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PAST PROGRAM ACHIEVEMENTS

• Implementation of the IBA Search Tool, a powerful new tool that will allow birders to find IBAs in a particular area or with particular species and allow the conservation community to aggregate IBAs by threat, region or other IBA characteristics in order to more easily plan conservation activities.
  
  
• Over a dozen states working with national staff towards prioritizing Global IBAs. This prioritization will assist Audubon in our conservation planning efforts.
  
  
• Completed a review of Important Bird Areas significant to waterbirds and landbirds of conservation concern, which can help in linking conservation planning efforts for these species range-wide.
  

• IBAs recognized in a number of states through public events in Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Minnesota, New Mexico, Ohio, Oregon, Virginia, Wisconsin

2005-2006

• IBA activities initiated in two new states, Hawaii and Oklahoma, bringing the total of state IBA programs to 48.
  

• IBAs recognized through public events in Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Minnesota, New Mexico, Ohio, Oregon, Virginia, Wisconsin

• Audubon’s online IBA database was released to all staff in 2005 and approximately a quarter of all states are taking full advantage of the new application
  

• New IBA coordinators or Bird Conservation Directors were hired in Arkansas, Arizona, Indiana, Virginia, and a staff member added at the national IBA program level.

• IBA programs have been part of the foundation for the newly emerging Mississippi River Campaign and IBA staff from throughout the region have participated in the development of this conservation effort.

• The IBA Program was a key component of the first ever Audubon Chapter Leadership retreat at the Hog Island Camp in Maine and a featured symposium at the Audubon Ohio Assembly. Additionally, IBAs were recognized through public events in Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Minnesota, New Mexico, Ohio, Oregon, and Pennsylvania.

• Partnerships between Audubon and the Land Trust Alliance, the U.S. Shorebird Conservation Initiative, the Waterbird Conservation for the Americas Initiative, the U.S National Ramsar Committee, and the Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network have all been strengthened in 2005 with a focus on IBAs.
  
  

2003-2004

• Launched the IBA Database
  
  
• Welcomed new IBA staff in Idaho, Maryland, Minnesota, New Jersey, North Carolina, Texas, and Wisconsin
  
  
• Audubon Magazine began featuring an IBA in each issue with the Pawnee National Grasslands in Colorado appearing in the December 2003 issue, http://magazine.audubon.org/auduboner/auduboner0312.html
  
  
• Hosted the Third IBA Conference in Port Aransas, Texas. Over 70 people attended the meeting, including 36 state IBA coordinators, 20 other Audubon staff, and representatives from state agencies, Joint Ventures, and BirdLife International
  
  
• Hosted the Fourth IBA Conference in Sierra Vista, Arizona. Over 120 people attended the first truly Western Hemisphere IBA Conference. Attendees represented 43 U.S. states and 16 countries from Canada to Argentina. Of particular interest was the presence of nearly 12 delegates working at key IBAs in Mexico, with a special emphasis on bi-national ecosystems and regional and international IBA partnerships.
  
  
• The IBA program partnered with General Electric to support projects at IBAs using volunteers from GE Elfun clubs. These clubs include employees and retirees of GE plants and are located in most cities that have GE plants. Three projects have been completed in Connecticut and one in North Carolina. Two projects are underway in Ohio.
  
  
• Partnerships with state agencies continued – approximately 15 states have received funding for their IBA programs through State Wildlife Grants, and for a few states this is a significant source of support.

PAST LOCAL SUCCESS STORIES

CALIFORNIA

• Audubon California teamed with private landowners at the Surprise Valley IBA to protect important bird habitat through a conservation easement.

• Audubon California teamed with San Bernardino Valley Audubon to help protect southern California's largest remaining Tricolored Blackbird colony in San Jacinto Valley Important Bird Area through an agreement with a local farmer.

