The oklahoma state wildlife action plan identifies over 300 species of greatest conservation need sgcn in oklahoma representing every vertebrate class found in the state as well as eight classes of…

The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation (ODWC) received a formula grant award of $838,204.58 from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) Region 2 under the State Wildlife Grants (SWG) Program (CFDA 15.634) for the period October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2027. This award supports ODWC's implementation of the Oklahoma State Wildlife Action Plan by funding multiple short-duration conservation activities focused on the state's over 300 species of greatest conservation need (SGCN). The funding enables ODWC to conduct administrative activities including collaboration and data sharing with federal, state, academic, and non-governmental partners; develop conservation assessments and strategies; and support the management of SGCN across Oklahoma's diverse vertebrate and invertebrate species.

Specific products and services delivered through this award include biological surveys and targeted species assessments, seasonal population monitoring of key at-risk species, conservation data management, and public outreach initiatives. Additionally, ODWC utilizes these resources to strengthen partnerships focused on individual SGCN species recovery efforts and habitat-level conservation actions. The grant provides essential operational support for ODWC's role as Oklahoma's primary wildlife conservation agency responsible for managing conservation needs across the state's 77 counties and extensive portfolio of wildlife management areas totaling approximately 1.1 million acres.

The oklahoma state wildlife action plan identifies over 300 species of greatest conservation need sgcn in oklahoma representing every vertebrate class found in the state as well as eight classes of mollusks and arthropods. The oklahoma department of wildlife conservation odwc has or shares responsibility for the management of all of oklahomas sgcn and is charged with implementing its state wildlife action plan. Because of the diversity of species and their associated habitats the conservation of species of greatest conservation need takes many forms and is often accomplished through short duration activities such as the seasonal monitoring of key at risk species or targeted biological surveys which can be accomplished with a few days of effort each year. Related to this is a growing need to more comprehensively communicate our work with the larger conservation community that is working with species of greatest conservation need. Over the past decade numerous partnerships have developed that focus on individual sgcn e.g. endangered species recovery teams and species status assessment teams or address the conservation of one or more sgcn through habitat level or community level actions e.g. avian joint ventures. This grant is developed to accomplish multiple short duration activities that contribute to the larger goal of improving the conservation status of oklahomas species of greatest conservation need. IT provides the resources needed by odwc for the management of sgcn in oklahoma through administrative activities biological surveys population monitoring and public outreach. Administrative activities include collaboration data sharing and the development of conservation assessments and strategies with other states wildlife agencies the U.S. Fish and wildlife service and other government academic and non governmental organizations that share an interest in the conservation of one or more sgcn and their habitats. Field activities include conducting biological surveys to collect information regarding the distribution status population trends and ecological needs of sgcn. All of these activities are carried out with the goal of enhancing the status of uncommon or declining species and maintaining them as self sustaining populations. This grant supports the assessment monitoring and management of multiple sgcn through coordinated efforts with other governmental and non governmental partners at the state and regional scale. IT provides the oklahoma wildlife diversity program with increased resources to collect monitoring data for at risk species such as the swift FOX black tailed prairie DOG bachmans sparrow crawfish frog and texas horned lizard and allows odwc to participate in regional conservation partnerships that will benefit sgcn. In particular the resources will be available to more effectively participate in federal species status assessments and better ensure that federal listing decisions are based on sound data and a southeastern association of fish and wildlife agencies initiative to assess and monitor at risk species across the southeastern U.S. And to collect data that are more current and comprehensive regarding the statuses of these species.