Priority Habitats and Species: Publications

Bumble bee on a pink flower.
Photo by WDFW

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) develops management recommendations for Priority Habitats and Species to align with the agency’s mission to preserve, protect, and perpetuate Washington’s diverse fish and wildlife. This includes goals to:

  • Stop or reverse the decline of fish and wildlife, including state-listed or candidate species.
  • Maintain or enhance the current structural attributes and ecological functions of habitat needed to support healthy populations.
  • Maintain or enhance populations of priority species within present and/or historical ranges.

The following is a collection of recommendations and planning documents for managing projects with potential impact to priority habitat and species.

Priority habitats

Priority habitats are habitat types or elements with unique or significant value to a large number of species. A priority habitat may consist of a unique vegetation type like shrubsteppe, dominant plant species like juniper savannah, or a specific habitat feature like cliffs. There are 20 types of priority habitats in Washington.

Riparian Ecosystems

Riparian areas are the zones between land and water such as the edges of rivers, streams, creeks, lakes, ponds, and wetlands. They have unique conditions that change gradually from dry land to aquatic environments. These areas help connect waterbodies to the surrounding land, both above and below the surface. They also play an important role in the movement of energy and nutrients between land and water.

Management Recommendations

Mapping Products

More Resources

Shrubsteppe Ecosystems

Shrubsteppe is a dry, open habitat with scattered shrubs and clumps of grasses. Big sagebrush is the most common shrub, along with bitterbrush and other sagebrush types. Grasses like Idaho fescue and bluebunch wheatgrass grow between the shrubs, and mosses, lichens, and algae may also be present.

In wetter areas, more grasses and wildflowers grow. The land includes hills, valleys, streams, and canyons. A healthy shrubsteppe has good soil, native plants, and a special soil crust that helps hold moisture and prevent erosion.

Management Recommendations

Mapping Products

More Resources

Biodiversity Areas and Corridors

Biodiversity Areas and Corridors are large, connected natural areas that have diverse ecosystems supporting the movement of wildlife. These areas provide important homes for wildlife and provide safe pathways between key habitats. Corridors are stretches of mostly undisturbed land that connect important habitats, helping wildlife move safely and thrive.

Mapping Products

More Resources

Oregon White Oak Woodlands Ecosystems

The Washington Natural Heritage Program (WNHP) defines North Pacific Oak Woodlands as areas dominated by Oregon white oak, usually in dry, low-elevation sites or places that had frequent fires before settlement. In Washington, Oregon white oaks are found in the Puget Trough, south-central counties, the Columbia Gorge, and along the east side of the Cascades.

Oregon white oak is Washington's only native oak. Though rare and declining, these woodlands support diverse plant and wildlife communities. Different oak forest types provide food, shelter, and breeding areas for many species.

Management Recommendations

Mapping Products

Priority species

Priority species include State Endangered, Threatened, Sensitive, and Candidate species; vulnerable animal groups (e.g., seabird concentrations, heron rookeries, bat colonies); and vulnerable species of recreational, commercial, or tribal importance. There are 269 priority species in Washington. Species are often considered a priority only within a “priority area” such as a nest, roost, foraging area, breeding area, regular gathering area, or migration corridor.

Invertebrates

Amphibians and Reptiles

Birds

Mammals

Additional resources

Arid Lands Initiative: A collaborative effort led by the US Fish and Wildlife Service that identified priority conservation areas in the Columbia Plateau Ecoregion. The extensive effort involved WDFW, Washington Department of Natural Resources, and The Nature Conservancy, among others. A 2014 report provides the methods for identifying priority areas; 2015 addenda to the report provided scorecards for individual Priority Core Areas (PCA) and Priority Linkage Areas (PLA)Additional ALI data, documents, and maps are available here.

Washington Shrubsteppe Restoration and Resiliency Initiative (WSRRI): This initiative seeks to address wildlife habitat protection and restoration challenges while also supporting working lands and communities in the face of wildland fire across the shrubsteppe landscape. Wildland fire preparedness, response, and recovery are important components of this effort.  

Woodland Fish and Wildlife Project Publications: Publications in this series provide practical information on fish and wildlife management to private woodland owners and managers