Revision of the Tennessee State Wildlife Action Plan (TSWAP) is underway. As a critical part of this process, the Tennessee Wildlife and The Nature Conservancy hosted meetings this spring to bring together wildlife and habitat experts from around the state to provide valuable input.
The main objectives of these meetings were to provide partners with an overview of State Wildlife Action Plans and TWRA’s 2015 update process, engage partners in discussions of draft “Conservation Opportunity Areas,” get feedback on boundaries and the potential for guiding on-the-ground collaborations, get partner feedback on key strategies and opportunities for multi-agency collaborations, and to determine a desired follow-up process and next steps for continued engagement.
At the first meeting held on March 18, 30 attendees from 13 state and federal partner agencies convened at the Cumberland River Center. On April 9, 31 experts from 24 conservation organizations met at the Ellington Agricultural Center. Both groups participated in workshop sessions and collaborated to identify opportunities for partnering on wildlife and habitat protection and restoration strategies. Additionally potential projects across the state were identified.
To guide the process at both meetings, TWRA’s regional diversity coordinators gave presentations representing the different geographies of the state and their perspectives on conservation priorities and opportunities. The expert input received is being incorporated into the draft version of the Tennessee State Wildlife Action Plan Revision that will be available for public comment in early June 2015. The plan update will be accessible and feedback will be able to be submitted through a new Tennessee State Wildlife Action Plan website. The Tennessee SWAP revision will be complete by October 2015.
One positive example of a collaborative conservation project that supports the goal of TSWAP is to “keep common species common,” is a research project investigating the relationship of temperature and disease in hellbenders. According to this study, elevated water temperatures in creeks and rivers, where trees have been removed along the banks and no longer shade the stream resulting in increased water temperature, may contribute to the decline of hellbender populations in Tennessee. A successful collaboration between the Center for Wildlife Health and the College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Tennessee, the College of Veterinary Medicine at Sichuan Agricultural University in China, the TWRA, and the Nashville Zoo, this study will clarify the role water temperature plays in hellbender fungal and viral infections and propose possible solutions.
To learn more about Tennessee’s conservation goals and the measures necessary to recover endangered species, restore unique habitats, keep rare and imperiled species off the endangered species list, and to keep common species common, visit the Tennessee State Wildlife Action Plan page at www.tn.gov/twra/cwcs/cwcsindex.html. For questions about the ongoing Tennessee SWAP update process or to make comments contact Bill Reeves, TWRA Chief of Biodiversity, 615-781-6645 or bill.reeves@tn.gov.