Arizona’s State Wildlife Action Plan (SWAP) revision guiding wildlife conservation for 2012-2022 was recently approved by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Some of the more significant changes include the state’s above-average human population growth; increasing demand for renewable energy sources; emergence of new wildlife diseases; and, the growing number of new invasive species.
Having an approved SWAP in place allows Arizona to continue to receive federal grants through the State Wildlife Grant program created under bipartisan legislation established in 2001. Since then, the Fish and Wildlife Service has provided more than $17 million in grants to Arizona for its conservation efforts.
Each states’ or territories’ plan must contain information on low and declining populations of wildlife and the habitats they require; identify problems that affect these populations; identify research and survey efforts to improve their conservation efforts; and determine actions and priorities. To learn more about Arizona’s SWAP and HabiMap, visit www.azgfd.gov/swap and www.habimap.org.
• Briefs compiled from staff and wire reports
