The Westside Wildlife Corridor is the forested spine of the west hills that provides the green backdrop to downtown Portland. This local target area will help protect remaining natural habitat, protect headwater streams, and create a continuous wildlife migration corridor from Forest Park south along the west hills.

As this target area has not been identified as a regional target, a community survey asked respondents to prioritize the following selection criteria. The results are listed in rank order:

1. Filling in gaps within existing protected areas
2. Linking to Washington/Forest Park and Tryon Creek natural areas
3. Buffering existing natural areas
4. Maintaining a green backdrop to downtown Portland
5. Providing neighborhood access to trails

Special Status Habitats*

• Interior forest
• Oak woodlands

*Special Status Habitats include habitat types that have been recognized by state and federal agencies or organizations as being ecologically important. Portland's Special Status Habitats include "Strategy Habitats" identified in the Oregon Conservation Strategy that are found in Portland: herbaceous wetlands, upland prairie and native grasslands, oak woodlands, interior forests (especially late successional conifer forests), bottomland hardwood forest, and riparian habitat.