# Presentation: 245950

## VISION OF THE INTERNATIONAL COMMITTEE

**VISION OF THE INTERNATIONAL COMMITTEE**
*Facilitate the conservation of waterbirds internationally (formally - outside of Canada and the United States).*
**Objectives**
-  	Document state of current information on activities 	that impact waterbirds 
-  	Determine status of waterbirds throughout  	Neotropics 
-  	Resources to implement Plan 
-  	Raise awareness of waterbirds 

## Achievements

**Achievements**
-  	>25 national reports underway
-  	Regional strategy for Central America underway
-  	Status of species underway
-  	Key sites being identified and mapped
-  	Raised $250,000 and leveraged another $600,000
-  	Spanish version of plan produced and ready for 	distribution
-  	Coordinators hired for Region and Caribbean
-  	Attendance at many key meetings throughout

## Goal

**Responsibilities of the Council**
* **Assure coordination of the Plan with other international bird conservation programs and initiatives.*
**Goal**
- Continue to define the Council’s relationship to related conservation programs and initiatives, as well as approach to developing and strengthening alliances.

## Outputs

**Outputs**
- 1. 	Understand the magnitude of the challenge to integrate the scope of the waterbird plan with other regional/ hemispheric-wide initiatives.
- 2. 	Identify priority initiatives.
- Agree to strategy for increasing integration with relevant initiatives.

## Americas is a region of contrasts

***Americas is a region of contrasts***
-  Richest and poorest nations (and everything in between)
-  Some of the Poorer nations with much of the biodiversity and greatest number of threatened species (exception - Hawaii)
-  Priorities in many countries – health, education, nutrition
-  Environment often a minor consideration (waterbirds?)

## Our knowledge and capacity base is varied

***Our knowledge and capacity base is varied***
-   ~**800** species in North America/ **3,300** species in rest of Americas
-  New species (18/ 35 new species to science from Americas since 2000) (e.g., Carizzal Seedeater - 3 specimens, habitat now gone)
-  Growing capacity - ornithological societies growing in Neotropics (Brazil, Argentina, Peru, Chile, Bolivia, Ecuador, Colombia, SCSCB-Caribbean, MCBC, NOC) as are bird focused NGOs

## Available resources for bird conservation skewed to regions and species interests

***Available resources for bird conservation skewed to regions and species interests***
-  North America – close to $300 million/ yr spent on bird conservation (Governments, NGOs, academic, individuals) – *a majority of this on waterfowl*!
-  The rest of the Americas – possibly as much as $10 million (Multilaterals, NGOs, governments, academic)

## Differing conservation priorities (for birds) in North and South 

***Differing conservation priorities (for birds) in North and South ***
-  NABCI and its 4 pillars – shorebirds, waterbirds, landbirds, waterfowls – via Bird Conservation Regions
-  Globally threatened species (7-8% of America’s birds threatened most of which are south of U.S.)
-  Of the waterbirds, the Seabirds are by far the most threatened (>50% on IUCN Red List)
-  Highest priority is on megadiversity countries in key habitats/ ecosystem (Amazon, Andes, Atlantic Forests)

## There is a lot going on...as we move towards a range-wide approach...to waterbird conservation

***There is a lot going on...as we move towards a range-wide approach...to waterbird conservation***
-  Regional bird initiatives (WHMSI, ACAP, WHSRN, PIF)
-  Conventions (Ramsar, CMS, ACAP)
-  Ornithological societies (national and regional)
-  Academic institutes (INBIO, CONABIO)
-  Other biodiveristy initiatives

## Slide 10

## Break...............outs

**Break...............outs**

## Greater Hemispheric Integration

**Greater Hemispheric Integration**
- What are the key initiatives?
- Why are they important?
- How are we working with them?
- What are the priority ones in short-term?
- How should we be engaging them?
- What can the Council offer to these initiatives?

## Greater Hemispheric Integration

**Greater Hemispheric Integration**
-  North America                                                             (Don, Eric, Garry, Jennifer, Kathy, Paul x 3, Xico, George, Debbie, Stephen)
-  Caribbean                                                                  (Lisa, Veronica, Lourdes)
-  South America                                                          (Roberto, Ian)
-  Central America and Mexico                                   (Humberto, Guy, Ghisselle, Rosabel, Carol)