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The Official Website of the Department of Fish and Game (DFG)

 
Land and Water

State Wildlife Conservation Strategy

Dear Partner in Wildlife Conservation,

We are pleased to announce the completion of the Massachusetts Wildlife Action Plan and its final approval by the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The Plan is a comprehensive document that will help guide wildlife conservation decision making for Massachusetts' wildlife for many years. The Massachusetts Action Plan PDF icon (750 pages, 62 MB) is lengthy.

For ease in downloading the Plan (aka Wildlife Conservation Strategy), we recommend you go first to the Plan Outline. Scroll down and you will see the Table of Contents which allows you to download various sections in smaller, more manageable chunks.

We hope by providing you with electronic access both to the entire document and to individual chapters, that you will be able to easily find information that you need.

Bobcat photoThis plan represents an important effort by the Division to engage the public in a dialogue about the future of our wildlife resources. During development of the Massachusetts Plan, we sought public input and comment through presentations of a draft to the Fisheries and Wildlife Board, the Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Advisory Committee, and the Massachusetts Teaming With Wildlife Coalition. In addition, the Fisheries and Wildlife Board held a public informational hearing. A draft copy of the Plan was posted prominently on the agency website for public comment. At least 4300 entities were directly notified of this website posting through the Division's newsletter, including media outlets, conservation organizations, sportsmen and other private citizens. As a result, we received over 600 website visits to the Plan. The final Plan incorporated public comments and was reposted on the website for further public review prior to formal submission to the US Fish and Wildlife Service.

In the Plan, you will find:

  • A brief history of the MDFW and past successful efforts to conserve the biodiversity of the Commonwealth. The Plan also includes:
  • A review of the landscape changes which have affected wildlife populations and sets the stage for problems we see facing these species today.
  • An explanation of the process used to identify the habitats and species in the greatest need of conservation.
    Identifies the primary strategies needed to conserve these species and their habitats
  • We also identify the need to monitor these efforts as strategies are implemented both to ensure that time and money are providing the expected results and to determine if changing conditions require a change in strategy.

Massachusetts' Plan is organized around 22 habitat types and 257 wildlife species in greatest need of conservation. The habitat types range from large-scale habitats such as Upland Forests; to medium-scale habitats like Grasslands, to small-scale habitats such as Vernal Pools. Information for each habitat type includes

  • habitat description;
  • the suite of species in associated with that habitat;
  • the problems and threats faced by them;
  • a map showing the distribution of the habitat type across the state, when available;
  • a listing of the conservation strategies needed to conserve the habitat; and
  • monitoring requirements that will ensure the success of the conservation strategies.

You will also find information about the 257 wildlife species in greatest need of conservation occurring in one or more of the above 22 habitat types including:

  • Conservation status ranking and habitat association
  • Species Life History
  • State distribution and abundance
  • Habitat requirement
  • Conservation threats

We hope that you find the Massachusetts' Wildlife Action Plan useful in our shared efforts to conserve the natural diversity of Massachusetts' wildlife for generations to come.


Wayne F. MacCallum
Director, Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife
(2006)