40 T R O P I C A L C O N S E R V A N C Y

INTRODUCTIONCanada’s prairies are alive with Bobolinks (Dolichonyxoryzivorus) every summer. With the approach of winter,they travel south. Guided by the stars and oriented to theEarth’s magnetic field, they make a staggering journeyto a narrow swath of grassland habitat in Brazil, Paraguayand Argentina. The Bobolink’s annual round-trip odysseyof over 20,000 kilometres is one of the longest of anyNorth American songbird. Another “extreme” migrant,the Blackpoll Warbler (Dendroica striata) braves a non-stop migration of up to 100 hours over the Atlantic Oceanfrom boreal forests in the Maritimes to South America.The Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Archilochus colubris)leaves its Canadian habitat each fall in search of flowernectar, consuming a gram of fat - one quarter of its bodyweight - in a continuous flight across the Gulf of Mexico(Nature Canada 2003).Canada provides habitat for approximately 470 species ofmigrating and non-migrating birds (Canadian Museum ofNature 2004). These habitats are under increasing pressurefrom threats such as urban expansion, industrial agriculture,

logging, mining and pollution. Two Canadian organizations– Nature Canada (NC) and Bird Studies Canada (BSC) arepartners in an effort to conserve birds and their habitats. Ourwork spans a broad spectrum of activities, from scientificresearch to support for on-the-ground conservation projects.We also monitor national laws, regulations and policies thataffect the conservation of birds in Canada, and collaboratewith industry in finding solutions in areas where bird habitatis threatened by natural-resource extraction.However, our efforts to conserve birds that occur inCanada are not conf ined to Canadian soi l . Theterrific migrations of species like the Bobolink, theBlackpol l Warb le r and the Ruby- th roa tedHummingbird remind us that bird conservation mustbe an international endeavour. 90% of birds thatbreed in Canada migrate beyond our borders (NatureCanada 2003). Protecting habitat for birds withinCanadian boundar ies i s the re fore on ly ha l f theequation. In order to ensure that our migrants returneach spring, we must also work to conserve theirvital habitat beyond our borders.

From the Tundra to Tierra del Fuego: Protecting Key Sitesfor Birds in Canada and throughout the Western Hemisphere

Andrea LockwoodNature Canada

85 Albert Street,Suite 900

Ottawa, OntarioK1P 6A4

alockwood@nature-canada.ca

Andrew CouturierBird Studies Canada

P.O. Box 160,Port Rowan

Ontario, Canada,N0E 1M0

acouturier@bsc-eoc.org

L. Sarah WrenNature Canada

swren@naturecanada.ca

Andrea Lockwood, Andrew Couturier and L. Sarah Wren

Abstract. Canada provides habitat for more than 470 species of migrating and non-migrating birds. They provide a

number of ecosystem services; biological control, pollination, seed dispersal, seed germination and nutrient recycling.However their habitats are under increasing pressure from threats such as urban expansion, industrial agriculture,logging, mining and pollution. In order to ensure that our migrants return each spring, we must also work to conserve

their vital habitat beyond our borders. Birds are important to conserve in their own right as they are an effectiveindicator taxon for environmental change; they are relatively large and diurnal, birds are close to ubiquitousgeographically, are high on the food chain therefore reflecting change in a diversity of organisms and they are

relatively long-lived so studies can be conducted over a number of years. Their distribution therefore helps us toidentify areas where measures to conserve biodiversity are especially critical. Not all sites can be conserved soImportant Bird Areas (IBAs) have been identified which are conservation priorities. Sites selected as IBAs are

effective in capturing a high proportion of threatened, endemic and representative wildlife species other than birds.

A, Bobolink(Dolichonyx

oryzivorus) (Photo ©John Davidson,

Ottawa, Canada);B, Ruby-throated

Hummingbird(Archilochus colubris)

(© John Davidson)

A B

41B I O D I V E R S I T Y 6 ( 3 ) 2 0 0 5

PART OF A GLOBAL EFFORTThe planet has lost more than 150 bird species since theyear 1500 and the rate of extinction is on the rise. Today,one in eight or 12 % of the world’s birds are threatenedwith global extinction (BirdLife International 2004). Manycommon species are in decline and threatened speciesare becoming increasingly threatened. Populations ofsome bird species are exhibiting rapid and severe decline.The loss of bird species is primarily linked to habitatdestruction, degradation and fragmentation, particularlyrelated to unsustainable forestry, and the expansion andintensification of agriculture. Some other pressuresinclude infrastructure development, the spread of invasivealien species (see Effects of Invasive Alien Plants onBirds by Paul Catling page 30), air, land and waterpollution, and climate change. In the absence of concertedand rapid global action, threats to birds and their habitatswill intensify and extinction rates will continue to increase.

