The Important Bird Areas Program in the United States: building a network of sites for conservation, state by state

Abstract

The Important Bird Area (IBA) program is an international effort to identify, conserve, and monitor a network of sites that provide essential habitat for bird populations. BirdLife International began the IBA program in Europe in 1985. Since that time, BirdLife partners in more than 100 countries have joined together to build the global IBA network. Audubon (BirdLife partner-designate for the United States) has been working since 1995 to identify and conserve hundreds of IBAs throughout the United States. There are 46 state IBA programs now underway in the United States with paid staff coordinators in 40 states. Ten states have completed documented IBA inventories totaling more than 1500 IBAs and encompassing more than 14.4 million hectares. The IBA program sets science based conservation priorities and engages local action to safeguard the most essential sites for bird populations. More than 4,000 people have participated in the IBA nomination and conservation effort across the United States.

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

Wells, Jeffrey V.; Niven, Daniel K.; Cecil, John. 2005. The Important Bird Areas Program in the United States: building a network of sites for conservation, state by state. 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 2 Gen. Tech. Rep. PSW-GTR-191. Albany, CA: U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Research Station: p. 1265-1269