| Congress
has challenged the States to develop a Wildlife
Action Plan
that focus on the "species in greatest need of conservation," yet addresses
the "full array of wildlife." The State Wildlife Grant Program defines
wildlife as any species of wild, free-ranging animal, including fish,
and animals in captive breeding programs when the objective is reintroduction
of individuals to the species' natural range. All wild animals–vertebrate
and invertebrate, aquatic and terrestrial–will be incorporated into the
Wildlife
Action Plan.
The Illinois plan will specifically address game species, the species
in greatest need of conservation and the plants that comprise the habitats
necessary for Illinois' wildlife.
As
a condition of Wildlife Conservation and Restoration Program and State
Wildlife Grant Program funding, Illinois must develop a Wildlife
Action Plan
that identifies and is focused upon the "species in greatest need of
conservation."
The first of eight required elements is to provide "information on the
distribution and abundance of species of wildlife, including low and
declining populations as the State fish and wildlife agency deems appropriate,
that are indicative of the diversity and health of the State's wildlife." To
address this requirement, a set of Eight Criteria
have been considered for selecting Illinois´species
in greatest need of conservation.
- What
this list and these species ARE:
- An
answer to "what species are we concerned about?"
Certainly threatened and endangered species are in critical need,
but many more species are rare, localized or declining, and worthy
of attention. This type of philosophy is sometimes described as "
keeping common species common".
- Tools
for IDNR to identify habitat and geographic priorities
By considering where these species occur, areas or habitat types
will be identified that have high diversity of " species
in greatest need of conservation". Distributions of these
species will be one of several factors IDNR considers in selecting
conservation opportunity areas–sites and landscapes with
specific wildlife objectives and where efforts are focused.
- Potential
measures of conservation success
Monitoring some of these species will be indicators of the relative
success of conservation actions.
- Ways
to involve willing conservation partners
Conservation needs in Illinois far exceed what IDNR can accomplish
alone. Other agencies and organizations have important wildlife programs
and conservation resources. Defining the species in Illinois in greatest
need of conservation is one way to guide priorities and build cooperative
efforts.
- A
requirement for continuing to receive State Wildlife Grant Program
funding
- What
this list and these species ARE NOT:
- The
list is NOT a special protection status for a species
- The
list is NOT regulatory
- Species
are NOT necessarily a direct target of conservation actions
Most of the species in greatest need of conservation do not require
species-specific conservation actions. Stewardship geared towards
habitats and alleviating common problems, such as invasive species,
is the most effective solution.
- The
list is NOT the focus of the Illinois
Wildlife Action Plan
The focus of the Illinois
Wildlife Action Plan
is to identify wildlife and habitat goals and the people and resources
that will help reach those goals. A species-by-species approach will
not work.
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