How to Write a Wildlife Management Plan

A wildlife management plan (WMP) is a document used by developers and landowners to outline and implement steps for increasing, preserving, or managing wildlife on a given property. Taking full account of the existing wildlife, jurisdictional requirements, and the objectives and goals of the landholder, the management plan usually contains maps, descriptive documents, and records of progress and change. Whether you’re seeking funding, tax benefits, accreditation, or simply first prize in a 4-H contest, you’ll need a WMP that is clear, detailed, and realistic in scope.^{[1]XExpert SourceMichael Simpson, PhD
Registered Professional BiologistExpert Interview. 25 June 2021.}

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Using the Appropriate Structure and Style

1
Get clear instructions for the plan from the intended recipient. Wildlife management plans vary widely in length, detail, and scope. You might have 90 minutes to complete a 3-page plan in a 4-H club contest, or need months to craft a lengthy plan to submit to your government’s department of natural resources. Make sure you know exactly what your recipient expects and the end goals before your begin.^{[2]XExpert SourceMichael Simpson, PhD
Registered Professional BiologistExpert Interview. 25 June 2021.}^{[3]XResearch source}
- If you’re taking part in a contest or classroom project, request samples of well-received management plans from prior years.^{[4]XResearch source}
- You can also search online for sample wildlife management plans.^{[5]XResearch source}
2
Identify a logical, flowing narrative that guides your plan. While the specific structure of a wildlife management plans can vary, the good ones are always easy to read and follow. While pre-writing and structuring your plan, make sure to link your steps and sections together in a logical, sequential manner. To make sure your points are clear to your readers, you should also take care to write clearly and effectively, stay focused on the subject at hand, and eliminate typos and confusing language.^{[6]XResearch source}
- Break down the WMP into clearly-labeled sections (and possibly subsections), based on your recipient’s expectations.
- Your recipient may expect your sections to be in paragraph format, or you may be permitted to use bullet points or a combination of both.
- Each section should lead into the next logically.
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3
Plan to include accurate, enlightening maps and data. You should always locate the property on an easy-to-read map, and you may need to provide topographic maps, habitat- or wildlife-specific maps, maps highlighting water features or natural barriers, and so forth. Data tables may also be helpful, depending on your circumstances.^{[7]XResearch source}
- Research local and regional regulations that may have provisions regarding wildlife management plans for different species and different kinds of development projects. You might also need to consult with an environmental professional to get their input and possibly retain them to prepare the document for you if you are unsure about what is involved.^{[8]XExpert SourceMichael Simpson, PhD
  Registered Professional BiologistExpert Interview. 25 June 2021.}
- In some instances, hand-drawn maps may be appropriate. Or, you may be able to rely on existing maps or need to create your own with mapping software. In any case, make sure all your maps are clear, legible, and informative.
- If you’re using data tables, make sure they’re equally easy to read and understand.
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Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Writing Key Sections of a WMP

1
Provide a short, general description of the property. In most cases, a WMP will begin with a brief (often 1-2 paragraph) overview of the property. Provide the essential details—location, size, ownership, current land condition and use, terrain, etc.—in a straightforward narrative format.^{[9]XResearch source}
- For instance: “Whispering Pines is a 400 acre tract of partially forested land located in Buffalo Township in east-central Starke County. …”
2
Lay out your clear, realistic management objectives. In most cases, WMPs seek to increase, decrease, or maintain the numbers of one or multiple wildlife species currently on the property, or to reintroduce a native species. However, generic goals like “increase the numbers of birds and deer” won’t do—set specific goals that are achievable based on the circumstances. For instance, in bullet-point form, you might write:^{[10]XResearch source}
- “Increase the native blue jay population in the wooded areas of the property by improving their preferred habitat conditions.”
- “Reintroduce white-tailed deer to the property by transforming the current agricultural areas.”
- “Eliminate non-native, invasive fish species from the pond at the center of the property.”
3
Use maps and past usage info to reinforce your stated objectives. High quality maps are essential in helping readers visualize the goals of the WMP and evaluate their feasibility. You might, for example, provide before-and-after property overview maps to show the habitat transformation that your plan envisions.^{[11]XResearch source}
- Past usage of the property may be extremely relevant to your WMP—for example, a former industrial site may be limited in regards to habitat transformation possibilities. If relevant, provide such information either before, after, or with the management objectives.
4
Describe the planned actions for achieving the WMP's objectives. After you’ve laid out the goals for the WMP, you need to explain exactly how to achieve them. Once again, you need to be crystal clear and realistic when describing how the objectives can be reached.^{[12]XResearch source}
- For example, based on the goals laid out previously, you’d need to describe how to make the wooded areas more blue jay friendly, how to transform the agricultural areas so that they can support deer, and how you will remove invasive species from the pond.
- If you used bullet points for the list of goals, use bullet points here as well. However, you may be expected to provide a narrative account in paragraph format.
- Account for places where your proposed measures could impact sensitive habitats, or what you will do in places where your measures cannot be implemented (ex. you are unable to put fencing up across an access road).^{[13]XExpert SourceMichael Simpson, PhD
  Registered Professional BiologistExpert Interview. 25 June 2021.}
5
Provide a timetable for implementing the plan. WMPs typically describe long-term efforts that happen in several phases. Give readers a clear picture of when certain elements of the plan will be started and completed, as well as an overall timetable for the WMP.^{[14]XResearch source}
- For example: “Removing invasive species from the pond will be the last component of the project, and should be completed in Spring 2022—3 years from the start date of the plan.”
6
Offer any additional management recommendations. Wildlife management is an ongoing process, so the completion of one WMP often leads right into the beginning of another. Therefore, you may want to devote a paragraph or a few bullet points to projected next steps that go beyond the scope of the current WMP. These can be particularly valuable when you’re creating a WMP for a client, such as the property owner.^{[15]XResearch source}
- You might recommend, for example, coordination with surrounding property owners, building (or removing) an access road, or seeking particular tax breaks upon completion of the project.
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Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Following Up on the Ongoing Plan

