State Wildlife Action Plan (SWAP)

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The draft 2025 State Wildlife Action Plan (SWAP) is due to the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service by September 30, 2025. CPW is working closely with the Colorado Natural Heritage Program (CNHP) on the development of the SWAP. Updates to the planning process and opportunities for input will be available on this page throughout 2025.

What is the State Wildlife Action Plan?

State Wildlife Action Plans (SWAP) are plans which guide the conservation of a state’s most vulnerable species and the habitats they depend on. An updated SWAP is required every 10 years for federal funding eligibility via the State and Tribal Wildlife Grants (SWG) program. These plans have eight required elements that have remained the same since the program’s inception 25 years ago.

table that describes each of the 8 elements of the SWAP. Element 1 is: Identify distribution, abundance and status of species of greatest conservation need. Element 2 is: Identify location and condition of key habitat types essential to the conservation of SGCN. Element 3 is: Identify problems and threats that affect SGCN and their habitats. Element 4 is: Determine and prioritize actions to conserve SGCN and their habitats. Element 5 is: Provide periodic monitoring and adaptive mangement of SGCN and their habitats. Element 6 is: provide for review and revision of the SWAP. Element 7 is: coordinate development and revision with appropriate federal, state, local agencies and tribes. Element 8 is: provide for necessary public involvement in the development, revision, and implementation of the SWAP.


Colorado’s 2025 SWAP Guiding Philosophy and Purpose

Colorado’s SWAP history mirrors what has happened across the country. Our first plan was produced in 2005 with the first revision published in 2015. CPW wants to improve the SWAP with each revision making it more applicable and impactful. The 2015 SWAP has been considered a critical resource for understanding which species in the state are most vulnerable and the potential threats and actions associated with their conservation. The 2025 SWAP will continue to be the authority for Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN) in Colorado. The SWAP will be a work plan for SGCN and addresses that specific suite of species, however, this will not limit CPW or our partners from continuing existing programs or developing new efforts to address other species. The 2025 SWAP will be elevated in CPW programs as well as promote collective action for SGCN through increased use as a ‘Call to Action’ with our partners. It will be a more proactive planning tool structured so that our collective successes and challenges can be assessed over time.

What has happened so far to update the SWAP?

The planning process to revise the SWAP began in early 2024 with a focus on developing the philosophy and purpose highlighted above. Months of effort then went into developing the Species of Greatest Conservation Need list. Thank you to everyone that provided comments on our process and list. A summary of the process and feedback can be found in the Element 7 and 8 overview on this page. The list of Plant and Vertebrate SGCN are housed in our dashboards. CNHP and CPW staff also developed the list of Habitats SGCN rely on.

What is happening now with the SWAP?

CPW staff are collecting information to help better understand what criteria and information are necessary to understand the status of species in the SGCN subset “Species of Greatest Information Need (SGIN)”.

We want to hear from you, please fill out this SGIN Questionnaire (via google forms) before March 31, 2025.

CPW staff are also in the beginning stages of Element 3 and 4 of the SWAP, conducting a threats assessment, as well as determining how we will develop actions to conserve SGCN and their habitats.

The draft 2025 State Wildlife Action Plan (SWAP) is due to the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service by September 30, 2025. CPW is working closely with the Colorado Natural Heritage Program (CNHP) on the development of the SWAP. Updates to the planning process and opportunities for input will be available on this page throughout 2025.

What is the State Wildlife Action Plan?

State Wildlife Action Plans (SWAP) are plans which guide the conservation of a state’s most vulnerable species and the habitats they depend on. An updated SWAP is required every 10 years for federal funding eligibility via the State and Tribal Wildlife Grants (SWG) program. These plans have eight required elements that have remained the same since the program’s inception 25 years ago.

table that describes each of the 8 elements of the SWAP. Element 1 is: Identify distribution, abundance and status of species of greatest conservation need. Element 2 is: Identify location and condition of key habitat types essential to the conservation of SGCN. Element 3 is: Identify problems and threats that affect SGCN and their habitats. Element 4 is: Determine and prioritize actions to conserve SGCN and their habitats. Element 5 is: Provide periodic monitoring and adaptive mangement of SGCN and their habitats. Element 6 is: provide for review and revision of the SWAP. Element 7 is: coordinate development and revision with appropriate federal, state, local agencies and tribes. Element 8 is: provide for necessary public involvement in the development, revision, and implementation of the SWAP.


Colorado’s 2025 SWAP Guiding Philosophy and Purpose

Colorado’s SWAP history mirrors what has happened across the country. Our first plan was produced in 2005 with the first revision published in 2015. CPW wants to improve the SWAP with each revision making it more applicable and impactful. The 2015 SWAP has been considered a critical resource for understanding which species in the state are most vulnerable and the potential threats and actions associated with their conservation. The 2025 SWAP will continue to be the authority for Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN) in Colorado. The SWAP will be a work plan for SGCN and addresses that specific suite of species, however, this will not limit CPW or our partners from continuing existing programs or developing new efforts to address other species. The 2025 SWAP will be elevated in CPW programs as well as promote collective action for SGCN through increased use as a ‘Call to Action’ with our partners. It will be a more proactive planning tool structured so that our collective successes and challenges can be assessed over time.

What has happened so far to update the SWAP?

The planning process to revise the SWAP began in early 2024 with a focus on developing the philosophy and purpose highlighted above. Months of effort then went into developing the Species of Greatest Conservation Need list. Thank you to everyone that provided comments on our process and list. A summary of the process and feedback can be found in the Element 7 and 8 overview on this page. The list of Plant and Vertebrate SGCN are housed in our dashboards. CNHP and CPW staff also developed the list of Habitats SGCN rely on.

What is happening now with the SWAP?

CPW staff are collecting information to help better understand what criteria and information are necessary to understand the status of species in the SGCN subset “Species of Greatest Information Need (SGIN)”.

We want to hear from you, please fill out this SGIN Questionnaire (via google forms) before March 31, 2025.

CPW staff are also in the beginning stages of Element 3 and 4 of the SWAP, conducting a threats assessment, as well as determining how we will develop actions to conserve SGCN and their habitats.

Page last updated: 03 Feb 2025, 08:54 AM