Arizona Wildlife Conservation Strategy
Arizona Wildlife Conservation Strategy (AWCS) now includes our newly revised State Wildlife Action Plan (SWAP).
The Department’s State Wildlife Action Plan will be available in an easy-to-view online platform.
The SWAP provides a comprehensive vision for managing Arizona’s fish, wildlife and wildlife habitats for a 10-year period. The plan includes input from resource professionals, federal and state agencies, sportsmen groups, conservation organizations, Native American tribes, recreational groups, local governments and citizens. The SWAP outlines strategies and conservation actions aimed at promoting partnerships and coordinating efforts for everyone that has an interest in conserving Arizona’s wildlife. The AWCS vision focuses on identifying and managing wildlife and habitats that are in the greatest need of conservation.
The plan is reviewed and updated, at a minimum, every ten years to be eligible to participate in the State and Tribal Wildlife Grant (STWG) program. Arizona’s current plan was approved by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in 2022.
The new SWAP is part of the Arizona Wildlife Conservation Strategy (AWCS), and includes an updated list of Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN), an enhanced spatial data viewer, and an interactive tool to explore elements of the strategy.
How The Plan Was Developed
A stakeholder survey was posted in early September 2020 to allow our partners and citizens to share their perspectives on the future of Arizona’s wildlife. Over 2,300 responses were captured! Survey results
A series of focus group discussions took place in November 2020. The purpose of the initial focus groups was to provide an overview of the AWCS and to gain a better understanding of stakeholder values and perspectives. Summary of focus group discussions
In January 2021, AZGFD hosted the USFWS Arizona Ecological Services Field Office (ESFO) staff for a focus group discussion with the purpose of developing a joint vision to advance conservation priorities in Arizona. Continued collaboration was a key theme in this discussion.
Summary of ESFO focus group discussion
Virtual public meetings were held Sept. 20-22, 2022. AZGFD will host three virtual meetings in September 2023 to discuss enhancements to the AWCS and obtain feedback from the public.
Thank you for your interest and everything you do to support the incredible wildlife diversity that exists in Arizona!
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