The world’s leading authority on the status of birds andtheir habitats, BirdLife International (BLI) is a globalall iance of approximately 100 national, non-governmental, conservation organizations workingtogether to conserve birds, their habitats and globalbiodiversity. The BirdLife (BL) network boastsapproximately 2.5 million members and eight millionsupporters worldwide. BL partners combine actions atthe local, national and international levels. Initiativesrange from helping local communities protect specificsites to co-ordinated work on multilateral environmentalagreements such as the United Nations Convention onBiological Diversity. BLI recognizes that the lives ofthe planet’s six billion people and the survival of its10,000 bird species are inextricably linked. As such,BL partners work to achieve their conservation goalsthrough the promotion of sustainable human livelihoods.Nature Canada (NC) and Bird Studies Canada (BSC) areCanada’s BirdLife partners. NC is a member-based, not-for-profit, nature conservation organization dedicated toprotecting nature, its diversity, and the processes that sustainit. With strategies based on sound science and passion fornature, NC effects change on issues of national significance,including bird conservation, wilderness protection, speciesat risk and national parks. Through public outreach andeducation, as well as its network of 40,000 individualsupporters and more than 350 naturalist organizationsoperating at the local, regional and provincial levels - NCis working to build a nature ethic in Canada.BSC is recognized nation-wide as a leading, respectedand not-for-profit conservation organization dedicatedto advancing the understanding, appreciation andconservation of wild birds and their habitats, in Canadaand elsewhere, through studies that engage the skills,enthusiasm and support of its members, volunteers, staffand the interested public. BSC works at a variety ofscales – from local to international – to achieve itsmission, and recognizes that a comprehensive approachis required to keep common birds common. At the core

of BSC’s success are thousands of volunteer scientistswho participate in a multitude of bird-monitoringprograms.

WHY CONSERVE BIRDS?The world’s birds are valuable in their own right and inmany societies they also have cultural and spiritual value.At the same time, however, there are compelling scientificand economic justifications for bird conservation.We cannot possibly measure and monitor allbiodiversity. It is simply too resource intensive. Wemust therefore use proxy taxa as indicators. Changesin the overall threat status of these proxy taxa tell ushow human activities threaten broader biodiversity.Birds are an effective indicator taxon for severalreasons. Some of these include the following:

we know more about birds than any comparablegroup of organisms. This can be attributed to anumber of factors . For example, bi rds arerelatively easy to identify and study because theytend to be larger and more conspicuous than manyother organisms, and because most species arediurnal;birds occur almost everywhere on the planet,occupying a multi tude of habitats and broadgeographical ranges, and can therefore tell us aboutenvironmental changes occurring from the polesto the equator;their relatively high placement in food chainsallows us to monitor environmental changeaffecting a great diversity of organisms; andtheir relatively long life spans allow us to study theeffects of longer scale perturbations.

Birds are also useful indicators of species-richness andendemism patterns around the world. Their distributiontherefore helps us to identify areas where measures toconserve biodiversity are especially critical.

The economic role of birds is substantial. Birds havetremendous popular appeal, and their direct contributionto the global economy is represented by the money wespend travelling to birdwatching destinations, andpurchasing cameras, binoculars, bird feeders and birdseed. In 2001, birdwatching generated approximately$85 billion in overall economic output in the UnitedStates alone (BirdLife International 2004).Birds’ contribution to global ecosystem services faroutweighs their direct economic value. The estimatedcombined value of these services is between US$16trillion and US$54 trillion per year – approximately twicethe world’s Gross National Product (Costanza et al.1997). We have yet to quantify the contribution madeby birds to these services. However, this contributionis thought to be enormous. Some of the services forwhich birds are responsible include the following:

biological control. For example, birds help controlinsects that infest crops. By controlling or limiting

Andrea Lockwood,Coordinator ofInternational Projectsat Nature Canada,works with BirdLifeInternational partnersin Latin America tofacilitateimplementation ofcommunity-basedinitiatives at sites ofkey conservationconcern. Andrea’sgraduate researchexplored the potentialintegration of sandforest conservation andsustainable socio-economicdevelopment in SouthAfrica’s Maputalandregion.

Andrew Couturier,coordinator of the IBAprogram at BirdStudies Canada, usesspatial analysis toolsand technologies toenhance theconservation of birdsand their habitats inCanada and elsewhere.He provides keyexpertise to manystudies related to birdconservation,including breedingbird atlas projects inOntario and theMaritimes.

