For more information on habitat issues, please contact the
WDFW Habitat Program.
habitatprogram@dfw.wa.gov
Phone: 360-902-2534

For more information on WDFW managed lands including wildlife areas, please contact the
WDFW Wildlife Program.
wildthing@dfw.wa.gov
Phone: 360-902-2515
 

Habitat Conservation, Protection & Restoration

HYDRAULIC PROJECT APPROVAL (HPA)
Photo of shorline stabilization work Planning a construction project or other work in or near state waters? An environmental permit, commonly known as an HPA, is likely required.
Learn more >>

PUGET SOUND NEARSHORE
Photo of Puget Sound shorline The Puget Sound Nearshore Ecosystem Restoration Project
A partnership of organizations that endeavor to: protect and restore natural processes that create and maintain Puget Sound nearshore ecosystems — and — protect and restore ecosystem functions and structures that support biological resources that humans value.
Learn more >>

FISH PASSAGE PROGRAM
Photo of a poorly designed culvert.

The ability of salmon and steelhead to swim upstream to their traditional spawning grounds is vital to their recovery across Washington. But deteriorating culverts, outdated bridges and other barriers are blocking fish passage in many streams and undermining the state’s recovery efforts. Learn more >>

• 2013 Water Crossing Design Guidelines
• Fish Passage Barrier and Surface Water Diversion Screening Assessment and Prioritization Manual

CONSERVING WASHINGTON'S FISH AND WILDLIFE
Photo of Enforcement Officer with a Golden Eagle perched on his arm.

Washington’s diverse fish and wildlife species—from magnificent orca whales and elk to the myriad inhabitants of our beaches, wetlands, mountains and meadows—are a fundamental part of our state’s natural heritage. They have been here for eons, but their future is anything but assured. Learn more >>

PRIORITY HABITATS AND SPECIES (PHS)
Photo of a Brown Pelican perched on a pole.
John & Karen Hollingsworth /
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 		The Priority Habitats and Species (PHS) List is WDFW's primary catalog of species and habitats of conservation and management concern. For nearly two decades, PHS information has been a primary resource used in the conservation and protection of Washington's diverse fish and wildlife resources by landowners, cities, counties, and state and federal agencies. The PHS List has just undergone an extensive and thorough update and a new version is now available online. We encourage all users of our PHS resources to immediately replace old copies of the PHS List.

• PHS on the Web Interactive Mapping NEW!
• Priority Habitats and Species (PHS) List
• PHS Management Recommendations
• Requesting PHS Maps and Digital Data

ENERGY DEVELOPMENT TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE
Picture of a wind turbine Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife Renewable Energy Program provides energy development technical assistance to project owners throughout Washington. Staff engage in project planning, mitigation and settlement negotiations and project permit and license implementation throughout Washington on existing and proposed energy projects (hydroelectric, wind, wave, tidal, natural gas, and nuclear). Learn more >>

 

 

 
   PUBLIC NOTICES
• State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) Lead Agency Reviews
Brown pelican PHS on the Web
An interactive map of WDFW priority habitats and species information for project review.
SalmonScape SalmonScape
Interactive mapping application includes salmon distribution, status, and habitats
   I AM LOOKING FOR...
• Fish Passage Technical Assistance
• Habitat Biologists Geographic Coverage Areas
• Wildlife Areas & Water Access Sites
• Mineral Prospecting and Placer Mining Regulations
• Wildlife Area Management Plans
• Wind Power Guidelines
• Aquatic Habitat Guidelines: An Integrated Approach to Marine, Freshwater, and Riparian Habitat Protection and Restoration
Backyard Wildlife Sanctuary Program Backyard Wildlife Sanctuary Program
Projects, plans & more...
   FEATURES
• WDFW Habitat Program Overview
• Puget Sound Nearshore Ecosystem Restoration Project
• Fish and Wildlife Planner Newsletter
• Diving in Marine Habitats
• Recreational Activities May Harm Salmon and Steelhead Spawning Beds