HARRISBURG, Pa. (WTAJ) — Public input is being accepted for the Game Commission and Fish and Boat Commission’s 2025-2035 Pennsylvania Wildlife Action Plan draft.
The Pennsylvania Wildlife Action Plan, developed in 2005, has been the Commonwealth’s blueprint “to conserve Pennsylvania’s native fish and wildlife, maintain resilient habitat and protect and enhance Species of Greatest Conservation Need.” Congress requires the plan to be revised no less than every 10 years.
The plan, along with funding from State and Tribal Wildlife Grant, have helped protect and recover at-risk species and their habitats over the past decade.
“This plan reflects our responsibility to protect Pennsylvanians’ remarkable variety of wildlife,” said Pennsylvania Game Commission Executive Director Steve Smith. “In that responsibility, we must do more than just express our commitment to conservation. We must be active stewards to carefully manage and protect the Commonwealth’s natural resources. This plan provides the framework to fulfill that responsibility while keeping our efforts aligned with the federal government and other states.”
For states to receive funding from those grants, their Wildlife Action Plan must be approved by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). Pennsylvania’s plan is scheduled to be delivered to the USFWS by Oct. 1.
The Pennsylvania Game Commission and Fish and Boat Commission work with conservation partners to compile the plan, using information related to native species, habitats, threats, conservation actions to address the threats and monitoring of these species and habitats.
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“The Wildlife Action Plan is a call to action to help protect, conserve and enhance Pennsylvania’s fish and wildlife,” said PFBC Executive Director Tim Schaeffer. “Our state is home to an incredible diversity of fish, invertebrates, reptiles and amphibians and we are entrusted with the responsibility of ensuring their sustainability for generations to come. This plan will help guide our agencies efforts and empower our partners to work collaboratively alongside use to advance common goals.”
The revised draft plan has 858 Species of Greatest Need including 86 birds, 21 mammals, 19 amphibians, 18 reptiles, 47 fishes and 667 invertebrates that require attention.
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