COLORADO

• Colorado Audubon launched a pilot small grants program to provide funding to chapters to pursue bird surveys at local IBAs. Projects must involve a one day bird survey (focusing on four to six species of conservation concern) during fall migration 2001 or winter 2001-2002.
• The Colorado IBA program has conducted two youth service projects hosted by the Audubon Society of Greater Denver. The first occurred at Denver City Park Lakes in partnership with EDUCO (an environmental education non-profit organization). Twelve young people worked on a horticultural project at the park, and also participated in environmental education activities. Denver City Park Lakes is a Colorado Important Bird Area, primarily based on the Black-Crowned Night-Heron and Double-Crested Cormorant colonies it hosts. The second IBA Youth Project, involved 4th and 5th graders removing noxious weeds and reseeding the area with native grasses. This project occurred at Chatfield Sate Park, also an Important Bird Area. Students were rewarded for their hard work with a guided nature hike through the park.

CONNECTICUT

• Audubon Connecticut secured protection of a privately owned IBA, Menunketesuck Island in Westbrook, as part of Stewart B. McKinney National Wildlife Refuge. The IBA is important for nesting Piping Plover and Least Terns, migrant Red Knot and other shorebirds.

• IBA efforts by Audubon Connecticut have led to the conversion of a 10-acre undeveloped area of Cove Island Park in Stamford into a bird sanctuary by the City of Stamford, with funding provided by a $400,000 grant from the State of Connecticut. Audubon worked with the city in planning the proposed bird sanctuary, and has also worked with over 200 GE Elfun Volunteers and other stakeholders on three habitat restoration projects, including the construction of nature trails, planting native vegetation and installation of nesting boxes for Purple Martins and Eastern Screech Owls, as well as helping to organize a field day at the Park with 500 students from a local elementary school.

• Connecticut Audubon Chapters and Affiliates assist in monitoring, maintenance and education efforts at IBAs and also observer training seminars both at IBAs and other locations. Training seminars are being planned as a cooperative effort with the Connecticut Ornithological Association. The first event is scheduled to be a winter gull identification seminar sponsored by the COA and Hartford Audubon.
• In June of 2002 Connecticut Audubon is planning a birding by ear seminar in conjunction with COA and Litchfield Hills Audubon.
• Future programs will include Hawk/birds in flight ID seminars at Lighthouse Point Park in New Haven and Quaker Ridge in Greenwich. In addition to creating awareness about birds and the IBAs at which these events take place, it is hoped that they will add to the foundation of trained observers necessary for future monitoring programs.

DELAWARE

• In addition to the recent designation of sites as IBAs in Delaware (White Clay Creek State Park and Preserve, Pea Patch Island, and the Delaware Coastal Zone). Members have also participated in a number of clean ups, one occurring at White Clay Creek State Park IBA.

IDAHO

• Palouse Audubon Chapter and Canyon Birders have contributed to Idaho’s IBA program by leading weekly field trips to monitor shorebirds at Mann Lake IBA. They began this monitoring in the fall of 2000 and repeated it again in the fall of 2001 The information collected will be forwarded to the International Shorebird Survey.

MISSISSIPPI

• Audubon Mississippi is assisting the Lower Mississippi Valley Joint Venture with a citizen science effort to monitor migratory shorebirds throughout the alluvial valley of the lower river states. Much of the monitoring in Mississippi will occur at nominated Important Bird Areas. This monitoring effort will assist researchers in estimating the number of shorebirds migrating through the valley (now estimated at 500,000 birds each fall) and help them learn more about the habitat needs of the birds.
• Audubon Mississippi, along with its partners, is developing a long-term conservation initiative involving the Pascagoula River and associated habitats. The Pascagoula is the largest free-flowing, essentially unfragmented river system in the lower 48 states. The river and the bottomland hardwood forest along it, much of which is public land, provide a protected corridor for migrating songbirds, nesting and roosting habitat for swallow-tailed kites, and habitat for a variety of wading birds. Several candidate IBAs have been nominated along the Pascagoula River.

