Houses and English ivy (Wikimedia
commons; fire (U.S. Forest Service
/ Ron Gregory); Bonneville Dam (Eric
Guinther); water (John Ame);
paperwork (U.S. Dept. of Labor).

The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife identified six key conservation issues that present the greatest threats to fish and wildlife populations and their habitats throughout Oregon. They form the framework for the Conservation Strategy.

1. Land Use Changes: Oregon's increasing human population will increase demands for residential and commercial uses, resulting in future land use changes. The goal is to manage land use changes to conserve farm, forest and range, open spaces, natural recreation areas, and fish and wildlife habitats.
2. Invasive Species: Invasive species are species not native to ecosystems to which they have been intentionally or accidentally introduced and whose introduction causes or is likely to cause economic or environmental harm. The goal is to reduce the scale and spread of priority invasive species infestations.
3. Disruption of Disturbance Regimes: The goals is to restore natural processes such as fire and flood cycles to sustain and enhance habitat functions in a manner compatible with existing land uses.
4. Barriers to Fish and Wildlife Movement: People have built communities, roads, dams and other structures that act as barriers to the movement of fish and wildlife. Restoring connectivity is a key to healthy ecosystem functioning.
5. Water Quality and Quantity: Oregonians need to maintain and restore water quality and quantity to support fish and wildlife and habitats in balance with economic and social needs of local communities.
6. Institutional Barriers to Voluntary Conservation: These barriers include the difficulty of obtaining multiple permits, cumbersome requirements for financial assistance, and rules originally passed for one purpose that block another one.

Compiled from the The Oregon Conservation Strategy by John Ame, science writer.