Stakeholder Contributions Inform Tennessee Wildlife Action Plan Revision

  • Tuesday, May 5, 2015

Revision of the Tennessee State Wildlife Action Plan (TSWAP) is underway. As a critical part of this process, the Tennessee Wildlife  and The Nature Conservancy hosted meetings this spring to bring together wildlife and habitat experts from around the state to provide valuable input.

The main objectives of these meetings were to provide partners with an overview of State Wildlife Action Plans and TWRA’s 2015 update process, engage partners in discussions of draft “Conservation Opportunity Areas,” get feedback on boundaries and the potential for guiding on-the-ground collaborations, get partner feedback on key strategies and opportunities for multi-agency collaborations, and to determine a desired follow-up process and next steps for continued engagement.

At the first meeting held on March 18, 30 attendees from 13 state and federal partner agencies convened at the Cumberland River Center. On April 9, 31 experts from 24 conservation organizations met at the Ellington Agricultural Center. Both groups participated in workshop sessions and collaborated to identify opportunities for partnering on wildlife and habitat protection and restoration strategies. Additionally potential projects across the state were identified.

To guide the process at both meetings, TWRA’s regional diversity coordinators gave presentations representing the different geographies of the state and their perspectives on conservation priorities and opportunities. The expert input received is being incorporated into the draft version of the Tennessee State Wildlife Action Plan Revision that will be available for public comment in early June 2015. The plan update will be accessible and feedback will be able to be submitted through a new Tennessee State Wildlife Action Plan website. The Tennessee SWAP revision will be complete by October 2015.

One positive example of a collaborative conservation project that supports the goal of TSWAP is to “keep common species common,” is a research project investigating the relationship of temperature and disease in hellbenders. According to this study, elevated water temperatures in creeks and rivers, where trees have been removed along the banks and no longer shade the stream resulting in increased water temperature, may contribute to the decline of hellbender populations in Tennessee. A successful collaboration between the Center for Wildlife Health and the College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Tennessee, the College of Veterinary Medicine at Sichuan Agricultural University in China, the TWRA, and the Nashville Zoo, this study will clarify the role water temperature plays in hellbender fungal and viral infections and propose possible solutions.

 

To learn more about Tennessee’s conservation goals and the measures necessary to recover endangered species, restore unique habitats, keep rare and imperiled species off the endangered species list, and to keep common species common, visit the Tennessee State Wildlife Action Plan page at www.tn.gov/twra/cwcs/cwcsindex.html. For questions about the ongoing Tennessee SWAP update process or to make comments contact Bill Reeves, TWRA Chief of Biodiversity, 615-781-6645 or bill.reeves@tn.gov.

 

Latest Headlines
Outdoors
20,000 Volunteers Set To Plant 100,000 Native Trees This Weekend Across Tennessee
  • 3/14/2024

America’s largest annual tree-planting event takes place this weekend across Tennessee. Organized by the non-profit Tennessee Environmental Council, the 10th Annual Tennessee Tree Day features ... more

MGHC 3rd Saturday Free Gardening Class March 16 Is "Basic Landscape & Garden Design"
MGHC 3rd Saturday Free Gardening Class March 16 Is "Basic Landscape & Garden Design"
  • 3/12/2024

The Master Gardeners of Hamilton County, in association with the University of Tennessee Extension, continues their Third Saturday Free Gardening Classes on Saturday, March 16 at 10 a.m. with ... more

Tennessee State Parks Provide 7 New All-Terrain Wheelchairs
Tennessee State Parks Provide 7 New All-Terrain Wheelchairs
  • 3/11/2024

Tennessee State Parks today announced the availability of new all-terrain wheelchairs at seven state parks, enhancing accessibility for visitors and bringing the total of parks with the wheelchairs ... more