The statewide habitat program in the deschutes watershed district comprises two sub-basins of the columbia river basin: the deschutes sub-basin, which includes 6.8 million acres of wildlife habitat,…

The U.S. Department of the Interior Fish and Wildlife Service Region 1 awarded the State of Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) a formula grant of $587,759 under the Wildlife Restoration and Basic Hunter Education and Safety program (CFDA 15.611) for the period July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2026. This grant funds the statewide habitat program within the Deschutes Watershed District, which encompasses two sub-basins totaling approximately 7.1 million acres of wildlife habitat supporting 400 terrestrial and aquatic wildlife species, including 18 federally listed species and 35 species of concern.

ODFW will deliver habitat protection, maintenance, and enhancement services through five primary mechanisms: direct habitat manipulation and land acquisition; development and implementation of habitat management and restoration techniques; provision of technical assistance to state, federal, tribal, and local agencies; and administration of grant funding for habitat protection and restoration projects. The program addresses threats to wildlife habitat including fragmentation from human population expansion, recreational disturbance, landscape wildfires, and invasive species impacts across managed wildlife areas including Prineville Reservoir, Crates Point, Rufus Ponds, and portions of the Metolius Wildlife Management Unit and Little Deschutes River.

The statewide habitat program in the deschutes watershed district comprises two sub-basins of the columbia river basin: the deschutes sub-basin, which includes 6.8 million acres of wildlife habitat, and the hood river sub-basin, which includes 341,000 acres of wildlife habitat. There are 25 primary wildlife habitat types in the sub-basins along with 400 species of terrestrial and aquatic wildlife. In addition, there are 18 federally listed fish and wildlife species and 35 species of concern including plants (9) and invertebrates (4). Additionally, this project includes the entire management of three state wildlife areas: 2,230-acre prineville reservoir, 140-acre crates point (including taylor lake), and 22-acre rufus ponds as well as 20 acres in the spring creek area of the metolius wildlife management unit and four parcels (totaling 20 acres) along the little deschutes river. Human population expansion, human development, and an upsurge in the variety of recreational pursuits have all impacted fish and wildlife habitats. These activities have increased habitat fragmentation, wildlife disturbance, landscape-level wildfires, and the spread of exotic species. The result has been a decline in wildlife habitat effectiveness. Without active strategic planning to address these threats, wildlife habitat connectivity will continue to deteriorate. This habitat program s purpose is to protect, maintain, and enhance wildlife habitat to meet oregons wildlife policy by: 1) manipulating habitat, 2) acquiring land, 3) developing habitat management and restoration techniques, 4) providing technical assistance to state, federal, tribal, and local agencies and individuals and, 5) providing funding through grants for habitat protection, restoration and enhancement.