Snags Are Important Wildlife Habitat

Did you know that trees can be more important for wildlife dead than alive? When trees die, their wood softens and rots providing places for animals to create cavities that are used as nest and shelter sites. In the northwest, nearly 100 species of wildlife use snags including some of our favorite birds such as bluebirds, owls, woodpeckers, nuthatches, chickadees, wrens, ducks, swifts, swallows, and kestrels.

But did you also know that due to outdated policies, the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest allows the public to cut down snags? The Okanogan Wenatchee manages nearly 1.5 million acres and some of the most beautiful forests of the eastern Cascade Range. This forest is also home to every at-risk woodpecker species in Washington State, including the Black-backed Woodpecker, White-headed Woodpecker, Pileated Woodpecker, Lewis’ Woodpecker, and American Three-toed Woodpecker. Yet every year, hundreds to thousands of snags in these birds’ home territories are cut down by woodcutters, hunters, and campers.

Join us in a campaign to educate land managers with the Okanogan-Wenatchee to let them know the value of snags in our forests. Let them know that snags are vital components of our forests and snag felling should not be permitted for healthy forest management.

If you would like to write an e-mail or a letter about this important topic, here are the people to write to:

Thank you for your support on this critical matter.