# Presentation: 183373

## The vision of the Waterbird Conservation for the Americas initiative is that the distribution, diversity, and abundance of populations and habitats of breeding, migratory, and nonbreeding waterbirds are sustained or restored throughout the lands and waters of North America, Central America, and the Caribbean (now: the Western Hemisphere).

- The North American Waterbird Conservation Plan
- Version 1, 2002

- The vision of the Waterbird Conservation for the Americas initiative is that the distribution, diversity, and abundance of populations and habitats of breeding, migratory, and nonbreeding waterbirds are sustained or restored throughout the lands and waters of *North America, Central America, and the Caribbean (now: *the Western Hemisphere*).*

**Notes:**
The waterbird initiative was launched in 1998.  A group of individuals formed a Steering Committee to grow and guide this partnership; the Steering Committee oversaw the production of the North American Waterbird Conservation Plan.

Waterbird Conservation for the Americas Initiative (Waterbirds Initiative):  an international, broad-based, voluntary partnership of individuals and organizations sharing a vision for waterbird conservation.

A Plan:  Ideally, a detailed description of actions to be taken by partners with a common vision and based on defined priorities.  A document describing a vision and priorities, but lacking a description of actions, should not be referred to as a plan.

## Extent of the Initiative as described in the 

**Taxonomic Extent of the Initiative**

**Geographic Extent of the Initiative**

**Extent of the Initiative as described in the **
**North American Waterbird Conservation Plan**

**Notes:**
Geographic/Political Terms:
North America:  One of the two continents in the Western Hemisphere (Americas).  Politically, North America extending south to Panama, north to Canada.  As defined in the North American Waterbird Conservation Plan, North America includes the continent of North America as well as waters and islands of the Caribbean, Pacific Ocean and Western Atlantic.  Note:  In some contexts, North America is used to refer only to Canada, U.S. and Mexico (e.g., NABCI)

Central America:  The seven nations south of Mexico and north of Colombia (Guatemala, Belize, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama).

Latin America: As defined in the North American Waterbird Conservation Plan, Latin America refers to all nations south of the U.S.   

MesoAmerica is a cultural term and is not used in the North American Waterbird Conservation Plan.

Waterbirds:
When talking about the Waterbird Conservation for the Americas initiative, waterbirds means the 23 families in Table 1 of the North American Waterbird Conservation Plan.  

Note:  The term waterbirds is defined differently in other contexts (e.g., the Rangewide Waterbirds Neotrop project).

Council concerned with the conservation of these birds. Species assessment relative to the other species in this group; focus on the issues most significant to these birds.   
Two points:
Recognize that a focus on these species, does not preclude...and in fact, benefits... integration.

...

Regional-scale partners desire to conduct assessment and planning for these birds in conjunction with assessment and planning for other aquatic birds, or all birds.

## Waterbird Conservation Council:  a body of individuals responsible for coordinating, supporting, and communicating implementation of the North American Waterbird Conservation Plan and other waterbird plans, updating the plans and facilitating actions for waterbird conservation throughout the Plan area.

- _Scale_
- Entire
- Plan
- Area
- (Continental)
- Regional
- National

_**Regional Working Groups**_

**If desired,  **_**National Working Groups**_

**Planning and Coordination Entities Developed**
** ****From the North American Waterbird Conservation Plan**

**Notes:**
Scale:  Refers to the geographic extent or perspective of an interest or issue.  

Region:  An administrative or geographical area.  It is a general term and used in many contexts.  In the North American Waterbird Conservation Plan recommends that the total plan area be divided into 14 regions to form the basis of more specific regional plans.   

## Membership of the Council as described in the 

**Council**

- Geographic
- Extent/Regions
- Taxonomic
- Groups
- Range of
- Habitats
- Resource
- Management
- Communication
- and Outreach
- Monitoring

- Political
- Entities

- NGOs

- Research,
- Science Org.s

- Other

**Membership of the Council as described in the **
**North American Waterbird Conservation Plan**

**Perspectives**

**Organizational Representation**

- Currently 35 Members
- Approximately 70% active

**Notes:**
The first Waterbird Conservation Council members were nominated by members of the Steering Committee before it disbanded.  The Council does not have designated seats (e.g., a member from every national wildlife agency) rather the group of individuals, taken as a whole, would cover the range of perspectives and organizations.

## List of Responsibilities of the Council 

- ❖ Conduct planning and implementation at the continental
- scale and facilitate conservation at all levels, from continental to local
- ❖ Identify implementing agencies, entities and individuals, and through interactions, interventions, and collaborations, leverage opportunities for waterbird conservation
- ❖ Facilitate the acquisition of resources to support waterbird conservation throughout the Plan area
- ❖ As invited, select or nominate representatives to various committees and councils
- ❖ Promote and support work of regional working groups
- ❖ Interact with other bird conservation initiatives, habitat Joint Ventures (JVs),
- provinces/states, national governments, local interests, and others
- ❖ Facilitate and support the Waterbird Monitoring Partnership
- ❖ Facilitate and support the meeting of scientific information needs
- ❖ Facilitate and support the waterbird conservation communication program combining communication, education and public awareness activities
- ❖ Maintain the Plan’s home page
- ❖ Assure coordination of the Plan with other international bird conservation programs and initiatives
- ❖ Periodically evaluate if goals of the Plan are being met, and modify plans and activities accordingly
- ❖ Recruit new members to the Council.

