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The
vision of NABCI-US is simply to Populations and habitats of North America’s birds protected, restored, and enhanced through coordinated efforts at international, national, regional, state, and local levels, guided by sound science and effective management. |
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Birds have always been a source of inspiration and fascination to
people around the globe and from all walks of life. In the United
States, nature-based recreation—from backyard feeders to regional
festivals—is the fastest growing segment of the tourism industry. In
1996, approximately 160 million Americans, or 77% of the population,
spent $29.2 billion to observe, photograph, or feed wildlife—an
increase of more than 39% since 1991. If wildlife watching were a
corporation, it would have ranked 23rd on the Fortune
500 list that year. A high percentage of this recreation involves birds. Birding is growing faster than many other outdoor recreational activities such as biking, pleasure walking, skiing, and golfing; it increased 200% from 21 million participants in 1982-83 to an estimated 63 million in 1997. Birders spend some $20 billion annually in seed, travel, and equipment. The number of major birding festivals has grown from five in 1985 to 140 in 1999. At a National level, economic activity directly associated with enjoyment of birds generated over 191,000 jobs and more than $895 million in sales and income tax revenues in 1991. In addition, three million migratory bird hunters generated $1.3 billion in retail sales, having a total economic multiplier effect of $3.9 billion — considering the 46,000 additional jobs and $176 million in sales and income tax revenues produced. America’s
bird population, however, is showing an alarming decline. Long-term
radar records reveal that numbers of migratory birds passing over the
Louisiana Gulf Coast have declined by half since the 1960s. Birds such
as the cerulean warbler, king rail, loggerhead shrike, and painted
bunting have exhibited a striking decline of 60-75%. The ruffed
grouse, eastern meadowlark, northern bobwhite, and American bittern
have lost 50-58% of their populations, while even more well-known
birds such as the robin, goldfinch, and whip-poor-will have declined
by about 20% in recent years. In greatest jeopardy are the 85 bird
species currently on the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s threatened
and endangered species list. Many
federal, state, and non-governmental wildlife agencies and
organizations working in the United States and abroad have noted the
development of this alarming trend. To address the needs of various
bird groups, they have joined forces in several extensive
partnerships. Some of these individual initiatives include:
While
these efforts have generated some successes, it has been increasingly
recognized that the overlapping conservation interests of these
initiatives could
be better served through more integrated planning and delivery
of bird conservation. The North
American Bird Conservation Initiative in the United
States (NABCI-US) arose out of this realization. The
vision of NABCI-US is simply to see: Populations and habitats of North America’s birds
protected, restored, and enhanced through coordinated efforts at
international, national, regional, state, and local levels, guided by
sound science and effective management.
The
NABCI-US seeks to accomplish this vision by (1) broadening bird
conservation partnerships; (2) working to increase the financial
resources available for conserving birds in the United
States and wherever else they may occur throughout their life
cycle; and (3) enhancing the effectiveness of those resources and
partnerships by facilitating integrated bird conservation. The
NABCI-US will be guided by a set of principles that establish an
operational framework within which this
initiative and its partners may conduct integrated bird conservation
in the United States and in other
countries where these birds spend portions of their life cycles. These
principles will articulate a common
understanding of the relationship between NABCI-US, individual
bird conservation initiatives, and partners.
Such understanding will insure
recognition of federal legislative and international treaty
obligations and state authorities,
and foster respect
for the identity and autonomy of each initiative. A brief history and
status of the major North American bird conservation initiatives is
included. The fundamental components of the conservation approach to
be used by NABCI-US
are expressed within its goal: To
deliver the full spectrum of bird conservation through regionally
based, biologically driven, landscape-oriented partnerships. In
striving to accomplish this goal, NABCI-US
partners are working together “to take bird conservation to
the next level.” Birds
have a unique relationship with humans because they share our lives in
ways that other groups of wildlife species do not. Because of their
unique status in human societies, the protection and restoration of
bird populations and habitats demands and deserves special emphasis
among our conservation efforts. Fortunately, these efforts will
directly benefit the environment and habitats shared by virtually all
other species—including ours. |
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American Bird Conservation Initiative Email:Webmaster |