The North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission is accepting public comments on its 2025 draft management plan that identifies and prioritizes animals and plants of greatest conservation need in the state.
Comments will be accepted through July 5.
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The North Carolina State Wildlife Action Plan also establishes research and management priorities for other fish, wildlife and plant species in the state and describes 40 types of habitats important to those species.
The plan is designed to prevent a species from being listed for federal protection under the Endangered Species Act.
“This comprehensive Plan is meant to chart a course for conservation actions with detailed priorities to protect and conserve species and habitats,” Wildlife Resources Commission Habitat Conservation Director Shannon Deaton said in a release.
Deaton said the plan “captures the threats and impacts being faced today and for the next 10 years.”
Following input from agency partners, officials now want to hear from residents and academia. This includes their concerns, suggestions and desires for wildlife and habitats, whether related to development, protected areas, research interests and needs and how they can participate, from a broad or localized level.
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“People can pick and choose chapters they wish to provide feedback on, or they can provide input to all of it,” Deaton said, adding that state residents “should be able to visualize themselves participating in the implementation of the plan.”
The draft is an update to the 2015 plan and includes new research, biological knowledge, survey findings, improved conservation actions targeted at resiliency, and a stronger understanding of impacts from changing weather patterns, according to the release.
The changing climate, which is resulting in more historical weather events, including Hurricane Helene, an uptick in the number of extremely hot days, more frequent flooding, sea level rise and associated saltwater intrusion into freshwater and inland habitats, are impacting wildlife resources. Compounding those impacts is the increase in the state’s population.
“We are seeing an increase in climate-related impacts to aquatic species that require cold-water habitats,” Wildlife Action Plan Coordinator Cindy Simpson said in the release. “Helene devastated extensive acres of forested habitats, including riparian areas that provide shade for cold-water streams. Storm debris added additional barriers for aquatic species to be able to move upstream as previously cold waters are now warming. Our coastal regions are also at a high risk of habitat loss due to climate change, characterized by intensified storms that lead to increased saltwater intrusion, resulting in the emergence of ghost forests.”
The agency is working with various partners, organizations, stakeholders and interested residents providing input during the revision of the plan. The state’s first plan was published in 2005.
“Now we need your assistance to make sure we have comprehensively addressed the conservation priorities for species of greatest conservation need and at-risk habitats. We look forward to your comments to finalize this document so that it can be used as a guide for conservation actions,” Commission Executive Director Kyle Briggs said in the release.
Comments on the draft may be submitted online and, anyone who would like to submit additional written comments after filling out the online survey may email cindy.simpson@ncwildlife.gov with the subject line “2025 Draft SWAP comments.”
Additional comments may also be mailed to: North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission, Attn: 2025 Draft State Wildlife Action Plan, 1721 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699-1700.
