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Wildlife & Habitat
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Wildlife & Habitat
Conservation Plans - Nevada Wildlife Action Plan
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About the Nevada Wildlife Action Plan
Nevada Department of Wildlife worked with scientists, sportsmen, conservationists, and other members of the community for two years to create a 10-year Nevada Wildlife Action Plan.
Why is this important in Nevada? Among the 50 states, Nevada ranks eleventh in overall biological diversity and is unfortunately ranked fifth in the number of species extinctions.
By investing in Nevada's Wildlife Action Plan now, we are conserving wildlife and important natural areas for future generations.
Plus, the health of wildlife is often an early indicator of disease and pollution that affect people. Because the Nevada's Wildlife Action Plan is protecting the areas where wildlife lives, it will also help keep the air and water clean in those areas - a benefit to both wildlife and people.
Nevada's Wildlife Action Plan focuses on the species and habitats in greatest need of conservation in Nevada. The development of this action plan was required to continue to receive State Wildlife Grant funds through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for conservation of Nevada’s wildlife.
Nevada's Wildlife Action Plan was completed through a partnership between NDOW, Nevada Natural Heritage, Lahontan Audubon Society, and the Nature Conservancy.
What will this plan do?
Nevada's Wildlife Action Plan will help proactively direct wildlife conservation efforts statewide and will provide congressional leaders with a description of Nevada's need to conserve all wildlife.
The plan also shows the need for continued federal funds to support plan implementation.
Nevada's Wildlife Action Plan:
- Provides info about wildlife species numbers and distribution
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Describes key habitats and locations
- Describes problems that may affect identified species and prioritize research needed to improve the situations
- Describes proposed actions for conservation of the identified wildlife and/or habitats
- Proposes how the species and results of the actions will be monitored
- Describes how the strategy with be reviewed
- Coordinates with federal, state, local agencies and Indian tribes if the plan impacts land managed by these groups
- Includes public participation to identify their priorities
Timeline
NDOW submitted Nevada's Wildlife Action Plan to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service at the end of September 2005.
Public Input
The plan development team held scoping meetings in 2003, took the draft plan on a seven-city tour in 2005, and held eight open houses. In all, 150 individuals representing over 60 organizations – public and private - provided input.
 Participants in the public input process included private land interests, county planners and commissioners, developers, mining interests, sportsmen and conservationists.
Some top issues of concern included water, wind energy, development and private property interests. The process closed with a strategy development workshop that set the guidelines for the writing of the plan.
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