**List of Responsibilities of the Council **
**provided in the North American Waterbird Conservation Plan**

## Waterbird Conservation Council Committees

**Executive**

**International**

**Waterbird Conservation Council Committees**

**Note:  Working Committees are comprised of Council members and interested individuals**

**Regional**

**Technical**
** ****Services**

**Membership**

**Resources**

**(Ad hocs)**

**Conservation**
** ****Action**

**Communications**

- Geographic Reps
-  Canada
-  U.S.
-  Mexico
-  Central America
-  Caribbean
-  South America
- Past Chair
- Working Committee Chairs

**Canada = 3 + coordinator**

**Chair and Chair Elect**

**International/**
**National Coordinators**

**Notes:**
The working committees evolved from a discussion identifying the areas of endeavor or interest considered to be of greatest importance to waterbird conservation. 

Regional Committee (full name is Regional Planning and Implementation) was to concern itself with supporting the work of the regional working groups.

Conservation Action Committee involves itself in policy and advocacy.

Committees:  smaller size, pull in interested/effective individuals, tasks (see workplans).  Observations:  require a chair or leader:  two currently without.  Proposed schedule, every other month or quarterly.  Not the best performance in that regard.   

## Waterbird 

- Coalitions

- Research,
- Science Org.s

**National/**
**Regional **
**Waterbird Working**
**Groups**

- NABCI

- Canada
- NABCI

- Mexico
- NABCI

- U.S.
- NABCI

- Environmental
- Organizations/
- Associations

- Bird
- Organizations

- WS

- MSCB

- Government
- Agencies

- SCSCB

- Other Regional Partnerships

- National

- State
- Provincial

- WHMSI

- PSG

- International
- Conventions/ Treaties

- CAFF

- Ramsar

**Waterbird **
**Conservation**
**Council**

- Bonn

- Meso PIF

- Joint
- Ventures

- WHRSN

**Notes:**
The Waterbird Conservation Council exists within a web of other entities.  Its relationships to these other entities are varied and often quite loose.

The formality of the National and Regional Waterbird Working Groups varies as well.

Examples:
CAFF = Conservation of Arctic Flora and Fauna
WHSRN = Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network
NABCI = North American Bird Conservation Initiative
PIF = Partners in Flight
WS = Waterbird Society
PSG = Pacific Seabird Group
SCSCB = Society for the Conservation and Study of Caribbean Birds
MSCB = MesoAmerican Society for Conservation and Biology

## Guiding principles are 

-  Flexibility
-  Meeting needs of the member sites

*Eg.* Canadian Shorebird Conserv’n Plan Council

**WHSRN’s Structure**

**Notes:**
An EXAMPLE

But before we revisit membership, structure, engagements, let’s get a sense of “results”.

## Council Outputs

- Visibility, awareness
- Institutional commitments
- Professional benefits
- Project development and funding
- Planning and project tools
- Expectations

**Notes:**
(fairly north american, fairly U.S.)

Visibility, awareness:  “waterbirds” is a word that has attention – a reminder of a group of birds with needs, some unlike those of other birds or wildlife.
By giving form, the Council allows the initiative to have a voice in new or ongoing conversations about conservation – examples:  NABCI,  AOU, WHMSI invites the Council to participate.  Implementing entities like Joint Ventures forming technical committees have someone for waterbirds.

Institutional commitments:  Participation on the council maintains the credibility/awareness of the initiative, thus granting others and ourselves support in working on waterbird conservation projects:  participants in regional or national working groups.  USFWS created a permanent federal position to coordinate waterbird conservation in its headquarters; some of the regional migratory bird programs have designated or acquired people to focus on waterbirds.  Birdlife and SCSCB created a Caribbean waterbird coordinator position.  Manomet assigned interns.  Your own situations?

Professional benefits:  On an individual level.  Those commitments leading to positions:  well, I benefited!   And I believe participation on the council has given some of our members a platform from which to operate, or opportunities to achieve our own conservation goals.  Ghisselle will be sharing developments...

Project development and funding:  We’ll be hearing about a project administered by Birdlife and funded by NMBCA.  I think it is fair to say the backing of the Council was instrumental in obtaining that funding.  Another US federal grant:  NAWCA explicitly refers to geographic priorities of waterbird initiative.

As a Council we have produced tools:  We have provided an encompassing framework.  We provide a communication forum.  Currently, we are wrapping up a marshbird assessment to express the conservation needs of non-colonial birds.

Caveat:  All of the above the Council can celebrate.  Taking credit is probably fair too...but it is hard to say what would have happened without a Council or initiative.  Regardless...what is happening is happening...what comes next?

Expectations:  Body will continue to work towards achievement of vision.
There is a go-to body working on behalf of these species.  Identification and support of most important work.

## ?

**?**

**Notes:**
From what you know, or from what you’d expect, is this enough?  Is it developing in a way you like?  That is satisfying?

## Council Expectations

**Council Expectations**

- Products?
- Influence?
- Involvement?
- Collaboration?
- Pace?

**Notes:**

On the areas of interest to us:

Policies?
New information through research, monitoring?
Changes in resource management?
Changes in awareness and behavior?
Collaboration with others?
Alignment of institutions?

Jennifer:
My concerns:  North American approach not effective in Latin America.  Our Council not involved that way.
Extending to the hemisphere takes from efforts at other scales.  Not enough people to go around.
Involvement naturally waxes and wanes (wanes concern me).  Council operating on too many levels?  Or is it the members are operating on different levels – and it makes it incohesive?
I, personally, feel stretched too thin...going hemispheric will be more stretching.