotourism along the Oregon Coast is a rapidly growing sector of the hospitality industry. While all of Oregon’s ecoregions have excellent ecotourism opportunities, the Coast Range currently has the greatest economic activity directly linked to healthy fish and wildlife populations. The Oregon coast also enjoys some of the highest expenditures on wildlife viewing …
Ecosystem services are the benefits that nature provides, such as purifying and cooling water or storing carbon dioxide. Worldwide, there is growing interest in harnessing market forces to drive conservation and restoration. Market-based approaches to ecosystem services can: Provide a pivotal link between people willing to pay for actions that improve and protect our environment …
2012 was a very significant year in wildlife conservation. Our nation’s symbol, the Bald Eagle, was removed from the Oregon state threatened species list. Its recovery has been called “remarkable” and “amazing”. In 1963, only 487 nesting pairs of Bald Eagles remained in the nation. The pesticide DDT, habitat loss, and illegal shooting had taken …
Restoring a Cultural and Ecological Landscape in the West Cascades Foothills The West Cascades foothills once had extensive woodlands and savannas of widely-spaced, large Oregon white oak, ponderosa pine, and Douglas-fir trees with a grass and wildflower understory. Native Americans are thought to have maintained these habitats through the use of fire, which produced forage …
The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation’s (RMEF) work doesn’t always conjure up a vision of aquatic preservation, but the John Day Headwaters Project has changed that. In December 2013, after years of dedication and hard work, RMEF acquired 13,082 key acres of private lands in the headwaters of the John Day River (shown in red, above), …
The Luckiamute Watershed Council began a knotweed control program in 2010 with willing landowners along the upper Luckiamute River. Japanese knotweed is labeled one of the world’s worst invasive species by the World Conservation Union. After a few years of successful outreach and ongoing control, the Council pursued funding for the remaining extent of the …
Tiny but not Forgotten Millicoma dace are tiny forage fish found only in the Coos and Millicoma rivers. It had been nearly 20 years since anyone checked in on this Oregon native, but in 2014 ODFW’s Native Fish Investigations Program (NFIP) and the Charleston Fish District partnered with Oregon State University to survey the fish. …
Cooperation between landowners, non-profit organizations, and state and federal agencies that began decades ago resulted in a remarkable feat: in 2014, the Oregon chub was the first fish to be taken off the Endangered Species List since the Endangered Species Act (ESA) was enacted 40 years ago. When Oregon chub were listed in 1993 as …
After years of arguing over the fate of natural resources in southwestern Oregon, two former battle-scarred adversaries agreed to put aside their differences and find common ground. Jack Shipley, a passionate environmentalist, and Jim Neal, a fixture in the logging community, founded the Applegate Partnership in 1992, a community-based forum where resource management issues are …
Infrared Remote Sensing Remote Greater Sage-Grouse leks (areas where males gather in a mating display for females) are the most important places to monitor this iconic species, but they can also be especially difficult to access by land. Several leks in eastern Oregon had gone several decades without monitoring, with some leks last surveyed over 20 …
In June 2012, the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) completed an $18.9 million project on 3.7 miles of U.S. Route 97 between Lava Butte and South Century Drive, a few miles south of Bend in Central Oregon. The project’s primary purpose was to increase highway capacity for growing traffic volume between Sunriver and Bend by …
Oregon Climate Change Research Institute The Oregon Climate Change Research Institute (OCCRI) was created by the Oregon state legislature in 2007 to: foster climate change research among faculty of the Oregon University System, serve as a clearinghouse for climate information, and provide climate change information to the public. OCCRI also houses the Oregon Climate Service …
The Intertwine Alliance is a coalition of private firms, local governments, public agencies, and nonprofit organizations working together to tap new sources of funding and better leverage existing investments to protect parks, greenspaces, and trails, and more fully engage residents with the outdoors and nature in the greater Portland/Vancouver metropolitan region. As part of The …
During the process to revise the 2016 Strategy Species list, emphasis was placed on examining the state of pollinator species throughout Oregon. In addition to their high importance in biodiversity, pollinators also serve an important economic and cultural role in pollinating Oregon’s crops. Following the same criteria used within the Strategy Species invertebrates methodology, several new …
Description One river connects many of Oregon’s ecoregions. Its immense size and unique characteristics make the Columbia River a special place that requires a coordinated conservation approach. Beginning in the Canadian Rockies of British Columbia and the Clark Fork in Montana, the Columbia River is the largest river by volume flowing into the Pacific Ocean …