Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) has something to celebrate with the recent approval of its 2025 State Wildlife Action Plan by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). In a move poised to shape conservation efforts across Colorado, the state's wildlife managers are looking at a decade of federal funding and an evidence-based blueprint to safeguard species and their habitats in need.
The plan, developed by CPW in collaboration with various stakeholders, aims to serve not just as a guideline but as a call to actively protect the state's biodiversity. According to Colorado Parks and Wildlife, "The 2025 SWAP builds on previous plans by incorporating the latest data, conservation strategies, and stakeholder input." The State Wildlife Action Plans are revisited every decade to ensure states remain eligible to receive federal funding through the State and Tribal Wildlife Grants program—a resource that Colorado is set to continue benefiting from.
CPW Acting Director Laura Clellan shared her thoughts on the approved plan's significance, explaining, "The approval ... is an important milestone for wildlife conservation in our state." In her statement obtained by Colorado Parks and Wildlife, she further emphasized that the plan is underpinned by years of scientific work, collaboration, and public engagement.
Also commenting on the plan's purpose was Kacie Miller, the State Wildlife Action Plan Coordinator. "The 2025 SWAP provides a clear, forward-looking framework that will help guide conservation decisions, leverage partnerships, and track our progress over the next decade," Miller told Colorado Parks and Wildlife. CPW is committed not only to following but also to continuously refining its conservation tactics in correspondence with the evolving science and community inputs.
