Revised New Hampshire Wildlife Action Plan Is Now Available

CONTACT:
Mike Marchand: (603) 271-3016
January 8, 2026

Concord, NH – New Hampshire’s State Wildlife Action Plan, a roadmap for conserving all wildlife in the state, has been recently updated to set renewed priorities for the next 10 years (through 2035). The plan guides state agencies, conservation organizations, towns, landowners, and others in their efforts to protect land and manage wildlife. The plan includes actions to address the needs of threatened and endangered wildlife and priority habitats, as well as keep common species common.

The revised plan is now available online at www.wildlife.nh.gov/wildlife-and-habitat/nh-state-wildlife-action-plan.

“We appreciate the dedicated work of Fish and Game staff and partner organizations reviewing data and revising the plan,” said Mike Marchand, Supervisor of the Nongame and Endangered Wildlife Program at Fish and Game. “It has also been encouraging to see so many members of the public make the effort to take part in this significant undertaking.”

To revise the plan, over the past 2 years Fish and Game collaborated with biologists and ecologists from a variety of agencies, universities, and conservation groups to discuss and rank threats to species and their habitats, then develop conservation strategies that work at multiple scales. The public was brought into the process through an online survey that included 1,256 participants from 212 New Hampshire communities. The survey results reflect strong public awareness of the challenges facing the state’s wildlife and habitats, and broad support for Fish and Game’s role as a lead agency in guiding conservation efforts.

The revised plan includes 138 wildlife species of greatest conservation need. Some species, such as bald eagles, are doing so well they are no longer on the list. Others, such as several shorebird species, were added because of steep population declines due to threats such as habitat loss and degradation. Due to the success of multi-state cooperative projects for species such as Blanding’s turtles, there is a large emphasis on regional cooperation to tackle wildlife issues in the decade ahead.

“We are excited to share the revised strategic plan, which includes tools and information to help guide conservation professionals in their work,” said Marchand. “Along with this, we hope the new Plan will help all Granite Staters learn how they can help wildlife in New Hampshire.”

The 2025 New Hampshire State Wildlife Action Plan was submitted to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on September 30, 2025, and was officially approved on December 16, 2025.

Funded by State Wildlife Grants through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Wildlife Action Plan is a roadmap for conservation in New Hampshire, providing decision makers with important tools for restoring and maintaining critical natural habitats.