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CHAPTER IV: WILDLIFE HABITATS FOR MISSISSIPPI’S SGCN,

THREATS AND CONSERVATION ACTIONS^77

Part 1. Introduction

This chapter includes, for the first time in our agency’s history, a comprehensive description of all major
wildlife habitat types and subtypes in Mississippi that are important to identified SGCN. As part of
these comprehensive descriptions, we have included a discussion of the location, condition and where
possible the conservation status and size of the community in Mississippi. The assemblages of SGCN
associated with each subtype are included as well as a list of threats prioritized (high, medium, low) and
a general set of priority conservation actions. The methods we used to develop this information are
described in Chapter II – Approach and Methods. This information is intended to guide the collective
and individual efforts of our agency as well as other resource agencies in the state, conservation
organizations, large and small private landowners and others who will ultimately implement
recommendations developed from this CWCS.

In Chapter II we also described and presented our method for identifying the most critical habitats for
SGCN by using a raw score called Value to SGCN. These Values to SGCN were derived from the
number and Tier level of SGCN associated with each subtype. They indicate the relative importance of
various habitat subtypes to SGCN and provide guidance in predicting were actions will benefit more
and/or higher tier SGCN. Values are most useful when comparing related habitat subtypes and three
major complexes of related habitat subtypes have been identified for value comparisons. These

CHAPTER IV:

WILDLIFE HABITATS FOR MISSISSIPPI’S SGCN,

THREATS AND CONSERVATION ACTIONS