Category Overview
Critical Habitat projects are our state’s primary tool for conserving important fish and wildlife habitat. These projects protect the rich and diverse habitats in our forests, prairies, and wetlands. These funds help maintain our state’s biodiversity and protect species that are popular for hunting, birding, and other outdoor recreation, and are critical for the health of our salmon and fish populations.
Project Highlights
The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife successfully acquired 1,814.25 acres in fee and 370.00 acres with a conservation easement (total acres protected 2,184.25) between Conconully and the Canadian border for critical riparian, shrub-steppe, and dry forest wildlife habitat. This project protects the most viable wildlife movement corridor linking the north Cascade Mountains and Kettle/Selkirk ecosystems. It also will maintain the only low-elevation corridor linking the Columbia basin with the remaining endangered shrub-steppe-grassland habitats in Canada. This project is part of an 80,000-acre, multi-phase land conservation effort. It will protect habitat for almost 80 internationally recognized at-risk species. The grant provides the state’s match to a USFWS Section 6 grant.