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Bird Conservation >
Important
Bird Areas >
Status
of Important Bird Areas in the United States
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BirdLife
International is a global coalition of more than 100 country
partner organizations. The IBA Program was initiated by BirdLife
International in Europe in the 1980's. Since then, over 8,000
sites in 178 countries have been identified as Important Bird
Areas, with many national and regional IBA inventories published
in 19 languages. Hundreds of these sites and millions of acres
have received better protection as a result of the IBA Program.
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(Courtesy:
Walker Golder): The IBA Program is: Proactive, not reactive;
Voluntary, not regulatory; Participatory, not just for
professionals; Science-based and credible.
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As
the United States Partner of BirdLife International, the National
Audubon Society administers the IBA Program in the U.S. Audubon
launched
its IBA initiative in 1995, establishing programs state by
state. State-based IBA programs provide conservation leaders
with the flexibility to tailor the program to their individual
state needs, and they also give Audubon members and local
volunteers the greatest opportunities to protect sites in
their communities.
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Hawk
Mountain,Kittatinny Ridge, PA. Courtesy:Brian Byrnes.
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Conservation
activities are being conducted at many of these IBAs.
A U.S. IBA Committee has been established to review IBA data
and assures the credibility of all IBAs of continental or
global significance.
"IBAs
are recognized worldwide and they are rapidly becoming a common
and increasingly valuable currency of site conservation"
–
Her Majesty Queen Noor of Jordan, Honorary President of BirdLife
International
Last
updated 25 June 2010
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