Conservation Priorities for Landbirds of the Pacific Coast of Oregon and Washington

Abstract

Conservation of landbirds in western Oregon and Washington is being guided by two Bird Conservation Plans, a Coniferous Forest plan and a Lowlands and Valley plan. In coniferous forests, all seral stages are recognized as important to maintain avian communities, although late-successional habitats are a priority because of their reduced presence across the landscape. Conservation priorities focus on forest management and providing habitat conditions and special habitat attributes for focal species at site and landscape scales. The best approach for implementing landbird conservation will be incorporating bird conservation objectives into policy and planning of forest management agencies and private companies. The best tools for measuring the success of conservation efforts include habitat monitoring of desired conditions and population monitoring of resident birds. Priority habitats in the lowlands and valleys include grassland, oak, and riparian. Conservation priorities emphasize protection and restoration activities, and enhancing populations for many declining species. Securing protection status for important areas and conducting restoration activities is likely to be the best approach for the declining and heavily impacted grassland, oak, and riparian habitats. The best tools for measuring the success of conservation efforts include tracking the amount and condition of land secured for conservation, and tracking populations of declining and sensitive species. With limited resources, the two most important conservation activities to implement now for landbirds in western Oregon and Washington are protection and management of high priority lowland sites, and institutionalizing landbird conservation into forest management policy and planning.

Parent Publication

• Bird Conservation Implementation and Integration in the Americas: Proceedings of the Third International Partners in Flight Conference. 2002 March 20-24; Asilomar, California, Volume 1 and 2

Citation

Altman, Bob. 2005. Conservation Priorities for Landbirds of the Pacific Coast of Oregon and Washington. In: Ralph, C. John; Rich, Terrell D., editors 2005. Bird Conservation Implementation and Integration in the Americas: Proceedings of the Third International Partners in Flight Conference. 2002 March 20-24; Asilomar, California, Volume 1 Gen. Tech. Rep. PSW-GTR-191. Albany, CA: U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Research Station: p. 143-148