Wildlife Action Plan

Wisconsin's Strategy for Wildlife Species of Greatest Conservation Need

Attempting a piecemeal approach to conserving our nation's wildlife is a little like building your house without an architectural blueprint or enough materials. You do the best you can but, down the road, end up spending more money just to fix the problems. Until now, state fish and wildlife agencies have tried to conserve hundreds of species of fish and wildlife on shoestring budgets. While wildlife conservation has mostly been funded by the sales of hunting and fishing licenses, user fees on gear, and donations; the rest of our nation's wildlife has lacked secure and adequate funding for long-term conservation. The result? A federal endangered species list that already tops 1,000 and continues to grow.

Wisconsin's Wildlife Action Plan has the potential to transform wildlife conservation efforts for all species The Plan is a proactive way to conserve wildlife and natural places for future generations.

How did this start?

Congress created the State Wildlife Grants Program to prevent wildlife from becoming endangered. The grant program provides funding for on the ground conservation projects. Each state is required to prepare a Wildlife Action Plan to remain eligible for funding. Each Wildlife Action Plan must focus on "Species of Greatest Conservation Need".

What is a Wildlife Action Plan?

This plan, also known as the comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Plan, is the result of a statewide effort to identify which of our native Wisconsin species are of greatest conservation need. The Action Plan presents priority conservation actions to protect the species and their habitats. The Plan also:

• Ensures that Wisconsin remains eligible for federal funding from the State Wildlife Grants Program, a federal program that provides funds to prevent species and habitats from becoming threatened or endangered.
• Sets priorities for the continued allocation of State Wildlife Grants funds in Wisconsin.
• Provides guidance and information, including a reference database, for government agencies, tribes, and the full range of public and private partners to use to support their conservation efforts.

What will the Plan do for Wisconsin wildlife?

The plan outlines actions that Wisconsinites can take to conserve wildlife and natural places before they become more rare and more costly to protect.

What are Species of Greatest Conservation Need?

Species of Greatest Conservation Need have low and/or declining populations that are in need of conservation action. They include various birds, fish, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and invertebrates (e.g. dragonflies, butterflies, and freshwater mussels) that are:

• Already listed as threatened or endangered;
• At risk because of threats to their life history needs or their habitats;
• Stable in number in Wisconsin, but declining in adjacent states or nationally.
• Of unknown status in Wisconsin and suspected to be vulnerable.

The bottom line: Wisconsin's Wildlife Action Plan is our first comprehensive opportunity to plan for and fund programs to conserve these species and the habitats they require. It's an important and exciting new opportunity!