L. Sarah Wren,ConservationBiologist at NatureCanada, works on theprotection of Canada’sImportant Bird Areas,as well as issuesrelated to theconservation of speciesat risk and federalprotected areas. Sarahstudied thebiogeographic patternsof seed-eating finchesin Newfoundlandduring her graduatework, and recentlycoauthored a speciesstatus report on theNewfoundland RedCrossbill.

42 T R O P I C A L C O N S E R V A N C Y

insect outbreaks in forests, they help to mitigatethe negative economic consequences associatedwith insect herbivory on trees;pollination. Birds are pollen vectors for

approximately five percent of the world’s cultivatedplant species (Daily 1997)seed dispersal. Birds are probably the most

important vertebrate seed dispersers in terms ofnumbers of successful propagules disseminated.(Stiles 2000);seed germination. The pulp-stripping role of birds’

digestive tracts is essential for the germination ofsome seeds; andnutrient cycling and enrichment. Birds play an

essential role in recovering nutrients throughscavenging and coprophagy (feeding on dung).

THE IMPORTANT BIRD AREAS PROGRAMBirds occur everywhere. Some find suitable habitat inthe remote reaches of a dense tropical rainforest, whileothers nest on the roofs of skyscrapers in the world’slargest cities. We cannot conserve every site uponwhich birds depend. Instead, we must focus our effortson those sites that are particularly critical because, forexample, they are inhabited by rare species or hostlarge concentrations of birds.BLI’s Important Bird Areas (IBA) Program works toidentify, monitor and protect all si tes of globalsignificance for birds. Since the program’s inception in1985, BL partners have identified more than 6,400 IBAsin some 167 countries and terri tories (BirdLifeInternational 2004). These sites represent BLI’sconservation priorities. Some are selected on the basisof imminent threats confronting individual species. Inmany cases, however, sites are identified before thebirds that use them become threatened with extinction.

Partners monitor and protect the IBAs in their respectivecountries. The global IBA network maintains species’overall ranges and populations, while also providingmigratory species with a set of vital ‘stepping stones.’At the same time, it unites BL partners around the worldby providing them with a focus for action and advocacyat the local, national and international levels.

A set of internationally agreed-upon, standardized,quantitative and scientifically defensible criteria is usedto identify Important Bird Areas. To qualify as an IBA,a site must meet at least one of these criteria: i) speciesof global conservation concern; ii) assemblage ofrestricted-range species; iii) assemblage of biome-restricted species; and iv) congregations (BirdLifeInternational 2004a). Sites selected as IBAs must alsobe: i) amenable to conservation action and management;and ii) of sufficient size to support self-sustainingpopulations of as many of its key bird species aspossible. Sites selected on the basis of their importancefor migratory species must satisfy the birds’requirements for the duration of their presence.BL partners in Europe, the Middle East, Asia andAfrica have largely completed the process of IBAidentification. Site identification is still underway inparts of the Americas, and in Australasia and CentralAsia (see Map A).

While they are primarily sites of critical importance forthe world’s birds, IBA’s also help us conserve biologicaldiversity as a whole. Sites selected as IBAs areeffective in capturing a high proportion of threatened,endemic and representative wildlife species other thanbirds. This is illustrated in East Africa, where IBAscapture 90 to 97 % of the threatened or endemicmammals, snakes and amphibians that occur in Ethiopia,

Map A.Important Bird Areas

(from The State of theWorld’s Birds 2004,pg. 24, courtesy of

Adrian Long, BirdLifeInternational)

43B I O D I V E R S I T Y 6 ( 3 ) 2 0 0 5

Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda (BirdLife International2004b). Important Bird Areas therefore provide areliable starting point for immediate conservationplanning and action not only for birds, but for other taxaas well. Their use in identifying key biodiversity areas(the most important sites for terrestrial biodiversityconservation worldwide) is particularly vital becausegood information typically exists for birds, while it canbe scarce or patchy for some other types of wildlife.Local people are key to the success of BLI’s conservationefforts. Most threats to the world’s birds are rooted inhuman activity. In many cases, these threats are linkedto global problems such as human overpopulation andincreasing resource consumption. Widespread povertyposes another considerable threat to birds and broaderbiodiversity. The world’s most biologically diverse areastypically occur in the poorest nations. Local people inthese countries are largely dependent upon the natural-resource base for survival. Unsustainable consumptionof natural resources by ever-increasing humanpopulations intensifies pressure on bird habitat.BLI recognizes that, throughout much of the world,impoverished communities and birds are competing fordwindling resources. Working with local people todevelop sustainable alternatives to activities that threatenhabitat for birds and other taxa is therefore central to theBL approach. There are more than 5,000 independent,community-based groups working to conserve birds andpromote the sustainable use of natural resources atImportant Bird Areas around the world. These “site-support groups” or SSGs help protect andmonitor IBAs, while at the same time raisingawareness about their importance in site-adjacent communities. SSG members arelocal people. In many cases, they have beenmanaging the natural resources within andaround a site for generations. BL partnersjoin forces with SSGs in their respectivecountries, harnessing this local expertise andlong-term commitment. Groups receivefinancial and logistical support, and areempowered to influence local and nationaldecision-making processes. This partnershipis vital for achieving genuinely sustainableconservation action at IBAs.

