The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife is looking for public feedback for a draft management plan for the Mount St. Helens Wildlife Area.
The wildlife area encompasses 18 discrete sites in Cowlitz, Clark, Skamania and Wahkiakum counties and covers a total of roughly 9,897 acres.
The wildlife area is managed primarily for elk in the North Fork Toutle River Valley, according to the agency. Other units are diverse, with habitat for multiple species, from old growth forest, forested floodplains, lava flows, mineral springs and wetlands.
Agency staff has spent the past year with a citizen advisory group to develop the draft plan, which is aimed at addressing the status of animals and their habitats, restoration efforts and public recreation.