Recently, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) Commission unanimously approved an update to the State Wildlife Action Plan (SWAP)—a required roadmap for protecting vulnerable species and keeping the state eligible for critical federal funding. The number of species the agency now considers of greatest conservation need has now climbed to over 300.
Joining the Exchange to help us learn more is Dr. Sristi Kamal, Deputy Director of the Western Environmental Law Center.
“Oregon is home to some of the most iconic wildlife in the country, from puffins to pika, salmon to sand hill cranes,” said Danielle Moser, Wildlife Program Manager at Oregon Wild. “But our wildlife is facing a very real extinction crisis. Without dedicated funding, Oregon’s conservation plan is just words on paper.”
The Trump administration recently announced rollbacks to Endangered Species Act protections that will make recovery harder. Coupled with federal budget cuts and staff reductions at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the responsibility for wildlife conservation is shifting to the states.