A DECADE OF EXPERIENCE WITHIMPORTANT BIRD AREAS IN CANADAA National NetworkBird Studies Canada and Nature Canadalaunched the Canadian Important Bird AreasProgram in 1996. While BSC takes the leadon IBA designation and data collection, NCfocuses its efforts on site stewardship andprotection, advocacy and communication.The program has three main goals. The firstis to identify a network of IBAs. To date,we have identified 597 sites of national,

continental and global significance (see Map B). Thesesites provide critical habitat for the 56 bird species listedby the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlifein Canada (COSEWIC) as endangered, threatened orof special concern. They also help us ensure thatcommon birds remain common.The second goal of the Canadian IBA Program is todetermine the conservation and stewardshiprequirements at each site. We partner with stakeholdersat the provincial, territorial and local levels to determinethese requirements. To date, we have developedconservation plans articulating concrete conservationand stewardship actions for 136 IBAs. These plansprovide a focus for community involvement.The final goal of the program involves establishingongoing local involvement in site protection andmonitoring at selected IBAs. Nature Canada isprimarily engaged in fulfilling this goal through aninitiative called Important Bird Areas Communities inAction (detailed below).The Canadian Important Bird Areas Program appliesBirdLife International’s IBA criteria as follows:

Threatened Species. The general objective of thiscriterion is to identify sites that regularly holdsignificant numbers of a species that has beenidentified as threatened or at risk of extinction.Restricted-range Species. Species that have a

very limited distribution are vulnerable to habitatloss or natural disturbances. Some endemic species

are abundant within their range and are notMap B.Important Bird Areasin Canada (courtesyof Bird StudiesCanada).

44 T R O P I C A L C O N S E R V A N C Y

considered threatened. Nevertheless, it is importantto include the best or representative sites for thesespecies within the IBA network. Sub-species ordisjunct populations restricted to small areas arealso of concern.Biome-restricted/Representative Species Assem-

blages. The objective of this criterion is to identifysites that have assemblages of birds whose breedingranges are largely restricted to, or representativeof, the various North American biomes.Congregatory Species. Sites meeting this criterion

are important because they hold largeconcentrations of birds during the breeding,wintering and/or migratory seasons. Marine,lacustrine (lake related) and terrestrial sites, andsites over which raptors concentrate are included.Sites may qualify based on a single species ormultiple species present in large numbers.

Canada’s IBA network spans the country from coast tocoast to coast. An IBA on Nunavut’s Ellesmere Islandencompasses nunataks (mountains surrounded by icefields), which shelter breeding colonies representingone-third of the world’s population of Ivory Gulls(Pagophila eburnea) . On Pelee Island, Canada’ssouthernmost point, important habitat for the at-riskEastern Yellow-breasted Chat (Icteria virens virens)has earned the IBA designation. The Witless BayIslands IBA off Newfoundland and Labrador supportsglobally significant colonies of nesting seabirds,including more than half of the eastern North Americanpopulation of Atlantic Puffins (Fratercula arctica) .Canada’s westernmost IBAs include sites dotting isletsaround British Columbia’s Haida Gwaii (the QueenCharlotte Islands), where seabirds such as AncientMurrelets (Synthliboramphus antiquus) and Cassin’sAuklets (Ptychoramphus aleuticus) nest in abundance.Canadian IBAs represent a diverse range of habitats.Certain strictly marine sites are open-ocean upwellingzones or polynyas (an area of open water in sea ice)where seabirds forage. Others encompass tracts of nativegrassland that offer essential habitat for several threatenedprairie species like the Burrowing Owl (Athenecunicularia) and the Ferruginous Hawk (Buteo regalis).Still others are forested sites important for a variety ofbreeding birds such as Bicknell’s Thrush (Catharusbicknelli) , Hooded Warblers (Wilsonia citrine) andMarbled Murrelets (Brachyramphus marmoratus).

