State Wildlife Action Plans: Results for All Wildlife in Every State
Congress charged each state and territory with developing a statewide wildlife conservation strategy, called a Wildlife Action Plan. Action Plans are proactive strategies that identify species and habitats of greatest conservation need, and outline the necessary actions to protect them for our children’s future. These plans allow for cost-effective, strategic conservation with deliverable results with benefits for both wildlife and people. By protecting species before they decline, we can conserve them before they become increasingly rare and the task more difficult. Wildlife Action Plans, which have now been completed for every state and territory, provide a landmark conservation tool for statewide conservation efforts across the country. To find your state's action plan, go to the Teaming with Wildlife website and click on your state.
Teaming With Wildlife Coalition
Nationally, Teaming with Wildlife is a coalition of more than 6,000 organizations working together to prevent wildlife from becoming endangered. The coalition works to support increased public funding for wildlife conservation and implementation of Wildlife Action Plans in every state. The National Teaming with Wildlife Coalition includes wildlife biologists, state wildlife agencies, conservationists, hunters, anglers, birdwatchers, nature-based businesses and many others who support the goal of restoring and conserving our nation’s wildlife.
Teaming with Wildlife Coalitions also exist in most states. While members are part of the national coalition, they work at the state level locally to support their state's Wildlife Action Plan. These coalitions aim to partner with their state's fish and wildlife agency to 1) develop a shared agenda for state conservation work based on the Wildlife Action Plan and 2) coordinate state-based support of the plan.
National Wildlife Federation's Role
One of our highest priorities is supporting the successful implementation of State Wildlife Action Plans, including advocating for critical funding for the plans through the State Wildlife Grants (SWG) Program. The State Wildlife Grants Program is the only source of federal funding specifically directed at ALL wildlife, including the nearly 90 percent of all species that are not hunted or fished. The proactive conservation called for in the Wildlife Action Plans and paid for by the SWG program helps keep species from being listed as threatened or endangered.
Since early 2006, the National Wildlife Federation has been working with 5 of its affiliate partners to grow robust Teaming with Wildlife Coalitions in Georgia, Massachusetts, Montana, North Carolina and Wisconsin. These coalitions are led by our affiliates and their state fish and wildlife agencies. The objectives of this effort are to (1) educate people in the five pilot states about State Wildlife Action Plans, (2) organize coalitions in those states that will ensure effective implementation of those strategies and (3) to share success stories and best management practices with states across the country. Beginning in early 2007, we will be partnering with several more of our affiliates to work in additional states. For a short overview of our work and project milestones to date, click here to download a brief fact-sheet.
The National Wildlife Federation has also been working with approximately 15 states since 2008 to update their Wildlife Action Plans to integrate climate change. Click here to read more about activities in each state.
The National Wildlife Federation is a member of the national Teaming with Wildlife Coalition and is represented on the coalition Steering Committee.
Join the Coalition
Join the national coalition by signing the endorsement form! Add your voice to the call for new and essential public funding to implement these important new plans. Spread the word about the new state wildlife action plans and encourage others, like your chapters, affiliates or other partners, to join Teaming with Wildlife.
Help set put the action in the wildlife action plans! Each state’s fish and wildlife agency is working with the state Teaming with Wildlife Coalition to determine priorities for action and how each organization can contribute to the plan’s implementation. To find out more about what's going on in your state, go to state contacts.
You can also learn more by contacting:
National Teaming with Wildlife Coalition
Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies
444 N. Capitol Stree, NW Suite 725
Washington, DC 20001
Tel: 202-624-7890
Fax: 202-624-7891
Email: teaming@fishwildlife.org
Support Dedicated Wildlife Funding in Climate Change Legislation