Connecticut’s Wildlife Action Plan: Public Input and the 2025 Revision

Connecticut’s Wildlife Action Plan is being revised for the 2025-2035 period. The updated plan will be submitted to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in fall 2025. As part of the revision process, we are incorporating public input. Opportunities for public input are being posted on this page throughout the revision process.

On this page: What is a Wildlife Action Plan? | Connecticut’s Wildlife Action Plan | Provide Input! | Revision Timeline

What Is a Wildlife Action Plan?

Since 2005, each state has been required by the federal government to create and submit an updated Wildlife Action Plan every 10 years. Wildlife Action Plans serve as blueprints for wildlife conservation at the state-level, and include regional and national conservation goals. This involves identifying Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN), their affiliated habitats, and the issues they face. Conservation actions and research needs are then prioritized to conserve these species and habitats. When a state’s Wildlife Action Plan gets approved by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, various organizations can apply for federal funding to implement conservation actions outlined in the Plan. An approved State Wildlife Action Plan makes a state eligible for funding through the State Wildlife Grants Program.

All State Wildlife Action Plans include eight elements:

Connecticut's Wildlife Action Plan

Connecticut’s Wildlife Action Plan provides guidance and vision for wildlife conservation in our state. Accordingly, the Plan:

1. Addresses the broad array of all fish, mammal, bird, reptile, amphibian, plant, and invertebrate species. 
2. Identifies and assesses Species of Greatest Conservation Need and their habitats.
3. Identifies actions needed to maintain species diversity and keep common species common.
4. Builds upon past efforts to help wildlife species.
5. Encourages participation and partnerships with conservation organizations at local, state, and regional levels to enhance opportunities for helping wildlife by implementing action outlined in the Plan.

Connecticut completed its first State Wildlife Action Plan in 2005 (then called a Comprehensive Wildlife Strategy), revised it in 2015, and we are now revising again to set the framework for conservation for 2025-2035. Learn about the history of Connecticut’s Wildlife Action Plan.

Provide Input!

Since November 2023, we have been posting surveys on this webpage to get your thoughts on each aspect of our Wildlife Action Plan. You will have opportunities to provide feedback throughout the revision process – from start to finish – including draft chapters and the completed draft in 2025. So far, we have collected public input through surveys about our draft lists of Species of Greatest Conservation Need and Habitats, Issues, and Actions. Please check back here for the next opportunity to provide input! These opportunities also get posted in our Wildlife Highlights Newsletter and on the CT Fish and Wildlife Facebook and Instagram pages.

Revision Timeline

The revision process for Connecticut’s Wildlife Action Plan involves drafting updated lists of Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN), habitats that SGCN depend on, issues that impact SGCN, conservation actions that can help SGCN, and monitoring actions to assess the status of SGCN and their habitats. In addition to lists, full chapters are being drafted that correspond to each of the eight elements listed above. For elements one through five, after a draft of a list or chapter is completed, it receives evaluation from a team of experts (Expert Evaluation), input from various groups involved in wildlife conservation in Connecticut (Partner Feedback), and input from the public (Public Feedback). See the table below for current progress on elements one through five.

Content last updated on April 9, 2025.