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Important
Bird Areas
An Important Bird Area is a site that provides essential habitat to one
or more bird species during some portion of the year, including breeding
season, migration and/or winter. An Important Bird Area may be on private
or public land, may be currently protected or not, and may range in size
from a few acres to hundreds of thousands of acres. The program draws
on science-based criteria and grassroots participation to identify and
conserve a network of key habitats for birds. The recognition of a site
does not confer any legal or regulatory status, and is entirely voluntary
on the part of landowners and land managers. Sites may be nominated by
a range of individuals, including local Audubon chapter members, public
land managers, or local residents.
History
of the Important Bird Areas Program
Important Bird Areas originated in
Europe, in the mid-1980s, under the auspices of BirdLife
International. Since the program’s inception, over 3200
sites have been identified in 32 countries. In North America, programs
are underway in Mexico, Canada, and the United States.
In
the United States, Audubon has focused on developing state-based programs
in cooperation with state and local organizations. Audubon pioneered the
first statewide Important Bird Area program in Pennsylvania in 1995. Important
Bird Area programs are currently underway in over 30 states, where more
than 500 sites have been recognized.
At
the state level, the basic procedure involves:
1.
establishing state-specific criteria for identification of sites;
2. soliciting Important Bird Area nominations from Audubon members, land
managers, landowners, and others;
3. reviewing nominated sites;
4. reporting approved sites; and
5. collaborating with landowners and land managers, and local, regional
and state organizations to pursue stewardship, restoration and education
efforts at Important Bird Area sites.
Important
Bird Areas in Colorado
The Colorado Important Bird Area program began in 1999. During the first
year, Rocky Mountain
Bird Observatory, with help from Audubon Colorado, worked
to facilitate a first round of site nominations and review. Coordinators
formed a Technical Review Committee, consisting of seven respected volunteers
from the Colorado birding community (see Appendix A for a list of committee
members). The committee then determined state-specific criteria for decision-making
(a list of the five Colorado criteria follows this introduction). A site
must meet only one of the criteria to qualify as an Important Bird Area,
though most will meet several.
Future
Plans
To ensure that the Important Bird Area program is meeting its set
objectives, Audubon Colorado will focus in 2001 on bridging the gaps between
sites identified in years one and two and existing bird conservation plans.
Specifically, the Important Bird Area Coordinator will analyze the relationship
of the Colorado
Partners In Flight Bird Conservation Plan to the identified
sites in Colorado. In addition, she will determine which criteria have
not yet been sufficiently met by the current sites (e.g., which species,
habitats, and geographic regions are not yet covered by Important Bird
Areas). The Coordinator and Technical Committee will pursue additional
site nominations to fill the identified gaps and achieve more comprehensive
coverage of desired species, habitats, and geographic areas.
During 2001,
Audubon will also seek to work cooperatively with landowners, land managers,
local Audubon chapters, and other community organizations to support stewardship,
habitat restoration, and education projects at numerous Important Bird
Area sites throughout the state.
Nominate
an Area
To nominate an Important Bird Area, simply print and complete the following
Nomination Form.
Visit
National
Audubon's Important Bird Area site.
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