The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) is developing
a habitat conservation plan (HCP) for activities on state owned
and managed Wildlife Areas. The HCP will be a long-term management
plans for the conservation and protection of species that will satisfy
federal requirements under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) upon
approval by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National
Marine Fisheries Service.
Goals and Benefits
The goals of the Wildlife Areas HCP are to provide federal Endangered
Species Act assurances for management, operational and recreational
activities occurring on state Wildlife Areas, and to thereby contribute
to the conservation and recovery of ESA listed species and their
habitats.
In addition the HCP will:
Ensure that activities occurring on Wildlife Areas provide protection
for up to 59 fish, wildlife, and plant species, including state
and federally listed species.
Provide for development of comprehensive inventories of fish and
wildlife species, land management activities, and other public
uses on WDFW lands.
Maximize opportunities to conserve and recover species, while
sustaining outdoor recreational opportunities on Wildlife Areas.
Incorporate a landscape level approach to managing at-risk species,
in accordance with WDFW’s Washington's
Draft Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy.
Integrate policy guidance in Lands
20/20: A Clear Vision For The Future and provide additional
guidelines to WDFW
Wildlife Area Management Plans.
Streamline permitting processes for WDFW management activities
that involve federal funds for operations and maintenance of Wildlife
Areas.· Establish WDFW eligibility for additional federal
land acquisition grants.
Include a collaborative public involvement process with Washington
tribes, federal, state and local governments, and WDFW stakeholders.
Timelines
Click
timeline for enlargement |
Please visit the Public
Involvement Page for information on how you can get involved
in the Wildlife Areas HCP planning process.
For additional information contact Jennifer Quan at (360) 902-2508
or e-mail the project at wildlifehcp@dfw.wa.gov |
