Important bird areas as a conservation tool: Implementation at the state level

Abstract

In the mid 1990s, Audubon New York initiated an Important Bird Areas (IBA) program that had two goals, 1) to identify sites most critical for the protection of birds and 2) to take positive and coordinated action to promote the conservation of those sites. The first goal was achieved in 1997 when 127 IBAs were identified across New York State. Since then, in order to achieve the second goal, Audubon New York has been implementing a broad program based on advocacy, conservation planning, research and monitoring, and education and outreach. Advocacy efforts include political lobbying, promotion of site protection through acquisition and easements, and passage of state legislation establishing a state bird conservation area program. Through conservation planning, Audubon staff advocate for proper management of sites and assist land managers with technical aspects of bird and habitat conservation. Research and monitoring projects at IBAs are undertaken to assess and track populations, identify priority habitats, and encourage advocacy among citizen-scientists who participate in the projects. Education and outreach efforts aim to increase the public's knowledge of the importance of quality habitats for birds and other wildlife and to encourage them to advocate for the protection and proper management of those habitats. Outreach tools include public presentations, media coverage of IBA events, and a website (http://ny.audubon.org/iba). In all aspects of the program, Audubon New York partners with federal and state governments, other environmental organizations, and local citizens