DEC extends public comment period on revisions to list of Species of Greatest Conservation Need

The public comment period for the draft Species of Greatest Conservation Need list is extended for an additional 30 days until March 9, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation announced.

DEC collaborated with numerous species experts and conservation partners to develop revisions to the Species of Greatest Conservation Need list, as part of an update to the State Wildlife Action Plan. The SWAP identifies species that need conservation action to maintain their abundance and distribution in New York, threats to these species and management actions that will be undertaken in the next 10 years to conserve these designated species and their habitats.

The draft final list contains 372 SGCN, half of which are considered high priority for conservation action in the near term. SGCN are species that are declining or are at risk due to identified threats, such as loss of habitat, and conservation actions are appropriate to stabilize their populations in New York. An additional 111 species were categorized as Species of Potential Conservation Need. SPCN are species that have poorly known population status and trends in New York and will need further research or surveys to determine their conservation status.

The draft SGCN list can be accessed at: http://www.dec.ny.gov/animals/9406.html.

Comments can be emailed to [email protected] or [email protected], or sent by regular mail to:

Joe Racette

NYSDEC

Division of Fish Wildlife and Marine Resources

5^th Floor

625 Broadway

Albany, NY 12233

Additional information about the SWAP can be found on the DEC website: http://www.dec.ny.gov/animals/7179.html.