This species is strongly associated with a habitats of late successional and old growth forest (Evelyn and Sweet 2018). It inhabits moist coniferous forests (such as redwood, Douglas fir, western hemlock, and Port Orford cedar forests), in forest edges, forest clearings, talus, and burned-over areas. It is usually found under bark, in rotten logs, or in rock crevices, and it may aggregate in decayed logs in summer. The downed logs that it inhabits are large (greater than 50 cm in diameter), and of mid-decay classes with sloughing bark (Thomas et al. 1993). This species also sometimes climbs high into trees. It lays its direct-developing eggs in cavities in rotten logs, in rock crevices, under bark, or among vegetation.

This species is known from coastal Oregon and extreme northern California, from the Columbia River south through the Siskiyou and Coast mountains, and along the western Cascades. It is notably absent from the extreme northwestern portion of the Coast Mountains. The previous map misrepresented the species distribution, extending its range further south into coastal California than this species is known to occur. It occurs from sea level up to 1,525 m asl in elevation (Jackman 1998, Staub and Wake 2005, Green et al. 2014).

Conservation Actions In-Place
This species occurs in several protected areas, and National Forest Service land has preserved relatively stable amounts of habitat for this species (Evelyn and Sweet 2018).

In an effort to prevent the introduction of Bsal into the US, an Interim Rule of the Lacey Act has been enacted that bans the importation of 201 species of salamanders (USFWS 2016). Additionally, a temporary voluntary trade moratorium of imports of Asian salamander species that are known to carry the disease until such time as effective testing and treatment regimens can be developed and distributed has been recommended to all exporters, shippers, sellers and buyers by the Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council (PIJAC). A North America Bsal Task Force has also been created, with working groups designed to address a variety of disease prevention and mitigation goals (North America Bsal Task Force 2021).

Conservation Needed
Continued and strengthened management of protected area(s) where this species occurs, and expanded protection of mature and old growth forests elsewhere in its range is needed. Additionally, the trend towards increasing scarcity of required coarse woody debris on the forest floor might be counteracted to some degree by existing and proposed forest management plans for the Spotted Owl (Strix occidentalis) and Marbled Murrelet (Brachyramphus marmoratus; Thomas et al. 1993).

Research Needed
Further research on this species' distribution, population size and trends is recommended.