CANADIAN IBA’S ON-LINE AND INTERACTIVEIn order for IBA’s to be an effective conservation tool,information concerning their boundaries, biodiversity,threats and other attributes must be available toconservation practitioners. Many BL partners havepublished books that inventory their IBAs. However,given the size of Canada’s IBA network, a publishedbook would have been potentially unwieldy. BSC andNC therefore decided to publish their inventory as adynamic, web-based directory. The Canadian IBA On-

line Directory (http://www.ibacanada.ca ) allows usersto query a database by geographical location, species,threats and other attributes, and returns site summariesfor each of Canada’s 597 IBAs in a layout similar tothose found in printed inventories produced by otherBL partners. Because these site summaries are on-line, corrections and updates are easily accommodated.

The Canadian IBA On-line Directory also provides mapsindicating IBA boundaries. A related Bird Studies Canadawebsite, BirdMap Canada (http://www.bsc-eoc.org/birdmap_e.htm), adds further value by allowing IBApolygons to be overlaid with a variety of national andregional bird biodiversity databases. Currently, data onover 400 bird species from Christmas bird counts,breeding bird surveys, banding records and range mapscan be queried and mapped, and overlaid with mapsshowing the boundaries of IBAs and bird conservationregions. Researchers, conservation planners andinterested members of the public can access thesedatabases through one central location with only a fewmouse clicks. The IBA polygon database is also availableas a download to interested parties. It is requested dozensof times per year, mainly by environmental assessmentpractitioners and conservation groups engaged in thedesign of protected-area networks.One of the greatest challenges facing the Canadian IBAnetwork is ongoing monitoring. A newly developedcomponent of the Canadian IBA On-line Directory is aweb-based checklist tool that allows ordinary citizens toparticipate in monitoring bird populations within IBAs.Their observations are entered on-line and stored in a ‘livingdatabase,’ which can be used to track populations overtime and thereby flag declines at the earliest possible stage.The Important Bird Area designation does not entaillegal protection in Canada. Nature Canada is thereforeworking to ensure that key IBAs are encompassedwithin the nation’s protected-area networks. Theorganization promotes the expansion of these networksthrough the establishment of new national parks,national wildlife areas, marine protected areas andmigratory bird sanctuaries. Equally important are itsefforts to ensure the ecological integrity of these sites.Nature Canada is working to secure protected-areastatus for IBAs where legal protection is critical.(National parks are administered by the Parks CanadaAgency and protect representative samples of eachof Canada’s natural regions. National wildlife areasprotect essential habitat for migratory birds, speciesat risk and other wildlife species. They are owned bythe federal government and adminis tered byEnvironment Canada. Migratory bird sanctuariesoccur on public and private lands and are administeredby Environment Canada. They generally focus onprotecting migratory birds and their breeding groundsduring the breeding season. Finally, marine protectedareas protect marine and aquatic habitat. They aredesignated by Environment Canada, Parks Canada and

45B I O D I V E R S I T Y 6 ( 3 ) 2 0 0 5

the Department of Fisheries and Oceans for differentpurposes).

WORKING WITH PEOPLEIn Canada and throughout the developed world, threats toImportant Bird Areas are not directly linked withunsustainable local resource-consumption patterns to theextent that they are in developing countries. Instead,they are more often related to large-scale habitatdestruction, degradation and fragmentation caused by,for example, unsustainable forestry, urbanization, andthe expansion and intensification of industrial agriculture.Local conservation action is therefore just as critical atNorthern IBAs as it is in developing countries.In 1999, Nature Canada began working with site-supportgroups through an initiative called Important Bird AreasCommunities in Action. The cornerstone of NatureCanada’s on-the-ground conservation efforts at IBAs,

Communities in Action works with groups implementingcritical conservation-related activities at high-prioritysites across the country. The program provides smallgrants of up to $5000 to environmental organizations,naturalist clubs, cottage associations and othersundertaking direct conservation action, on- and off-siteeducation, research and monitoring at these sites.Project activities are diverse. For example, grantrecipients erect fences around nesting sites, deliverpresentations at local schools, plant grass plugs, publish2000-2001 to train volunteers in Bald Eagleinterpretation at the Squamish River Area IBA.Additional grants since then have enabled the Societyto partner with local schools and ecotourism enterprisesin developing a year-round network of communitysupport for the conservation of Bald Eagles at this site.Nature Canada recently completed a review of site-support groups in the Americas. This review concluded

Types of organizationsin the Communities inAction initiative.

