COMPREHENSIVE WILDLIFE CONSERVATION
STRATEGY
The Eight Required
Elements
Congress identified eight required elements to be addressed
in each state’s wildlife conservation strategy. Congress also directed that
the strategies must identify and be focused on the “species in greatest need
of conservation,” yet address the “full array of wildlife” and
wildlife-related issues. The strategies must provide and make use of:
1) Information
on the distribution and abundance of species of wildlife including low and
declining populations as the state fish and wildlife agency deems
appropriate, that are indicative of the diversity and health of the states
wildlife; and,
2) Descriptions
of locations and relative condition of key habitats and community types
essential to conservation of species identified in (1); and,
3) Descriptions
of problems which may adversely affect species identified in (1) or their
habitats, and priority research and survey efforts needed to identify
factors which may assist in restoration and improved conservation of these
species and habitats; and,
4) Descriptions
of conservation actions proposed to conserve the identified species and
habitats and priorities for implementing such action; and,
5) Proposed
plans for monitoring species identified in (1) and their habitats for
monitoring the effectiveness of the conservation actions proposed in (4),
and for adapting these conservation actions to respond appropriately to new
information or changing conditions; and,
6) Descriptions
of the procedures to review the strategy at intervals not to exceed ten
years; and,
7) Plans
for coordinating the development, implementation, review, and revision of
the plan with federal, state, and local agencies and Indian tribes that
manage significant land and water areas within the state or administer
programs that significantly affect the conservation of identified species
and habitats.
Congress also affirmed through
this legislation that broad public participation is an essential element of
developing and implementing these plans, the projects that are carried out
while these plans are developed, and the species in the greatest need of
conservation that Congress has indicated such programs and projects are
intended to emphasize
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