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IBA
Contact
Mary
Elfner
IBA Coordinator
IBA
Office
530 E. Main Street
Suite 810
Richmond, VA 23219
804-788-7660
Audubon
Links
Virginia Audubon Council
National
Audubon Society
IBA
Partners
Coastal
Zone Management Program
VA
Department of Game and Inland Fisheries
Virginia
Society of Ornithology
Center
for
Conservation Biology
VA IBA Nomination
Nomination
Form (.pdf)
Instructions
(.pdf)
Nomination
Form (.doc)
Instructions
(.doc)
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Frequently
Asked Questions about
Important Bird Areas
The IBA Program is a global effort to
conserve bird populations. Since its inception in the 1980's by
BirdLife International, participation in the Program has spread to
nearly every continent on the globe! Audubon runs the IBA Program
in the United States and is the official partner designate of BirdLife
International.
The primary goal of the Program is to
identify the areas that provide to most essential habitat to nesting,
migrating, or wintering birds and then work to better protect those
areas. Through this simple approach, millions of acres of habitat
on over 10,000 IBAs have received better protection across the globe.
We have identified over 1,900 IBAs in the US alone and this number
continues to grow.
- What
is an IBA?
First of all,
an IBA is not an "Important Birding Area" - it is an "Important
(for) Bird Area". In other words, it's about the birds!
Important Bird Areas, or IBAs, are sites that provide essential
habitat for one or more species of birds. IBAs may be a few acres
or thousands of acres, but they are usually discrete sites that
stand out from the surrounding landscape. IBAs may include public
or private lands, or both, and they may be protected or unprotected.
Visit http://www.audubon.org/bird/iba/iba_intro.html
for more information.
- How
will IBAs help birds?
Good question!
The identification of IBAs is an important first step in larger bird
conservation initiatives. IBA inventories provide a scientifically
defensible method for prioritizing conservation activities and allocating
limited conservation dollars to ensure the maximum benefit to birds.
Visit http://www.audubon.org/bird/iba/help_birds.html
for more information)
- Why
are IBAs important to me?
The IBA project
is a grassroots effort that seeks to involve all people in every
step of the process. It offers everyone the opportunity to
contribute to bird conservation through community involvement in
specific and tangible bird conservation projects that will better
protect our natural resources (See 'How can I get Involved with the
Program). Effective conservation can only be accomplished with the
participation and support of people like you! Supporting the IBA project through
contribution of your personal time, research, and monies assures that
the generations that follow us will have even greater opportunities
to observe wildlife in it's natural habitat.
- How can I get involved with the Program?
There are many ways
for you to get involved in the IBA Program, either as a group or
individually. Volunteers are currently needed to assist in both
IBA identification and conservation activities. Contact the IBA Coordinator,
Mary Elfner, at melfner@audubon.org,
for current opportunities.
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How
do I find out more about the Virginia IBA Project?
Contact the
IBA Coordinator, Mary Elfner, at melfner@audubon.org
for more information on the Virginia IBA Project.
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