After over eight years of implementing the 2015 Delaware Wildlife Action Plan, the DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife is nearing the end of a multi-year comprehensive review and revision of the plan to ensure the next iteration of the document remains up to date with the best available science and continues to serve the needs of Delaware’s wildlife.

Draft Plan Under Federal Review

On Dec. 16, 2025, the draft 2025-2035 Delaware Wildlife Action Plan was submitted to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for review and approval.

The draft plan is published as a set of web pages, rather than a large PDF document. The data behind the plan can be reviewed using a set of interactive, dynamic data tables.

While the Plan is under review, the division cannot make any substantive additional changes to the draft sections of the Plan, including Species of Greatest Conservation Need, Habitats, Threats and Actions.

This approval process is anticipated to take several months.  Upon acceptance of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Plan will become final.

Share Your Thoughts

Although the division can not make any changes to the Plan while it is under review, the public may continue to provide feedback using the Wildlife Action Plan Comment Form or by sending an email to dewap2025@delaware.gov.

State-Level Wildlife Planning

The federal State Wildlife Grants (SWG) program assists state fish and wildlife agencies with conservation of wildlife species of greatest conservation need and the habitats they rely on.

Federal funding for state wildlife programs requires comprehensive wildlife conservation planning at the state level through Wildlife Action Plans.

States must update their plans every 10 years and include all species and habitats.

2015 – 2025 Delaware Wildlife Action Plan

The Department published a Wildlife Action Plan for 2015 to 2025 after a nearly three-year public process involving various stakeholders and species experts.

The 2015 plan is available in full as a downloadable ZIP file (Note: this file is about 30 MB), a Fact Sheet, an Executive Summary or as individual chapters and appendices.

Chapter 1: Delaware’s Wildlife Species of Greatest Conservation Need

Chapter 2: Delaware’s Wildlife Habitats

Chapter 3: Issues Affecting SGCN and Key Habitats in Delaware

Chapter 4: Conservation Actions to Address the Key Issues Facing Delaware’s SGCN and their Habitats

Chapter 5: Monitoring, Review and Revision

Chapter 6: Outreach and Coordination

Appendix 1.A: SGCN List by Ecological Group

Appendix 1.B: SGCN List, Alphabetical with Criteria Met

Appendix 1.C: Additions and Removals to SGCN List

Appendix 1.D: Data Sources Consulted

Appendix 2.A: Delaware Wildlife Habitat Classification

Appendix 2.B: Habitat Crosswalk, 2007-2015

Appendix 2.C: Species-Habitat Associations

Appendix 2.D: Scientific Names of Plant Species

Appendix 3: TRACS Conservation Actions and Ranking Criteria

Appendix 4: IUCN Conservation Issues and Ranking Criteria

Appendix 5: Compilation of Existing Monitoring Programs

Appendix 6: Outreach and Coordination

Related Topics:  action plan, conservation, fish and wildlife, habitat, wildlife