Arizona

To view our statewide Arizona IBA website, get announcements, use our on-line AZ IBA Bird Survey Database, review our IBA list, and get technical bird survey documents, visit www.aziba.org (hosted by Tucson Audubon Society). Arizona's Important Bird Areas (IBA) Program was established with Audubon in 2001. The program is co-administered between Audubon Arizona and the Tucson Audubon Society. Tucson Audubon laid the groundwork for and has coordinated the IBA program full-time since 2002. The program has established an active Arizona IBA Science Committee composed of members from all over the state which review IBA nominations and data and approve the identification of state IBAs. The Science Committee sets the Arizona IBA specific benchmarks for IBA criteria provided by National Audubon, as well as provides guidance on bird survey data collection needs and methodology. Audubon Arizona leads the process of IBA identification, compiles the Arizona IBA Database with National Audubon Science and pursues the Recognition of Identified IBAs and publicity for these areas. It also integrates IBAs and the birds they support into Audubon state policy. Audubon Arizona with the AZ IBA Program Conservation Biologist at Tucson Audubon helps chapters and partner agencies in the conservation of IBAs. Tucson Audubon AZ IBA Program office coordinates the Avian Science Initiative and Southern Arizona IBA Conservation Initiative. The Avian Science Initiative is an effort to collect science-based bird survey inventory data at sites for IBA identification and continued monitoring at priority Identified IBAs through citizen and agency efforts. IBA Bird Survey Teams composed of citizens and agency personnel are trained, coordinated, and facilitated through the AZ IBA Avian Science Initiative. Audubon Arizona also assists with IBA team coordination. The Tucson Audubon AZ IBA Program office manages all IBA bird survey data and manages a web accessible AZ IBA Bird Survey Database (aziba.org) that allows analysis and reports of bird survey data from IBA survey locations to both participants and partnering agencies. The AZ IBA Program at Tucson Audubon also pursues avian research on species of concern (part of the Avian Science Initiative), as well as education, outreach, and conservation and protection efforts associated with IBAs in southern Arizona, i.e., the Arizona Borderlands IBA Initiative. The Avian Science Initiative of the AZ IBA Program is part of the state Coordinated Bird Monitoring (CBM) program, overseen by the Arizona Bird Conservation Initiative (ABCI) at Arizona Game and Fish Department. Audubon has partnered with Maricopa Community Colleges, the Phoenix Unified School District, Arizona State University, and the University of Arizona to involve student participation in the program, including GIS projects, riparian habitat monitoring, IBA bird monitoring, and IBA stewardship projects. Four avian habitat conservation plans/guides for AZ IBAs, as well as a riparian habitat management guide for landowners have been produced by the AZ IBA Program. Significant conservation successes have been achieved in terms of new acres under conservation (including restoration) management since the IBA program inception with Audubon. The AZ IBA Program works in partnership with the Arizona Game and Fish Department (through the Arizona Bird Conservation Initiative), the Sonoran Joint Venture, the Intermountain West Joint Venture, Arizona State Parks, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Forest Service, BLM, and various non-governmental organizations, colleges, and universities.