North Cascades Ecosystem

The North Cascades Ecosystem includes more than 9,000 square miles of Washington and British Columbia, but only a small grizzly population with few to none south of Canada.

Home to lush forests and jagged peaks, the North Cascades offer prime protected grizzly habitat, but still await the return of a resident population. (Stock photo)

While Vital Ground has not pursued any conservation easements or land purchases in the North Cascades, our partner projects in the region have helped prepare the area for potential grizzly reintroduction. Learn more on our Conservation Partners page.

Grizzlies in the North Cascades:
• Current estimates do not reveal a stable population south of Canada, with only 5-10 bears periodically crossing the border
• Habitat cores include North Cascades National Park, E.C. Manning and Skagit Valley provincial parks, and large portions of Mount Baker-Snoqualmie and Okanogan-Wenatchee national forests
• Communities in or adjacent to include: Seattle, Redmond, Everett, Bellingham, Abbotsford, Chilliwack, Twisp, Chelan, and Wenatchee

Other Habitat Projects

in Grizzly Recovery Ecosystems

Vital Ground protects and restores habitat for grizzly bears and other wildlife, connecting the wild strongholds of the Northern Rockies. We group our projects based on the grizzly’s six federally-designated recovery zones, working to link these core areas into one resilient landscape.