2025 State Wildlife Action Plan (SWAP)

To decide which species should be on the SGCN list, DEM brought together groups of experts called "taxa teams.” Each team focused on a different group of plants or animals, like mammals, birds, marine invertebrates, or plants.  

These teams included scientists and specialists from DEM and partner organizations, including The Nature Conservancy, RI Natural History Survey, University of Rhode Island, RI Wild Plant Society, Audubon Society of RI, Providence College, Roger Williams Park Zoo, and more. Another important partner invited into the process early on was the Narragansett Indian Tribe. Federal, state, and local partners were also invited to review early drafts and provide additional expertise.

The taxa teams reviewed the 2015 SGCN list to determine which species should stay on the list or if data supports their removal. They also assessed whether any new species should be added based on decreasing populations, new threats, or other available data.

The updated RIWAP is now primarily a searchable database. It lists all species from both 2015 and 2025, along with their 2015 status, their proposed 2025 status, and reasons for being added or removed. Species that lack enough data are now labeled “Assessment Priority” species. These are species that need more research and monitoring before we can determine their conservation status.  

In addition, a dedicated Plant Team updated the plant list, and for the first time, plants have their own threats and actions. Marine plants and two marine algae are also new in 2025. Several new marine fish and mammals including sharks, skates, whales, and dolphins, have been added. The invertebrate lists are more complete and now include ants, solitary bees, and a firefly.  Some marine habitats are proposed for removal in 2025 to reduce duplication. Review the database draft plan to see what else is new!

SWG funding supports DEM biologists, including the Wildlife Action Plan Ecologist, the Herpetologist/SGCN Coordinator, and the Pollinator Entomologist. SWG also supports monitoring programs like the Pollinator Atlas and Herp Observer and research on a variety of marine species to inform management decision-making. Example studies have included horseshoe crab populations and genetics, blue crab populations in Narragansett Bay, improving methods to assess bay scallop populations, invasive species studies, and expanding the state’s acoustic receiver array to track tagged marine species.

SWG funding also allows DEM to run outreach and education programs on reptiles, amphibians, and invertebrates (like vernal pool field trips), create educational materials such as the Scales and Slime and Pollinator Pals Critter Kits, and publish resources like Amphibians of Rhode Island, Reptiles of Rhode Island, and Dragonflies and Damselflies of Rhode Island.

In short, SWG funding makes it possible for DEM to research, monitor, teach about, and conserve many species that would otherwise not qualify for or have little to no existing financial support.