Types of projectsin the initiative.

46 T R O P I C A L C O N S E R V A N C Y

that, in Canada, projects at IBAs provide the opportunityfor partnerships among diverse stakeholders. Groupsimplementing these projects take pride in their localIBAs and develop a sense of ownership with respect totheir conservation work. At the same time, NatureCanada found that the SSG model in Canada has certainobstacles to overcome. Principal among these is theproblem of capacity. Groups supported by Communitiesin Action typically comprise a small number ofvolunteers struggling to balance on-the-ground project

implementation, fundraising and associated reportingwith their professional and family obligations. Volunteer‘burnout’ is an ever-present challenge for these groups.The maintenance of site-support groups – in Canada andthroughout the world – is critical. SSGs are a vitalcomponent of our conservation “toolkit.” Even if an IBAachieves official protection, on-the-ground conservationactivities at the site may not happen unless local stakeholdersare engaged. As such, legal protection is not an alternativeto SSGs. The question, therefore, is not whether localparticipation is essential, but rather how the engagementof local people can be achieved most effectively.

A HEMISPHERIC APPROACHBird conservation entails conserving habitat for birdsthroughout their ranges. For Canada’s migratory birdspecies, this means working to secure habitat atImportant Bird Areas throughout the WesternHemisphere. These sites face increasing pressure froma host of threats including, for example, urbanexpansion, large-scale industrial agriculture, the clearingof mangroves for shrimp cultivation, intensive tourismdevelopment, pollution and deforestation for grazing.The loss of critical bird habitat beyond Canadian borderswill spell disaster for billions of migrants, ultimatelycompromising their survival. NC therefore collaborateswith other partners in BL’s Americas division to

implement projects aimed at conserving critical IBAsfor migratory birds in Latin America.The Americas division of BLI comprises 17 national,democratic, membership-based conservation organizationsin sixteen countries throughout North, Central and SouthAmerica, and the Caribbean (including Nature Canadaand Bird Studies Canada). These organizations areimplementing projects at IBAs in 26 countries. They havea combined total of over 1,000 staff and more than half amillion members working to conserve some of theapproximately 4,500 bird species that occur in the WesternHemisphere (http://www.birdlife.org.uk/worldwide/regional/americas/index.html). More than 850 of thesespecies have restricted ranges, and a staggering 12 percentare considered globally threatened, primarily as a result ofhabitat destruction, degradation and fragmentation. TheAmericas partnership raised more than US$80 million forbird conservation in 2004 (BirdLife International 2004c)To date, more than 2,000 Important Bird Areas havebeen identified in the Americas (http:/ /www.-birdlife.org.uk/action/science/sites/american_ibas/index.html?language=en). The goal is to have all IBAsinventoried and mapped by 2007. Site information isincreasingly available through publications producedin English, French, Spanish, Portuguese and other locallanguages.NC’s review of site-support groups in the Americashas revealed that at least 209 groups are recognized.These groups are diverse in their origin, composition,governance and motivation, and they undertake abroad range of project activities. The most explicitd i f ference between the “communi t ies in ac t ion”supported by NC and SSGs in developing countriesto the south is one of motivation. In Canada, groupsworking at IBAs are inspired primarily by the needto conserve birds and their habitats. Conservationobjectives are paramount. However, for impoverishedcommunities in Latin America and the Caribbean,conservation outcomes are often secondary to theachievement of development goals. Groups at IBAsin the South are interested f i rs t and foremost inimproving their livelihoods. For these groups, IBAsare a source of food, building material, fuel and othernecessities. The harvest and sale of their resourcesgenera tes income. The cha l lenge o f SSG en-gagement in the South , therefore , i s to s t r ike abalance between the needs of people and those ofbirds.For BL partners, the key to achieving this balance isf inding ways of generat ing income through theconservation and sustainable use of natural resourcesat IBAs. Such income-generating schemes include,for example, the development of ecotourism venturesand associated businesses such as handicraf tproduction, the harvest and sale of non-timber forestproducts such as honey, and the production of organiccrops like shade-grown cocoa. Income earned from

BA Monitoring is for the Birds atPoint Lepreau, New Brunswick

Twice a year, an inconspicuous wooden monitoring station at PointLepreau/Maces Bay IBA near Saint John, New Brunswick becomes ahive of activity. Over 200 volunteers motivated by their love of birdsconverge on the Point Lepreau Bird Observatory for nine weekseach spring and fall. Their binoculars fixed on the Bay of Fundy, theycount thousands of migrating seaducks, including White-wingedScoters (Melanitta fusca) and Black Scoters (M. nigra). Bird speciesoccur in nationally, continentally and globally significant numbers atthis Important Bird Area, which is subject to heavy tanker traffic andtherefore threatened by oil spills.

