David N. Pashley ¹

A clear statement of objectives increases the likelihood that any endeavor will be successful. For conceptually simple conservation projects, such as those targeted to a single species or a single plot of ground, objectives are reasonably easy to phrase. However, objectives for complex conservation projects, such as those intended to protect the health of a continental avifauna, are difficult to phrase explicitly. Partners in Flight began such a grand endeavor with simple-minded objectives, such as “keep common birds common,” and to “reverse declines of migratory birds.” Recently, one of PIF’s greatest accomplishments has been the insertion of rigorous standards into the means by which bird conservation objectives are set.

The first two papers in this section address this thought process. First, Mike Carter and co-authors lay out the PIF Species Prioritization Process that is at the core of the objective-setting process. Then, Ken Rosenberg and Jeff Wells build on this structure, adding important insights based on more detailed investigations of bird distribution and population status.

Establishing priority species is but the first step in setting objectives, however. Both logistical and conceptual obstacles still remain. The third paper, by E. J. Williams and myself, addresses the logistical issue of conflicting means of carving up the geography of the continent into conservation planning units.

The four remaining papers in this section deal with conceptual issues. The first two, by Frank Thompson and co-authors and by Terri Donovan and co-authors, wrestle with many of the "big picture" concepts to which these groups of authors have made enormous contributions over the years. Then, Carol Beardmore and Jeff Hatfield deal specifically with Population Viability Assessment, a potentially powerful tool in setting objectives for less common species. Finally, Mike Conroy reminds us all that objectives, once set, should never be cast in stone, but rather should be subjected to continual reanalysis and revision as knowledge is gained and the results of conservation actions are evaluated.