The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) manages over 1 million acres of land divided into 33 wildlife areas across the state, as well as approximately 475 water access areas located along the state's rivers, streams, lakes, and marine waters. These lands are managed for a variety of purposes, simultaneously helping protect critical habitat for wildlife and people and providing access to important recreation opportunities for the public.
WDFW conducts periodic reviews of each of the state's wildlife areas, providing guidance for long-term management of these publicly owned lands. In addition, WDFW has initiated the process of planning for water access across the state, beginning with the North Puget Sound Region.
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Wildlife area management planning
Information about the wildlife area planning process, which guides management of wildlife areas across the state.
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Water access management planning
In 2024, WDFW initiated a regional water access management planning pilot in North Puget Sound.
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Recreation planning
Learn more about rules and policies related to recreation on WDFW lands.
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10-year Recreation Strategy for WDFW-managed Lands
In 2022, WDFW released its strategy to guide the next decade of recreation management on WDFW-managed lands.