To classify threats, we used the International Union for Conservation of Nature ( IUCN )– Conservation Measures Partnership (CMP) Threats and Actions Classifications framework . The SWAP considers threats regardless of their origins ( e.g., local, state, regional, national, and international) where relevant to Idaho’s species and habitats. Similarly, where relevant, the plan describes conservation actions for Idaho species and habitats that could be addressed by federal resource management agencies or regional, national, or international partners and shared with other states (e.g., out- of-basin fish passage, threats on wintering grounds).

We used the Open Standards for the Practice of Conservation , as implemented in Miradi Adaptive Management Software for Conservation Projects, as the core methodology for revisions to this plan. This methodology is designed to allow key agencies and stakeholders in each of Idaho ’s 14 sections to discuss and hopefully come to agreement on focal conservation targets (both species and habitats ), key threats affecting these targets, the actions needed to mitigate these threats and/or restore the targets, and the monitoring indicators that can be used to track progress over time.

Our ultimate aim was to create a living action plan for each section that can become the basis for ongoing adaptive management of these important resources. For the 2015 SWAP revision, we took a “coarse filter –fine filter” approach to both address the “full array of wildlife” and “wildlife -related issues” in Idaho, but also to focus on actions that benefit multiple species and the habitats they depend on.