Name

HWY 97

Priority Landscape Category

20-Year Forest Health Strategic Plan: Eastern WA Priority Landscapes

Description

A landscape evaluation for the Highway 97 priority landscape (or priority planning area) was completed in 2022.  Highlights from this assessment include:

• This planning area is primarily dry forest land surrounding Highway 97 north of Goldendale, and it includes the city’s water supply. Non-forest vegetation is an important component of eastern and southern portions.
• Unlike most DNR priority planning areas in eastern Washington, the land ownership is almost all private, with 56% private industrial and 41% private non-industrial land.
• Fire risk is highest in southern portions of the planning area and along the Highway 97 corridor. In some central and northern portions, fire risk is relatively low due to open forest conditions.
• Projected warming over the next 20-40 years will likely shift climate conditions that are currently suitable for dry forest towards widespread conditions that may no longer support forest.
• Treating 29-44% of forested acres is recommended to increase resilience and reduce fire risk to communities us-ing a combination of mechanical treatments, prescribed fire, and maintenance treatments.
• High priority areas for potential treatments that maximize forest health and wildfire response benefit include locations in the western, central, and eastern portions of the planning area.

For more information download the full landscape evaluation summary below, and view prioritization layers in the map on this page.  Data layers associated with the landscape evaluation are available to download at https://bit.ly/ForestHealthData 

External Resources