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. This site contains various pieces of the draft SWAP - narrative documents, a dashboard and a data hub. Once we have your feedback on these we will develop a comprehensive summary to help guide implementation of the SWAP.

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.

Check out our storymap to learn more about success stories and what has changed since 2015!

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 lists of Plant and Vertebrate SGCN can be explored below in our Species Ranking Dashboard. The Dashboard also now houses a draft Invertebrate SGCN list which was created using Criteria specific to this taxa group.

The remaining SWAP Elements were developed January - June 2025. Please review the narratives linked by Element under “SWAP Development” on the right side of this page and the Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN) & Habitats Data Hub below to get the details on Threats facing SGCN and their Habitats as well as prospective actions for the coming years to conserve them.

What is happening now with the SWAP?

All components of the draft 2025 State Wildlife Action Plan have been drafted. Please explore the information and digital tools linked on this page. Your feedback will be greatly appreciated - see our survey link below to provide input by August 8, 2025. CPW will use your comments to finalize the draft plan prior to submission to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in September.

Species Conservation Dashboard

https://lookerstudio.google.com/u/0/reporting/590a929e-cd66-4d95-9fc4-3bdac550f416/page/p_1iy9fto1nd

SGCN & Habitats Data Hub

https://tableau.state.co.us/t/CPW_AquaticVisualization/views/2025SWAPDataHubProd/Colorado2025SWAPMenu?%3Aembed=y&%3AisGuestRedirectFromVizportal=y


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. This site contains various pieces of the draft SWAP - narrative documents, a dashboard and a data hub. Once we have your feedback on these we will develop a comprehensive summary to help guide implementation of the SWAP.

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.

Check out our storymap to learn more about success stories and what has changed since 2015!

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 lists of Plant and Vertebrate SGCN can be explored below in our Species Ranking Dashboard. The Dashboard also now houses a draft Invertebrate SGCN list which was created using Criteria specific to this taxa group.

The remaining SWAP Elements were developed January - June 2025. Please review the narratives linked by Element under “SWAP Development” on the right side of this page and the Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN) & Habitats Data Hub below to get the details on Threats facing SGCN and their Habitats as well as prospective actions for the coming years to conserve them.

What is happening now with the SWAP?

All components of the draft 2025 State Wildlife Action Plan have been drafted. Please explore the information and digital tools linked on this page. Your feedback will be greatly appreciated - see our survey link below to provide input by August 8, 2025. CPW will use your comments to finalize the draft plan prior to submission to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in September.

Species Conservation Dashboard

https://lookerstudio.google.com/u/0/reporting/590a929e-cd66-4d95-9fc4-3bdac550f416/page/p_1iy9fto1nd

SGCN & Habitats Data Hub

https://tableau.state.co.us/t/CPW_AquaticVisualization/views/2025SWAPDataHubProd/Colorado2025SWAPMenu?%3Aembed=y&%3AisGuestRedirectFromVizportal=y


  • SWAP Survey

    Share your feedback on the draft State Wildlife Action Plan. Public feedback will be accepted through August 8, 2025.

    *NOTE* In order to complete the form below, you will need to first register for an Engage CPW account - you can register for an account here. Once you have created an account, you must then sign in to your account to complete the feedback form.

    Complete Form
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Page last updated: 08 Jul 2025, 12:28 PM