The Maryland Department of Natural Resources is seeking public comment on the 2025-2035 Maryland State Wildlife Action Plan (SWAP). This wide-ranging document examines the state’s plants and animals, outlining ways to support species of greatest conservation need – species which are rare, declining, or at risk of declining in Maryland – along with the key wildlife habitats where they are found.
Check out the 2025 State Wildlife Action Plan Draft Chapter 2, Maryland’s Land and Waterscape, to gain an understanding of Maryland’s physiographic provinces and the plants within each region. The 2025 update includes a list of plant species of greatest conservation need. While a list of plant species is not required, DNR opted to include one to underscore the importance of plants to wildlife and habitats.
The SWAP is a non-regulatory document designed to serve as a blueprint for conservation agencies and organizations in the state.
The comment period is open until EOD Friday, April 10th. DNR would love to give as many people as possible the opportunity to comment on the SWAP.
To learn more and to access the appendices to the plan, visit the Proposed Updates to the Maryland State Wildlife Action Plan website.
Please note: This is by no means the final version—there’s still some formatting to fix (especially in the appendices), minor content edits to make, second-round proofreading to do, etc., as well as thanking everyone in the acknowledgements page!—but it should reflect nearly all of the changes incorporated as a result of the partner review process, of which Wild Ones Chesapeake Bay participated.
Source of images: https://dnr.maryland.gov/wildlife/documents/2025SWAPpubliccommentdraft_chapters_COMPRESSED.pdf
Wild Ones Chesapeake Bay is deeply rooted in native plants and cultivating partnerships, while striving to educate, advocate, and collaborate to connect people and native plants for a healthy planet. Our vision is native plants and natural landscapes thriving in every community. Check out our Events page, Google calendar, Facebook, and/or Instagram for our upcoming events. And don’t forget to subscribe to our new YouTube channel and email subscriber list!
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