Tennessee State Wildlife Action Planning
  April 2015 Update
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
STAKEHOLDER CONTRIBUTIONS INFORM TENNESSEE STATE WILDLIFE ACTION PLAN REVISION
Agency partners discuss conservation opportunities. Photo by Lindsay Gardner.

Revision of the TN State Wildlife Action Plan is underway. As a critical part of this process, this spring the TWRA and The Nature Conservancy hosted meetings 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.

 

Conservation organization partners discuss outreach strategy. Photo by Lindsay Gardner.

 

At the first meeting held on March 18th, 30 attendees from 13 state and federal partner agencies convened at the Cumberland River Center. On April 9th, 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.

 

One positive example of a collaborative conservation project that supports the goal of the TN State Wildlife Action Plan 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 Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, and the Nashville Zoo, this study will clarify the role water temperature plays in hellbender fungal and viral infections and propose possible solutions.

 

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 TN State Wildlife Action Plan website. The TN SWAP revision will be complete by October 2015.

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. For questions about the TN SWAP update process or to make comments contact Bill Reeves, Chief of Biodiversity, 615-781-6645 or [email protected]. 

  
Images Courtesy of: Bob English (Prairie Warbler, Timbler Rattler, Barking Tree Frog), Carl Williams (Upland Burrowing Crayfish), Price Sewell (Rafinesque's Big-eared Bat), Todd Stailey, Tennessee Aquarium (Redline Darter), Jeffrey Basinger, Freshwaters Illustrated (Lamp Mussel), Nathaniel Gross (Six Spotted Tiger Beetle)  

The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency's mission is to preserve, conserve, manage, protect, and enhance the fish and wildlife of the state and their habitats for the use, benefit, and enjoyment of the citizens of Tennessee and its visitors. The Agency will foster the safe use of the state's waters through a program of law enforcement, education, and access. Visit TWRA on the Web at www.state.tn.us/twra/.

 

 

The Nature Conservancy is a leading conservation organization working around the world to protect ecologically important lands and waters for nature and people. The Conservancy and its more than 1 million members have protected nearly 120 million acres worldwide and more than 300,000 acres in Tennessee. Visit The Nature Conservancy in Tennessee on the Web at www.nature.org/tennessee.