New York has finalized a 10-year plan identifying 839 animal and plant species that need conservation attention, and for the first time the list includes plants. The state Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) announced the 2025–2035 State Wildlife Action Plan on Thursday, Oct. 1.

The plan names 570 wildlife species as Species of Greatest Conservation Need, 147 of them high priority, plus 269 plants. The combined total of 839 was highlighted in Nexstar's coverage.

For New Yorkers, the plan shapes where conservation money and effort go over the next decade, from grassland birds and freshwater mussels to bumble bees and rare wildflowers. It also keeps the state eligible for a key stream of federal wildlife funding.

A Larger List Built Over Two Years

DEC assessed 920 wildlife species during a review that took more than two years. That included every species from the 2015 plan plus 441 more. The 2015 plan listed 366 Species of Greatest Conservation Need.

The new list spans birds, freshwater fish, mussels, butterflies and moths, dragonflies, bees, reptiles, amphibians and mammals. Examples in the plan include the rusty-patched bumble bee, the American bumble bee, the northern long-eared bat and the plain pocketbook mussel, according to the final plan. Plants listed include bird's-foot violet and white mountain saxifrage.

DEC Commissioner Amanda Lefton said the plan "serves as DEC's guiding document for managing and conserving species and habitats before they become too rare or costly to restore." She added that it "reflects more than two years of review and coordination between DEC, partners, and stakeholders to identify our state's species in greatest need of protection and develop strategies and actions to address threats and promote healthy populations."

The plan lists the leading threats as agricultural and forestry runoff, invasive plants and animals, dams and water management, housing and urban development, and shifting or altered habitat.

Several listed animals already carry federal protection. The rusty-patched bumble bee was listed as endangered under the federal Endangered Species Act in 2017 after steep declines, and the northern long-eared bat was reclassified as endangered after white-nose syndrome, a fungal disease, devastated its populations. Others, such as many freshwater mussels and moths, have no federal listing, and the state plan is one of the few tools focused on keeping them off that list.

The growth from 366 species in 2015 to 570 today does not by itself mean twice as many species are in trouble. DEC reviewed hundreds more species this time, and better survey data and new threats both shape which species make the list.

Plants Join the List, with a Funding Catch

Including plants is a change for New York — but it comes with a limit. DEC's plan webpage states that "Plant species are not included under the current federal definition of SGCN." That means federal State Wildlife Grants cannot currently pay for plant conservation.

The plan notes that the Recovering America's Wildlife Act would extend eligibility to plants if enacted. That bill passed the U.S. House in 2022 and has been reintroduced since, but it has not become law.

Listing plants still matters — it gives land managers, local governments and conservation groups a shared statewide list of rare plants to consider when planning projects, restoring habitat or seeking other funding.

The Federal Grants Behind the Plan

Congress created the State Wildlife Grants program in 2000 to help states prevent species from declining to the point of needing federal endangered species protection. To stay eligible, each state must revise its wildlife action plan at least every 10 years, according to the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies.

Plans must address eight required elements, including species information, habitats, threats, conservation actions, monitoring, review procedures, coordination with agencies and tribes, and public participation. Most states completed their second major revision in 2025. Nationally, the plans list more than 12,000 species in need of conservation.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Northeast Region approved New York's plan on Feb. 5, 2026, according to the final plan. Public input came in three comment rounds between 2024 and 2025, with hundreds of individual responses and form-letter signers.

Regulations, Funding and Local Projects

The plan does not create new rules for landowners. It is a guide for conservation partners and does not guarantee funding for any project, FingerLakes1 reported. Being listed also does not give a species legal protection beyond existing state endangered and threatened species rules.

That matters for property owners, farmers and foresters who may worry about new restrictions. The plan's actions are voluntary and depend on partners, grants, and willing landowners.

The practical effects will show up in local projects. For the Lake Ontario watershed, planned actions include restoring American eel migration routes, lake sturgeon and lake trout recovery and freshwater mussel surveys. Statewide priorities include pollinator habitat, grassland bird habitat, streamside buffers, and surveys of bats and insects.

Residents who want to help can plant native species, reduce pesticide use, leave unmown areas for pollinators and report sightings to state monitoring programs. Anglers and boaters can help by cleaning gear to avoid spreading invasive species between lakes and streams, one of the threats the plan highlights. Questions about the plan can be sent to DEC's wildlife action plan team at [email protected].

The next measure of success will be funding. Federal grant levels set by Congress each year, and any future change to include plants, will determine how much of the plan New York can carry out by 2035.

What Readers Want to Know

What did New York announce? DEC finalized its 2025–2035 State Wildlife Action Plan on Oct. 1, 2026, listing 570 wildlife species and 269 plants that need conservation attention.

Why is the number 839? It combines the 570 animal species and the 269 plants. DEC lists the animals as Species of Greatest Conservation Need and identifies the plants separately.

Why are plants included now? DEC added plants for the first time to guide statewide conservation. Federal State Wildlife Grants cannot currently fund plants, though the Recovering America's Wildlife Act would change that if enacted.

Does the plan create new rules for landowners? No. It is a voluntary guide and does not add legal protection beyond existing endangered and threatened species rules.

Which species are on the list? Examples include the rusty-patched bumble bee, the northern long-eared bat, the plain pocketbook mussel, and the bird's-foot violet.

Why does the plan matter for funding? States must update their plans at least every 10 years to stay eligible for federal State Wildlife Grants.