Nature Canada’s Communities in Action has supported the PointLepreau Bird Observatory since 2000. This has enabled the SaintJohn Naturalists’ Club to hire a dedicated observer for seaduckmonitoring. The quality of the long-term data set has been enhancedas a result. The expectation is that these data will be used to helpinfluence decision-making with respect to reducing tanker traffic inthe Bay of Fundy.

The Point Lepreau Bird Observatory has garnered well deservedattention. Its monitoring activities have been profiled in the media, andemployees at an adjacent nuclear plant enjoy visiting the observatoryand learning about the project. Meanwhile, the Saint John Naturalists’Club has inspired two other groups further along the Scoters’ migrationroute to initiate their own monitoring regimes.

47B I O D I V E R S I T Y 6 ( 3 ) 2 0 0 5

these kinds of activities can provide communities withwel ls , sani ta t ion systems, c l inics and schools .Meanwhile, because the income-generating activitiesdepend upon the maintenance of healthy ecosystemswithin the IBA, vital habitat for birds and other taxa isconserved.The Upper Bay of Panama, an IBA of globalsignificance, is a veritable mecca for birds. Each year,i t at tracts at least 1.3 mill ion shorebirds (http:/ /www.manomet.org/WHSRN/viewsite.php?id=80). ForCanadian migrants such as the Semipalmated Sandpiper(Calidris pusilla), the Western Sandpiper (C. mauri),and the Semipalmated Plover (Charadrius semipal-matus), the bay is a critical oasis. Its designation as awetland of international importance under the RamsarConvention is testimony to the Upper Bay of Panama’secological significance.NC works closely with Audubon Panamá (BL’s Panamapartner) to ensure the conservation of the Río Bayanoestuary. Located just east of Panama City, this estuaryforms the heart of the Upper Bay of Panama IBA. Over-exploitation of natural resources, urban expansion, poorwaste-management practices and the encroachment ofindustrial agriculture are threatening to destroy thiscritical bird sanctuary, and the livelihoods of localcommunities that depend upon it for survival. Withsupport from the Canadian International DevelopmentAgency’s (CIDA) Environment and SustainableDevelopment Program, Audubon Panamá and NC areworking with two communities bordering the IBA toenhance local l ivelihoods through ecotourismdevelopment.Chinina Abajo and Chepillo Island are poor fishingvillages. Community members are entirely dependentupon the sea for their livelihoods. Clean water is scarcein both communities. While there is a generator onChepillo Island, electricity is unreliable. The people ofChinina Abajo have no electricity. Both communitiesare several miles by boat from proper medical facilities,and education is rudimentary.The people of Chepillo have constructed a tourist hostel.In Chinina, interest in providing entertainment tobirdwatching tourists has revived traditional dance, andiguanas are being raised for sale to local markets. Menand women in both communities are participating in avariety of capacity-building courses related to themanagement of an ecotourism enterprise. Coursesprovide instruction in everything from accounting to birdguiding. Meanwhile, environmental education classeshave been introduced at the local schools. Throughthese activities, community members are developing avested interest in ensuring the preservation of localnatural resources. They are also becoming increasinglyaware of the global importance of their surroundingsfor birds. Enthusiasm in the communities for findingand watching birds is on the rise, and binocularsprovided to community members through the project

A, The Point Lepreau IBA in New Brunswick showing the coastline surrounding the birdobservatory; B, The Bird Observatory where the seaduck migration monitoring is conducted;C, The IBA designation plate.

A

B

C

48 T R O P I C A L C O N S E R V A N C Y

allow them to contribute vital information about birds inthe area.For BL partners that have traditionally focused on thescientific study of birds, working collaboratively with site-support groups to advance conservation objectives atIBA’s is somewhat foreign. This was true for the BirdLifepartner in Paraguay. With funding from CIDA, NC andGuyra Paraguay are working with local people to developconservation-based livelihood opportunities adjacent topatches of eastern Paraguay’s vanishing Atlantic Forest.According to Dr. Rob Clay, Guyra Paraguay’s scienceand planning coordinator, the organization had previouslyfocused on bird and site research. However, that led to

the question “what next?” and the decision that it was“time to do something on the ground to protect birds.”“We are not a social welfare organization,” says Clay,“but we recognize that the welfare of the people aroundthese sites is the key to the long-term health of thesesites.” (Nature Canada 2003)