1
Keep observational notes for the plan in action. In most cases, a WMP is a document that grows and changes along with the project it describes. You might, for instance, create status reports on a regular basis—seasonally or annually, perhaps—and add them to the end of the WMP. Such observational notes or status reports should be as clear, detailed, and realistic as the rest of the document.^{[16]XResearch source}
- If the WMP is filed with a government agency or another organization, there may be specific formatting and content guidelines you need to use for the observational notes. Make sure you follow these to the letter.
- If the plan has been broken down into 5 phases, for example, you might report that Phase I has been completed, Phase II is 40% complete but delayed by unexpected weather, and that Phase III will start within a few weeks.
2
Maintain a documentation record for your activities. Documentation is particularly critical if the WMP is being used for funding, taxation, or reimbursement purposes. Create a file with reports from contractors, bills and receipts, site photos showing ongoing work, evaluations from official site visitors, and so on.^{[17]XResearch source}
- Detailed documentation helps show the ways in which the project has progressed according to the original plan, as well as the ways in which the plan has shifted over time.
3
Evaluate the plan regularly and describe any changes made. No WMP goes exactly according to plan—nature, after all, is to some degree unpredictable. Alongside regular status reports and documentation collections, offer recurring evaluations of the plan based on the reality of the situation as it currently exists. Based on the most current information available, adjust, fine-tune, or (if necessary) completely change the goals and implementation strategies of the WMP.^{[18]XResearch source}
- For instance, it may turn out to be cost-prohibitive to remove invasive species from the property’s pond, as well as damaging to native waterfowl. Therefore, that aspect of the WMP might be changed—with a clear explanation as to why.
- Evaluations might be structured as paragraphs, bullet points, or entries on existing forms, based on the particulars of your WMP. In any case, provide the same level of clarity and quality here as in the original document.
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What is the purpose of wildlife management plans?
Michael Simpson, PhD
Registered Professional Biologist
Dr. Michael Simpson (Mike) is a Registered Professional Biologist in British Columbia, Canada. He has over 20 years of experience in ecology research and professional practice in Britain and North America, with an emphasis on plants and biological diversity. Mike also specializes in science communication and providing education and technical support for ecology projects. Mike received a BSc with honors in Ecology and an MA in Society, Science, and Nature from The University of Lancaster in England as well as a Ph.D. from the University of Alberta. He has worked in British, North American, and South American ecosystems, and with First Nations communities, non-profits, government, academia, and industry.
Michael Simpson, PhD
Registered Professional Biologist
Expert Answer
Typically, a wildlife management plan entails a description of the existing property and proposed development (including maps and technical drawings), as well as a statement of the end goals of your plan for the area.
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A wildlife management plan should complement any other plans for harvesting of resources, farming, or recreation. Reference these other activities in your plan. Remember to include variables--for example, you may need to cull a population of deer more or less based on the resilience of a certain crop.
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Managing wildlife can be unpredictable; habitat management plans are therefore imperfect and need to be constantly adjusted. Keeping detailed notes and making observations constantly will improve the success of your plan and will help you to better understand how to manage your land.
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