Introduction
There are 620 Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN) identified by the Massachusetts State Wildlife Action Plan. This includes the 545 rare plants and animals protected by the Massachusetts Endangered Species Act (MESA) along with other species that are vulnerable and/or declining but do not require MESA listing at this time.
MassWildlife biologists used criteria for designating SGCN that included risk of extirpation (disappearing from MA); population trends; threats to species life history needs or habitats; and current species designations. The following species designations were considered:
- MESA status: All species listed under the Massachusetts Endangered Species Act (MESA) are designated as SGCN and are generally the most imperiled. The list of endangered, threatened, and special concern species is reviewed every 5 years.
- Global (G) and State (S) conservation rank: Species are assigned a conservation status rank ranging from 1 (most imperiled) to 5 (least imperiled) by NatureServe. These rankings facilitate interstate conservation collaboration and ensure consistency across states.
- RSGCN: Species designated as a Regional Species of Greatest Conservation Need (RSGCN) collaboratively by state fish and wildlife agencies are high priority for conservation in the Northeast (Virginia to Maine). Designation is based on regional stewardship responsibility (proportion of the species range that occurs in the Northeast) and conservation concern status (imperilment).
- Federal status: Some Massachusetts SGCN are also listed under the Endangered Species Act as endangered or threatened. All federally-listed species are also included in the MESA list.
MassWildlife biologists, with review and cooperation from conservation partners and species experts, have developed Fact Sheets for all SGCN to assist in the conservation of each species. Use the information, tools, and links on this page to learn about these species, the threats they face, and the conservation actions that can help.
List of SGCN
Use the dashboard below to explore species. You can search by scientific name or common name or sort based on listing status. Click on the common name to view a fact sheet for any species.
Approach to SGCN conservation
Conserving biodiversity in the Commonwealth means ensuring healthy and robust populations of all our native plants and animals. The best way to ensure this is by protecting and restoring interconnected habitats in relatively large landscape blocks across the Commonwealth. Taking this “coarse filter” approach automatically protects most of the species that depend on these habitats—especially the more common ones.
This approach may not be enough to conserve SGCN—especially many MESA-listed and aquatic species. For example, the state-threatened Blanding’s turtle occurs in areas of the state where its habitats have largely been fragmented by roads and development. In cases like this, fine filter approaches are needed that may include highly targeted habitat protection, creation or restoration of critical habitats, and actively monitoring and managing local populations. In today’s altered landscape, there are many examples where targeted SGCN conservation is needed, including roseate terns in Buzzards Bay and bog turtles in the Berkshires. Unfortunately, the fine filter approach is more expensive and time-consuming.
In some cases, special focus on vulnerable SGCN that have declined over time due to anthropogenic stress and climate change, but are still relatively common, may be warranted. For example, many aquatic species are designated as SGCN because their habitats have been subject to significant alterations and stresses. These populations can often respond more broadly to restoration actions like dam removal and water quality improvements that benefit all the plants and animals using these habitats.
It takes a combination of the approaches listed above to conserve biodiversity amid many threats. BioMap provides a holistic roadmap for conservation by providing views of both Core Habitat and Critical Natural Landscape. In addition, prioritizing and carefully planning habitat restoration projects to benefit SGCN, can lead to big wins for Massachusetts native wildlife.