New York’s top environmental agency is asking residents to weigh in on a 10-year plan to protect the state’s most threatened wildlife species.
On Wednesday, the Department of Environmental Conservation released its draft State Wildlife Action Plan (SWAP) for 2025–35, a federally required roadmap that targets species facing serious risks unless conservation efforts are ramped up. The public can submit comments through September 20.
“The State Wildlife Action Plan is New York State’s guiding document for managing and conserving species and habitats before they become too rare or costly to restore,” said DEC Commissioner Amanda Lefton. She urged the public and conservation partners to share feedback on proposed strategies to protect species of greatest conservation need (SGCN).
The updated draft includes new species status assessments and revisions based on data collected in 2024. DEC is specifically seeking input on threats, recent conservation efforts, and any new information on habitat or population trends.
This will be the final chance for public review before DEC submits the updated plan to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Full documents and instructions are available on DEC’s website.
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