Join the Discussion: Virginia Wildlife Action Plan 2025

Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources

The Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources is taking public comments until July 18 on its 2025 revised Virginia Wildlife Action Plan.

The Action Plan supports the state’s effort to identify and address the need of a variety of wildlife and habitats of greatest conservation need throughout the state.

To read a draft of the plan and a way to provide comments, visit https://dwr.virginia.gov/wildlife/wildlife-action-plan/2025-wildlife-action-plan/

Just a reminder, this version of the 2025 Wildlife Action Plan is still a draft. Once endorsed by the Board of Wildlife Resources and approved by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), the plan will be finalized.

The 2025 Virginia Wildlife Action Plan is the second revision of the original 2005 Plan. Although the DWR is the lead agency in developing the plan, it is intended to serve as a strategy for statewide wildlife and habitat conservation, as well as a framework for coordination and cooperation among agencies, academics, communities, and private conservation groups.

With the completion of the Second Breeding Bird Atlas in 2023 and other updates, Virginia’s 2025 Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN) list has been reviewed for the inclusion of many new species. It includes plants and more marine species for the first time and includes a larger emphasis on conservation education efforts. Virginia’s 2025 revision includes more emphasis on specific actions to conserve SGCN species. For the first time, the Wildlife Action Plan places a strong emphasis on addressing the concerns of federally and state-recognized tribes, as well as those with a historic presence in the Commonwealth. Participation by partners —governmental, non-governmental and tribal — remains a focus and priority for success in statewide conservation of Virginia’s wildlife and habitats. This revision also includes a significant online portion and online tool to provide information on where SGCN species occur and to provide critical links to a variety of associated conservation plans.

As part of the requirements for submitting the 2025 Revised Virginia Wildlife Action Plan to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, significant public participation is required. All through the revision process over 25 state and federal agencies, 63 nongovernmental organizations and 18 Indian tribes and Sovereign Nations have been engaged to provide comments and edits to the plan’s revision at various stages. With their review complete, the plan has been made available for public comment to ensure that no species have been missed, that habitats, threats and conservation actions have been clearly defined and that the overall plan is in a format that is easily understandable.

Background

In 2000, Congress created the State and Tribal Wildlife Grants (STWG) program to help state and tribal wildlife agencies work with at-risk species and prevent endangered species listings. This program currently provides funding to all 50 states, the five U.S. Territories, the District of Columbia, and federally-recognized tribes, making the STWG program an invaluable conservation resource.

As a condition for receiving STWG funding, Congress mandated that each state and territory develop a Wildlife Actions Plan (Action Plan) by October 2005. These Action Plans were also used to ensure the effective use of STWG funding. To guide development of these documents, Congress established eight essential elements that had to be addressed before an Action Plan could be approved by the Director of the USFWS.

The first plans were submitted to the USFWS by October 1, 2005. Since being approved, these Action Plans have been a guiding force in wildlife conservation.