STATE WILDLIFE ACTION PLAN APPROVED AND AWARDED $1.5 MILLION IN FEDERAL FUNDS

Contributors who helped develop Wisconsin’s Strategy for Wisconsin Species of Greatest Conservation Needs gathered at the Pyle Center recently on the campus of the University of Wisconsin to celebrate the completion of the State Wildlife Action Plans. The approval of the plans by the Fish and Wildlife Service means that federal funding will be provided to Wisconsin to conserve its wildlife resources of greatest conservation need.

The various projects will identify which native wildlife species with low or declining populations are most at risk of no longer being a viable part of Wisconsin’s fauna, and what habitats they are associated with. It will tell us where they occur across the state, and how various conservation actions of specific on-the-ground projects will work to keep them from becoming threatened or endangered.

A survey of forest songbirds, a bat conservation plan, an inventory of native mammals and grassland restoration work are among 29 wildlife conservation projects that make up the State Wildlife Action Plans. “The State Wildlife Grant program offers a fantastic opportunity to begin funding habitat, monitoring and other work to support native Wisconsin Species we’ve been unable to target in the past for conservation,” says Signe Holtz, director of the department’s endangered resources program.

“Many of the projects we are funding this year involve partners from other organizations and agencies that are bringing additional funding and expertise,” said Holtz. “Their support and involvement are critical, and we’re looking forward to working with them.”