Minnesota's Wildlife Action Plan 2025 - 2035:
Read the Plan

Here you can read the Executive Summary, and learn about State Wildlife Action Plans and the updates of this revision.

What are State Wildlife Plans and why are they important?

State Wildlife Action Plans provide strategic guidance for conserving Species in Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN) and the habitats they depend on within each state. These non-regulatory Plans outline proactive and voluntary approaches to conservation designed for collaborative implementation by a broad range of partners within states. These Plans reflect a shared commitment to maintaining a healthy environment for animals, plants and people. By guiding conservation efforts before species become critically imperiled, SWAPs help prevent the need for federal or state listing of animals or plants as endangered and reduce reliance on costly, restrictive recovery measures

State Wildlife Action Plans also enable states to access State Wildlife Grant funds, the primary federal source dedicated to conserving non-hunted or fished wildlife species. In Minnesota, these funds are essential for the conservation of roughly 75% of the vertebrate species including amphibians, birds, fish, mammals, and reptiles. When including invertebrates such as insects, spiders, and mussels, State Wildlife Grant funding supports conservation actions for approximately 96% of all animal species in the state.

What is the goal Minnesota’s Wildlife Action Plan?

To guide, facilitate, and inspire conservation actions that sustain the long-term health and viability of Minnesota’s biodiversity, with a focus on species that are rare, declining, or vulnerable (Species in Greatest Conservation Need) and their habitats.

Species in Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN) are animal and plant species that are vulnerable or at risk of decline or extirpation and species of stewardship or Tribal significance in Minnesota.

Species in Need of Information (SNI) are species believed to be rare in Minnesota, but for which we do not have enough information to categorize them as SGCN.

The Plan’s Species Goal is to conserve rare, declining, and vulnerable wildlife and plant Species in Greatest Conservation Need through targeted actions.

By the numbers:

• 1,142 species are identified as SGCN, the greatest number of which are plants, lichens, butterflies, moths, and bees.
• 166 species are vertebrate animals, such as amphibians, birds, fishes, mammals, and reptiles.
• 860 species are identified as SNI, the bulk of which are invertebrates, followed by plants and lichens.

To learn more about how species were selected, stressors they face, and the strategies and actions we can take for them, read the Species Base Chapter. For more about the specific SGCN and SNI, including their conservation status, habitat associations, and targeted conservation actions, Explore the Data – or – select a Species Group Chapter below.

Dive deeper into these topics by Species Groups in the chapters below.

Habitat conservation is essential to recovering vulnerable wildlife, and so habitats form the ‘heart’ of Minnesota’s Wildlife Action Plan.

The Plan’s Habitat Goal is to protect and enhance the resilience, function, and ability of habitats to support biodiversity, especially for Species in Greatest Conservation Need.

15 Primary Habitat Types were mapped with current information from DNR’s Native Plant Communities to the National Vegetation Classification and data for aquatic and wetland systems. To see and download the habitat spatial layers,Explore the Data.

To read more about habitats, the map development, Stressors, and Conservation strategies and actions, Read Habitat Base Chapter.

Click on each Habitat Type below to read the chapter about natural history, conservation context, stressors including climate effects, and conservation actions.

Public Engagement highlights the role that all Minnesotans can play in natural resource stewardship.

The Plan’s Public Engagement Goal is to inspire, motivate, and empower Minnesotans to engage in conservation actions that support Species in Greatest Conservation Need and their habitats.

The Public Engagement chapter includes seven strategies for inspiring, motivating, and empowering Minnesotans to support conservation of SGCN and their habitats:

1. Develop and distribute informational resources and media on SGCN, their habitats, and threats.
2. Support environmental education on SGCN and their habitats on a statewide level.
3. Provide and promote wildlife viewing opportunities and programs that inspire curiosity, caring, and connection with Minnesota’s SGCN.
4. Foster responsible recreation practices that reduce recreational effects on SGCN and their habitats while allowing for safe and satisfying access to the outdoors.
5. Engage and empower communities to improve wildlife habitats where they live, work, and recreate.
6. Offer participatory science programming for Minnesotans to take part in conservation volunteerism that addresses SGCN data needs.
7. Cultivate financial support for the conservation of SGCN through the development and promotion of public funding opportunities and public-private partnerships.

Read more in the Public Engagement Chapter.

Surveys, monitoring, and research generate foundational ecological information to assess conservation status and track trends in our Species in Greatest Conservation Need. These activities also help to assess the effects of stressors on Minnesota’s plant and animal species, habitats, and ecological communities and the effectiveness of our conservation actions.

The chapter defines these tools and explains their application within the framework of the State Wildlife Action Plan. Case studies feature a range of projects and programs led by the DNR and its partners, spanning diverse species, habitats, and conservation strategies. The chapter concludes with a practical guide on study design and key statistical principles essential for collecting rigorous, defensible, and repeatable scientific data. These principles are especially valuable in the context of adaptive management, where objectives and scientific understanding evolve over time through iterative learning and refinement.

Read more in the Monitoring and Research Chapter.

Implementation presents three types of information to support conservation of Species in Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN) and their habitats: the Conservation Action Network (CAN; a spatial prioritization tool), Conservation Opportunity Areas (areas for partnerships), and resources and strategies for Climate Adaptation. Read more by clicking on each topic below.

The Conservation Action Network (CAN) identifies core areas of biodiversity hotspots and the highest habitat quality. Corridors connect the cores where there are favorable conditions for species movement across the landscape, facilitating adaptation to climate change. The CAN may guide and prioritize conservation actions given limited resources. Read more by choosing the Chapter below.

Conservation Opportunity Areas (COAs) are places where partnerships focus on implementing on-the-ground conservation actions for Species in Greatest Conservation Need and their habitats. COAs are based on the Conservation Action Network but can extend beyond these core areas to include established partnerships. Formerly named Conservation Focus Areas in 2015, the updated name reflects expanded boundaries that capitalize on partnership opportunities and increase the breadth of ecological benefits at the landscape scale. Read more by choosing the Chapter below.

Climate Adaptation provides resources to understand trends in Minnesota’s climate and to facilitate adaptative practices in conservation. Climate change is a pervasive stressor that influences every habitat and species in Minnesota. This chapter presents strategies that can assist in making our conservation work more climate-smart, shares numerous resources, and highlights case studies that exemplify climate adaptation in action. Read more by choosing the Chapter below.