ODFW Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife

Wildlife Habitat Conservation and Management Program (WHCMP)

The Wildlife Habitat Conservation and Management Program (WHCMP) is a cooperative effort involving state and local governments and other partners to incentivize private landowners to voluntarily conserve native wildlife habitat. The Oregon Legislature created the WHCMP to offer a property tax incentive to private landowners who want to provide wildlife habitat on their properties instead of, or in addition to, farming, growing timber or other land uses. Under the WHCMP, land subject to an approved wildlife habitat conservation and management plan receives a wildlife habitat special assessment, where property taxes are assessed at the relatively low value that would apply if the land were being farmed or used for commercial forestry.

The objective of the WHCMP is to preserve, enhance or improve the composition, structure or function of habitat for native wildlife species. The WHCMP supports the efforts of Oregon’s Conservation Strategy, whose primary focus is on improving and expanding voluntary conservation efforts. Tax incentive programs aimed at improving wildlife habitat are tools used to promote and support voluntary conservation actions taken by landowners.

For detailed information on the statutes and rules related to the Wildlife Habitat Conservation and Management Program see Oregon Revised Statutes 308A-400   Oregon Administrative Rules 635-430.

Summary of Steps to Determine Eligibility for Participation in the Wildlife Habitat Conservation and Management Program:

*Please note, ODFW staff may choose to limit the number of plans approved each year due to workload constraints (ORS 308A.412(4); OAR 635-430-0027(5).

  1. Confirm your eligibility with a Participating County  
    • If you are a landowner in a participating county you may be eligible. Not all counties are currently participating in the program and only those counties currently participating are able to enroll landowners.
    • To qualify for a wildlife habitat special property tax assessment, the property must be zoned exclusive farm use, mixed farm and forest use or forest use. Applicants must have the county or city planning department or County Assessor’s office fill out a Zoning Eligibility Certification Form to confirm that the property is eligible for the program.
  2. Secure a cooperating agency
    • Landowners interested in enrolling their property in the WHCMP need to reach out to a cooperating agency1 to learn about program expectations and criteria for enrollment.
    • To enroll in the program, your property must meet both the statewide criteria and the appropriate District Watershed criteria, and you must find a cooperating agency that is willing to advocate for your project, help you write the plan, and provide technical assistance.
  3. Assess property for fit with WHCMP criteria
    • The cooperating agency will assess the proposed property using the statewide criteria and relevant Watershed District criteria. They will also check that new applications are currently being accepted in the relevant Watershed District.
    • If the cooperating agency determines that the proposed property meets all the statewide and Watershed District criteria and the zoning eligibility criteria, they will coordinate a meeting with the Department staff in the relevant Watershed district to discuss the proposed property.  This will include providing information that:
      • demonstrates how the property meets both sets of criteria;
      • confirms county participation and appropriate zoning for participation; and
      • indicates that the landowner has the ability and resources to accomplish the short- and long-term goals of the program on their property.
    • ODFW may choose to conduct a site visit at this point to assess eligibility of the property for the Program.
    • ODFW will determine if the proposed property qualifies for the program.
    • If ODFW determines that the proposed property qualifies for the program, the cooperating agency will help the landowner develop a draft wildlife habitat conservation and management plan.  The draft plan shall include the elements outlined in OAR 635-430-0050.
  4. Submit plan for review
    • The landowner must submit the completed habitat plan to ODFW review. ODFW will notify the landowner in writing if there are recommended changes to the plan, the plan is approved, or if the plan is rejected.  If the plan is approved, ODFW will send a copy of the final approved plan to the local county or city planning department.
  5. Apply for wildlife habitat special assessment
    • To apply for wildlife habitat special assessment the landowner must submit the appropriate application to their local county assessor. Contact your local city or county planning office for the application form.  Applications must be submitted by April 1 for the tax year for which special assessment is desired, for a habitat plan that was approved prior to January 1.
    • The application for habitat special assessment must include a copy of the approved habitat plan, a copy of ODFW’s notification of the plan’s approval, and a copy of the zoning certification of eligibility.
  6. Continue to implement the approved habitat plan
    • Begin the habitat restoration and conservation activities as directed in the approved WHCMP plan.
    • Annually self-report your actions and compliance with the program prior to April 1. Non-compliance may result in disqualification from the program and the landowner may be liable for back taxes (ORS 308A.703).
Additional Resources for Cooperators, Local Governments, and Landowners:
ODFW Field Offices and Staff Contacts
Northwest Region
North Willamette Watershed District
Clackamas (971) 673-1134 Participating Counties: E. Columbia, Washington, Multnomah, Clackamas, Marion, Yamhill
South Willamette Watershed District
Corvallis (541) 757-4186 Participating Counties: Benton, Polk, E. Lane
North Coast Watershed
Tillamook (541) 842-2741 Participating County: West Columbia
Mid-Coast Watershed District
Newport (541)-867-4741 Participating County: Lane (Western Lane County, within the Coastal Zone)
Southwest Region
Umpqua Watershed District
Roseburg (541) 440-3353 Participating County: Douglas
Central Oregon
Bend (541) 388-6099 Participating Counties: Deschutes, Sherman, Hood River and Lake
Northeast Region
John Day Watershed District
Heppner (541) 676-5230 Participating Counties: Morrow, Wheeler
For more information contact:

Nancy Taylor
Habitat Coordinator
Wildlife Division
541-740-6338

1 "Cooperating agency" means the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Natural Resources Conservation Service, the Oregon State University Extension Service, Oregon Department of Forestry, Soil and Water Conservation Districts, Watershed Councils, Land Trusts, and organizations whose mission includes fish and wildlife conservation. Other persons with wildlife conservation and management training may be considered cooperating agencies if they meet the qualifications listed in ORS 635-430-0010 (1).

Header photo by Bob Altman.