MONTANA

• Audubon Montana signed a 10-year license to protect 442-acres of cottonwood habitat near Kalispell. Located at the confluence of the Stillwater and Flathead Rivers, this area serves as key open space for the Kalispell community and it has been nominated as an Important Bird Area.
• Audubon Montana is developing and implementing a management plan for the Owen Sowerwine Natural Area IBA located in the Flathead Valley. This area is a magnet for wildlife given mix of wetland and upland habitats. In addition this IBA contains important habitat for 10 priority.

NEW YORK

• Audubon New York continues to pursue conservation efforts at several IBAs through advocacy, education and outreach. Efforts are being advanced by working cooperatively with local groups and landowners on various issues at Hamlin Beach State Park, Montezuma Wetlands Complex, The Great Swamp, Whiskey Hollow, Finger Lakes National Forest, Niagara River Corridor, and Sterling Forest State Park.
• Specific successes include averting plans to clad an observation tower at the Niagara River Corridor in reflective glass (which is dangerous to birds). At Sterling Forest State Park, plans to manage for valuable succession habitats were included in the park's master plan. At Montezuma Wetlands Complex, $2.5 million of Lands and Water Conservation Funds were attained for habitat acquisition and restoration. ß Buffalo Audubon Society has created and marketed a birding trail to promote ecotourism throughout the Niagara River Corridor IBA and the Iroquois NWR Area IBA.
• Chemung Valley Audubon Society is working proactively on avian monitoring and conservation strategies for The Center at Horseheads IBA.
• Onondaga Audubon Society is working with and has contributed money to Save The County land trust to acquire and protect habitat at Whiskey Hollow IBA.
• Several New York City area chapters have been working hard on conservation issues at Jamaica Bay IBA.
• Genessee Valley Audubon Society has been working with Audubon New York on advocacy related to the potential for drilling for natural gas in the Finger Lakes National Forest IBA and on outreach to the land managers and public at the Rochester Area Urban Parks IBA.
• The Adirondack High Peaks Audubon chapter is working with Vermont partners on water bird monitoring and assessment on Lake Champlain area IBAs.

NORTH CAROLINA

• Audubon North Carolina, working with the Highlands Plateau Audubon Society, initiated a long-term project to monitor bird populations on the Highlands Plateau IBA, an area important for species such as the Blackburnian Warbler, Golden-crowned Kinglet and Rose-breasted Grosbeak. These studies will help in understanding how the development and growth in the surrounding areas impact birds, especially the ones that are highly dependent on the forests, mountains and streams around Highlands.

PENNSYLVANIA

• Read about IBAs and Audubon Pennsylvania in the December 2002 Audubon Magazine. Included with the article is a pullout map highlighting IBAs throughout the U.S.

VERMONT

• Audubon Vermont’s IBA Program received funding from the Wharton Trust and the Sweet Water Trust to support ongoing monitoring efforts at IBAs, as well as to develop and enhance citizen science based monitoring programs. To this end, Audubon Vermont has conducting an IBA Wetlands Monitoring Workshop at the Dead Creek Wildlife Management Area IBA with invited chapter representatives and interested volunteers. The workshop combined an overview of the IBA Program in the state with demonstrations of different monitoring techniques. The demonstrations, conducted by Audubon staff and local experts, focused on monitoring birds, reptiles and amphibians and habitats (including invasives). The goal was to provide the chapter representatives with an array of monitoring options for their members to consider and hopefully implement.

VIRGINIA

• IBA Program in Virginia organized 200 local volunteers, including groups from Philip Morris, Virginia Commonwealth University, Boy Scouts, DuPont, bird clubs and conservation groups, at the James River Wetlands in restoring degraded habitat to native trees and shrubs. Volunteers removed invasive Johnson grass and planted 3,500 native trees over the course of a month. At the end of this time, a recognition event was held at the site, which focused on the site’s importance as an IBA for Bald Eagle and Prothonotary Warbler, and recognized the efforts of the volunteers and partners making the event possible.

Back to Current Successes

Updated November 2010