Executive Summary
In recent years, the Fish and Wildlife Service has emphasized a need to focus our efforts at larger geographic scales if we are to more successfully address conservation challenges such as changing land use and climate. Placing greater effort in areas of strategic conservation importance will better ensure that our investments are meaningful and long lasting. The agency has also emphasized a need to better employ a science-based adaptive approach to ensure that we are effective in meeting our conservation objectives. The Idaho Fish and Wildlife Office (IFWO) used this guidance to identify four Priority Conservation Areas in the State of Idaho where there are compelling conservation interests for Federal Trust resources, the habitats in which they dwell, and associated natural resources that are valued by the public. The IFWO identified 39 Priority Species that utilize habitats within these areas and serve as habitat indicators, icons, keystone, or umbrella species. Lastly, we drafted Conservation Strategies that provide stated goals, objectives, and Conservation Actions that focus on high profile targets (habitats or Priority Species) within each Priority Conservation Area. These Conservation Strategies address important conservation activities, and are designed to improve habitat health and ecological integrity for all native species that rely on its associated Priority Conservation Area. This version of the IFWO Statewide Conservation Strategy incorporates input solicited from our partners, in recognition of the fact that largescale efforts will require willing collaborations between multiple partners, including Idaho State, Federal, and Tribal agencies, as well as private conservation and user groups, as we shift to strategy implementation.