Important Bird Areas of Virginia Outreach Program

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Important Bird Areas of VirginiaOutreach Program
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What is the IBA Program?

• The IBA Program is a global effort to conserve
  critical bird habitat.
• Through BirdLife International and its partners
  such as the National Audubon Society in the US,
  the IBA Program nowincludes IBA sites all over
  the globe.

Location of IBAs of Global Significance
BirdLife International 2009
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Primary Goals

• The primary goal of the Program is to identify
  the areas that provide the most essential habitat
  to nesting, migrating, or wintering birds and
  then work to better protect those areas. Through
  this 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.

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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!
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IBAs Are a Unique Means of Protection

• 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 areas that stand out from the
  surrounding landscape. IBAs may include public or
  private lands, or both, and they may be protected
  or unprotected.

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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 tangible bird conservation
  projects that will better protect our natural
  resources. Effective conservation can only be
  accomplished with the participation and support
  of people like you! Supporting the IBA project
  through contribution of your time, research, and
  donations assures that the generations that
  follow us will have continued opportunities to
  observe wildlife in its natural habitat. If you
  would like to donate to the Virginia IBA program,
  please visit the website

Upper Blue Ridge Mountains IBA Together Green
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Virginia IBAs

• In 2006, over 200 volunteers gathered together
  to restore 20 acres of a degraded field on
  Presquile NWR - a part of the Lower James River
  IBA.
• Volunteers planted over 3500 native trees and
  shrubs on the refuge to provide habitat and help
  to control erosion and invasive species. It was a
  truly impressive achievement. Private landowners
  are also advancing the efforts of bird
  conservation within IBAs by signing up for Farm
  Bill programs that offer cost-share incentives to
  improve wildlife habitat on farms and rural lands
  (read more about the private landowner
  initiative).
• Conservation of IBAs is dependent on the passion
  and hard work of local volunteers and committed
  partners and together we can ensure that these
  special places will remain so for generations to
  come.

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Presquile IBA Day
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How Will IBAs Help Birds?

• Identifying IBAs encourages larger bird
  conservation initiatives. IBA Inventories provide
  a scientifically defensible method for
  prioritizing conservation activities and
  allocates limited conservation dollars to ensure
  the maximum benefit to birds.

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Virginia IBAsCLICK FOR A MAP OF ALL IBAs

• The Virginia Important Bird Areas Program was
  initiated to help ensure the protection of the
  most essential places for birds in the state.
  The Virginia Audubon Council partnered with the
  Virginia Society Of Ornithology, the Virginia
  Department of Game Inland Fisheries, and the
  National Audubon Society to establish the program
  in 2002. An IBA Technical Committee was soon
  created to facilitate the nomination and review
  of potential IBAs throughout the state. Members
  on this committee and other important partners
  represent over 15 different conservation and
  management groups throughout the state.

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Virginia IBAs

• Virginia is a state rich with natural beauty and
  diversity. Extending from the expansive forests
  of the Ridge and Valley, to the rolling hills of
  the Piedmont, to the marshes and barrier islands
  of the coastal plain, Virginia has a remarkable
  diversity of habitats.
• Not surprisingly, this incredible habitat
  diversity supports an equally impressive
  diversity of bird life. Over 400 bird species
  have been recorded either breeding, wintering, or
  migrating through Virginia.
• Native birds bring enjoyment, educational
  opportunities, and economic vitality to many
  parts of our state and have helped to maintain
  the biological diversity upon which our natural
  world depends.

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Virginia IBAs

• The Center for Conservation Biology, with
  funding from the Department of Environmental
  Quality's Coastal Zone Management Program, has
  contributed significantly to IBA designation on
  the coastal plain.
• To date, the Virginia IBA Technical Committee
  has recognized 19 IBAs that span the broad
  diversity of habitats from the sandy coastal
  beaches to the rugged mountains of the
  Appalachians and everything in between.
• Identification of new IBAs will be an ongoing
  process as more information about potential sites
  is gathered from conservation partners and
  citizen scientists.

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IBA Fact Sheets (CLICK NAME TO VIEW FULL SHEET)
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Local Governments

• The primary goal of the Program is to identify
  the areas that provide the most essential habitat
  to nesting, migrating, or wintering birds and
  then work to better protect those areas. We want
  to form partnerships with local governments to
  help protect land that will, in turn, benefit
  high priority species and their habitats, and to
  help raise awareness regarding the economic
  values of protecting critical wildlife habitat
  sites. We have GIS map files to share with
  local governments for placing in updates to
  comprehensive plans. Please contact the Virginia
  IBA Coordinator Mary Elfner. Or call (804)
  788-7660 for copies of the VA IBA GIS map files.
  CLICK TO VIEW VIRGINIA IBA MAP

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Private Landowners

• Private landowners are also advancing the
  efforts of bird conservation within IBAs by
  signing up for Farm Bill programs that offer
  cost-share incentives to improve wildlife habitat
  on farms and rural lands.In Virginia, we are
  helping to coordinate the State Acres for
  Wildlife Enhancement (SAFE) conservation reserve
  program in the Culpeper Basin Important Bird
  Area. If you are interested in learning more
  about this tool for managing land to help
  grassland and shrubland bird species, click on
  the frequently asked questions links below

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How can I get involved with the IBA 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. LINK TO SUGGESTIONS ON
  THE WEB
• Contact the IBA Coordinator, Mary Elfner, at
  melfner_at_audubon.org, for opportunities.

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Successes Achievements

• Conservation activities at Important Bird Areas
  are happening across the United States and range
  from land acquisition to habitat restoration,
  advocacy on the behalf of IBAs and the education
  of local communities about their unique birds and
  bird habitats.
• Read more about IBA program success at the
  National Audubon website.

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For Conservation Organizations Others
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Contact Information

• Mary A. Elfner
• Virginia IBA Coordinator
• National Audubon Society
• [phone] office
• Email melfner_at_audubon.org
• Visit the website

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• Thanks to
• Megan Rollins, Virginia Department of
  Conservationand Recreation, and Bob Schamerhorn
  of Infinity Graphics for the IBA map.
• David Bryan for review, and Tom Jones
  ofAdviceGuys for production of the presentation.
• And to the contributing photographers Mary
  Elfner,Carolyn Fields, Greg Lavaty, Naseem Resa,
  BobSchamerhorn, Al Warfield and Aimee Weldon
• Grants from the Virginia Department of Game
  InlandFisheries and from TogetherGreen
  Innovations havemade this presentation possible.