Joint projects supported by Canadian funds are notsustainable in the long term. BSC and NC are thereforebuilding the capacity of their BL partners in the Southto undertake sustainable development work on their own.At the same time, both organizations are working withtheir Southern partners to ensure that local communitiesare eventually in a position to manage projects withminimal outside assistance.[

THE FUTURE OF THE IBA PROGRAM IN CANADANC and BSC have made substant ia l progress inconserving birds and their habitat in Canada andthroughout the Western Hemisphere since launchingthe Canadian IBA Program almost ten years ago.However, there is still much to be done. There aremany more steps that we need to take in order toreverse the decline of common birds and decreasethe proportion of bird species on our national list ofspecies at risk.One step will involve securing legal protection for keyIBA’s in Canada. While some of the 597 sites in ourIBA network are already included within the boundariesof existing protected areas, many others containingcritical habitat do not.On-the-ground conservation efforts are critical to the futureof Canada’s IBAs. We must work in the coming years to

ensure the sustained engagement of local community groupsat key sites from coast to coast. Greater financial andhuman resources are needed to support the work of existinggroups and enhance their achievements, develop newconservation plans, and expand the number of sites beingconserved through local action.Pr ior i t izat ion of Canada’s IBA’s is a lso cr i t ical .L imi ted human and f inanc ia l resources p reven tNature Canada and Bi rd S tud ies Canada f romdevoting equal attention to all 597 sites. We thereforeneed to identify those IBAs that are most severelythreatened and of greatest global significance forbirds. Developing a list of priority sites will enableus to target conservation action and channel scarceresources more efficiently.We must also continue to raise awareness in Canadaabout the need to consider bird conservation beyondour borders. Communicating the linkages betweenconservation efforts in Canada, and the integration ofpoverty alleviation and habitat protection in LatinAmerica and the Caribbean is crucial.Whatever steps we take in the years ahead, we mustrecognize that IBA’s alone will not safeguard habitatfor birds. IBAs are only one link in the chain. Forbirds such as boreal-breeding songbirds, which arenot concentrated in specific areas, the si te-basedconserva t ion mode l i s no t su f f ic ien t . B i rdconservation therefore demands a broader landscape-based approach . IBA conserva t ion mus t beintegrated with targeted species-conservation efforts,such as specific recovery actions for at-r isk birdspec ies , and wi th l andscape- leve l conserva t ionin i t i a t ives , such as the Nor th Amer ican Bi rdConserva t ion In i t i a t ive . Wi th th i s in tegra tedapproach , Canada wi l l have a mode l fo r b i rdconservation that rivals that of any other partner inthe BirdLife International network.

REFERENCESBirdLife International, 2004a. State of the world’s birds 2004:

indicators for our changing world. Cambridge, UK: BirdLifeInternational. 73pp.

BirdLife International, 2004b. Working Together for Birds andPeople: Delivering Solutions for our Changing World.

BirdLife International, 2004c “Action for Birds and People in theAmericas: Making a Difference Through Partnership (TheConservation Program of the BirdLife Americas Partnership 2004-2008).

Costanza, R., R. D’Arge., R. de Groots, S. Farber, M. Grasso, B. Hannon,K. Limburg, S. Naeem, R. V. O’Neill, J. Paruelo, R. G. Raskin, P.Suttton, & M. van den Belt, 1997. The value of the world’s ecosystemservices and natural capital. Nature 387: 253 – 260.

Daily, Gretchen C. (Ed.), 1997. Nature’s services: societal dependenceon natural ecosystems. Island Press. Washington, D.C. pg 139.

Nature Canada, 2003. “Avian Odyssey: Safeguarding Canada’sMigratory Birds Abroad.”

Stiles, E.W. 2000. Animals as Seed Dispersers. pp. 111-124 in M.Fenner (ed.). Seeds: the ecology of regeneration in plantcommunities. 2nd Edition. CABI Publishing, Wallingford,UK.

Received: 29 July 2005; Accepted: 1 September 2005

Efforts to conserve birds and broader biodiversity in developing countriesthroughout the Americas will be most effective if they are advanced with thehelp of well-trained local biologists. BSC is therefore working to foster homegrownornithological research in Latin America and the Caribbean. The idea is toprovide biologists in the region with training opportunities that further theirornithological knowledge and skills. Since its inception in 1995, the LatinAmerican Training Program has welcomed participants from Brazil, Colombia,Costa Rica, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Jamaica, Mexico,Nicaragua, Panama and Puerto Rico. Training occurs in-country and at theorganization’s headquarters at Long Point in southwestern Ontario.