Waterbird Plan

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Waterbird Conservation for the Americas is an international partnership, working regionally, to conserve birds dependent on aquatic habitats. The partnership focuses on sustaining or restoring waterbird populations throughout the lands and waters of North America, Central America, and the Caribbean.

WaterbirdPlan
Waterbird Conservation for the Americas

The North American Waterbird Conservation Plan (the Plan) is a product of the partnership. The Plan provides a continental-scale framework for the conservation and management of 210 species of waterbirds, including seabirds, coastal waterbirds, wading birds, and marsh birds in 29 nations. Version 1 of the Plan provides an overarching continental framework and guide for conserving waterbirds. It recommends continent-wide monitoring; provides an impetus for regional conservation planning; proposes national, state, provincial and other local conservation planning and action; and gives a larger context for local habitat protection. A “virtual” version 2 of the Plan has new and updated plan elements presented online. These elements include more guidance on the conservation of non-colonial waterbirds and details on the needs and priorities of various planning regions within the overall Plan area.

What can Waterbird Conservation for the Americas offer land trusts?

The waterbird partnership provides a priority list of birds, along with each species’ status, which can be used by land trusts to make strategic conservation decisions and identify partners. Potential partners for waterbird work can often be found through regional Joint Ventures (internal link to Joint Venture page).

Waterbird plans and resources are also available at the regional level. In many areas, regional plans have been created to scale down continental priorities.