The existing network of bird conservation partners and resources provides an excellent opportunity for land trusts to engage in conservation at different scales. This Resource Directory is designed especially for land trusts: bringing many of the resources together in one place and helping navigate the resources to find what is pertinent to land trusts. The resources can be useful for land trusts’ funding proposals, community outreach, strategic conservation planning, land acquisition and easement justification, management plan development, and monitoring. The resources on these pages are organized by four categories – Engaging People, Planning, Management Guides, Presentations and Publications, and Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Justice.
If there are additional resources that you’ve found helpful and would like added to the site, please email us with the resource name, category in which it should be listed, online link, and a description of how it’s useful to land trusts. We value your contributions!
Celebrate Urban BirdsCelebrate Urban Birds is a citizen-science project developed to reach diverse urban audiences who do not already participate in science or scientific investigation. The project collects data from participants, providing valuable knowledge of how different environments influence birds in urban areas.
- Download eBird Data
eBird has open data access products available in several formats that can be helpful in your strategic conservation planning, scientific modeling, and analyzing data from your land trust hotspots. Note: You must have an eBird account and be logged in…
- eBird Abundance Maps
Abundance maps illustrate the relative abundance patterns of bird species throughout the year. For example, this information includes where a bird breeds, migrates, winters, or stays year-round. Abundance maps can be viewed for a bird’s full annual life cycle or…
- eBird Trends Maps
For the first time you’ll be able to see exactly where bird populations are increasing or decreasing within an 8-mile radius, an area smaller than many counties. Building knowledge about trends at a local level will also help us answer questions about climate change using birds as environmental indicators.
- eBird Trip Reports
Looking for new ways to tell stories on your land? eBird Trip Reports are a great way for land trusts to engage the birding community and share birding stories.
With eBird trip reports, birders can compile their eBird checklists to make…
- eBird: A Tool for Land Trusts Presentation
A presentation on eBird, what it is, how land trusts can best utilize it, and an introduction to its various features such as eBird’s Location Explorer, HotSpot Explorer, Species Distribution Maps, and Data Download.
- Feminist Bird Club
The Feminist Bird Club is dedicated to promoting inclusivity in birding while fundraising and providing a safe opportunity for members of the LGBTQIA+ community, BIPOC, and women to connect with the natural world.
- Forestland Ecosystem Guide
Guides in this section are representative of landscapes or natural woodland systems dominated by trees and other woody plants where tree cover typically ranges from 25% – 100% cover.
- Grassland Ecosystem Guide
Guides in this section are representative of landscapes dominated by grasses and other herbaceous species. Tree and shrub cover is typically less than 10%.
- Important Bird Areas
The Important Bird Areas Program is a global initiative of BirdLife International, implemented by Audubon and local partners in the United States. The IBA program identifies and aims to conserve areas that are vital to birds and other biodiversity.
