A recent state appeals court decision will allow the Vancouver Audubon Society and several other conservation groups to continue their legal effort to require the Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to identify and safeguard habitat for the western gray squirrel. The ruling, first detailed in reporting by The Columbian, reverses an earlier dismissal and sends the case back for further consideration.

The western gray squirrel is listed as a threatened species in Washington. Its remaining populations are scattered across south-central and southwest parts of the state, including areas where state-managed forests and mixed public–private timberlands overlap. While Cowlitz County is not home to the species’ strongest remaining populations, habitat management decisions made by DNR apply statewide and shape where future protections or activities may occur.

The conservation groups argue that DNR has a statutory obligation to map critical habitat and ensure its preservation. The agency has maintained that existing management frameworks and ongoing planning processes meet its duties. The appeals court ruling does not resolve the underlying dispute, but it does allow the plaintiffs to continue seeking judicial review of DNR’s obligations.

Habitat protection cases like this one affect how state agencies balance timber production, wildfire resilience, endangered species requirements, and long-term land management. Those decisions can influence forest practices and economic activity in counties such as Cowlitz, where DNR-managed trust lands play a significant role in local school funding and community revenues.

Why this matters

Any clarification of DNR’s responsibilities for threatened species could alter how the agency manages both conservation objectives and trust land obligations. This includes potential changes to harvest schedules, habitat mapping, or restoration priorities across southwest Washington. Communities that depend on state timber revenue may watch the case closely, as may local residents concerned about declining native species.

The case will return to the lower court for further proceedings. No timeline has yet been announced.

Sources

The Columbian: Vancouver Audubon Society, other environmental groups get to continue fight for western gray squirrel