Submitted

The Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP) has announced that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service formally approved the 2025 update of Kansas’ State Wildlife Action Plan. The plan provides a 10-year guidance for managing the state’s most vulnerable species and the habitats they depend on.

Kansas’ State Wildlife Action Plan identifies priority species, habitats and Ecological Focus areas as a condition of receiving federal funding through the USFWS State Wildlife Grants program. The plans are updated every 10 years to address evolving threats and potential conservation actions needed across ecological focus areas.

“The State Wildlife Action Plan is more than a required document. It embodies our commitment to a future for Kansas’ wildlife that includes thoughtful natural resource management so that future generations inherit healthy ecosystems and have the same opportunities to enjoy the outdoors that we have today,” said KDWP Secretary Christopher Kennedy. “It is also a reflection that no single agency can accomplish this work alone. We are grateful to the partners, experts, and community members who contributed to this update and look forward to continuing this work together.”

For the 2025 version, KDWP invited the public and conservation partners to provide input through four public meetings held across the state or by submitting written comments to the agency. Using that input, KDWP and its partners considered changes affecting Kansas and its wildlife since the plan was last revised and incorporated newly identified conservation needs and actions.

This update reflects several notable changes, including the addition of several new Species of Greatest Conservation Need and expansion of the Playa Landscape and Western River Breaks ecological focus areas. The 2025 plan also addresses a noticeable increase in landownership by individuals residing outside Kansas and evolving challenges associated with energy production and its associated infrastructure.

Several past projects and conservation successes supported by the State Wildlife Grants program since the original plan was developed in 2005 are also highlighted. Success stories in the 2025 update include fish passage restoration projects that reconnect stream habitats for at‑risk aquatic species, as well as collaborative efforts with partners and private landowners to conserve and enhance wildlife habitat across Kansas.

KDWP received approval from the USFWS in March 2026 and is announcing the update now that the complete plan and supporting materials are available on its website at ksoutdoors.gov/swap.