Oregon’s Updated State Wildlife Action Plan
ODFW completed the revision of the SWAP in Sept. 2025 and submitted it to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for approval. The updated SWAP will guide conservation priorities statewide and supports continued eligibility for federal wildlife funding.
ODFW uses its SWAP not only to meet grant requirements but also to guide its conservation work, set grant priorities, and make recommendations to other agencies. The revised SWAP is anticipated to be approved by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service by April 2026, at which time updated information will be made available online through the fully web-enabled version of the SWAP.
To view submitted final drafts that meet the eight required elements of the SWAP visit: https://dfw.state.or.us/SWAP-Revision
What we accomplished with your support and collaboration
Beginning in 2023, we completed an extensive internal review and began our outreach with a series of presentations to partner groups and outreach events. We also completed a survey for partners and the public to provide input on the existing SWAP and what they would like to see updated. Staff worked hard for the last half of 2024 to update the SWAP, incorporating the feedback we received to produce first drafts of updated sections.
In January 2025, we held a community engagement kickoff meeting and outlined the two primary audiences for the SWAP revision; members of Federal, State, and local agencies, or tribes, or organizations that are working in conservation, are technical partners and the general, public partners, who don't do this as their job every day but are still looking for information or want to connect to conservation opportunities in their area.
In February 2025, we began a series of technical review workgroup sessions. Topic-specific meetings were held from February – May and focused on discussing and reviewing specific sections of the SWAP. A total of 17 public meetings were held in early 2025 to provide opportunity for engagement to the public and partners. Comments and feedback from the technical review process were incorporated as feasible.
You can find recordings of all SWAP Revision engagement sessions on our YouTube Playlist:
The draft SWAP was circulated for public review in July 2025. All comments submitted prior to July 31 were considered and incorporated into the draft. The final draft was presented to the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission on August 15, 2025 with opportunity for public testimony. The Commission approved the Department's approach to addressing the eight required elements of the Oregon State Wildlife Action Plan for submission to the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. In September 2025, staff worked to complete the final version that was submitted to the Service for approval.
What's a SWAP and why does it matter for Oregon?
Oregon's natural areas—from coastal forests to sagebrush steppe—are home to hundreds of fish and wildlife species. Nearly 300 species in the state face extinction due to threats like habitat loss, climate change, invasive species, and pollution. Iconic wildlife, including bighorn sheep and coho salmon, along with many insects and plants, are at risk.
ODFW is responsible for protecting and enhancing all wildlife populations. Because of the wide variety of species and habitats, and the many challenges they face, ODFW works with many partners to get the job done. Every ten years, the Department reviews and revises the State Wildlife Action Plan (SWAP). This review includes an assessment of the conservation status of Oregon's wildlife, the habitats they use, and threats and limiting factors affecting them.
This plan focuses on Species of Greatest Conservation Need by identifying threats and necessary conservation actions, outlining strategies to preserve habitats and restore ecosystems, providing a menu of actions to support coordinated efforts statewide.
Each state and territory has a similar plan, which is also required for participation in the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's State and Tribal Wildlife Grants program.