Since passage of the Endangered Species Act (ESA), over 100 species of plants and animals have been federally listed as threatened or endangered in the Pacific Northwest. Because the ESA prohibits “take” of these species, land owners can be strictly limited in the use of their property if it supports a listed species or contains critical habitat necessary for its recovery. The diversity of these species crosses such a range of habitats that the majority of the land base in the Pacific Northwest is affected in some way.
Pacific salmon and steelhead listings alone affect a significant portion of the land area in western states, including over 60% of Washington, 55% of Oregon, 32% of California, and 26% of Idaho (NOAA Fisheries Service).
West Fork Environmental provides solutions for the protection of federally listed species through conservation planning and monitoring strategies specifically for local ownerships and landscape parcels. These plans take into account species habitat use patterns and regional needs so the role that any given piece of land exerts over species recovery is clear.