Planning

Joint Venture Conservation Planning

Effective conservation planning is the foundation for successful bird habitat delivery. The Joint Venture begins conservation planning by stepping down population objectives from continental and national bird conservation plans to the JV region. These regional population objectives are then translated into measurable habitat objectives through a scientific process described in the Joint Venture Implementation Plan and Bird-group Strategies.

A Waterfowl Foundation

When the North American Waterfowl Management Plan (NAWMP) was developed in 1986 to guide the recovery of declining continental waterfowl populations, “joint ventures” were described as regional partnerships of conservation organizations that would be required to achieve NAWMP goals. Because biological and social systems vary considerably across North America, the JV concept was adopted to account for regional differences while working toward continental goals. The subsequent recovery of many waterfowl populations is a testament to the effectiveness of this approach.

The original Implementation Plan for the UMGL JV was finalized in 1993 and updated in 1998. At that time JV partners mutually agreed to safeguard the waterfowl habitats of the nation’s only inland coastal area – the Great Lakes – plus interior wetlands, including the floodplains of four of the country’s major river systems – the lower Missouri, upper Mississippi, the Illinois, and Ohio. The 1998 JV Plan update also included provisions for protecting or increasing habitat for upland wildlife species that are associated with wetland habitats, and that of declining non-waterfowl migratory birds, as long as the efforts were consistent with waterfowl objectives.

All-Bird Evolution

Building on the successes of NAWMP, continental conservation plans were developed for other bird guilds: Partners in Flight (landbird focus), Waterbird Conservation for the America’s, and the National Shorebird Plan. The North American Bird Conservation Initiative (NABCI) evolved to help provide coordination between these continental plans.

In the spirit of cooperation and partnership, the UMGL JV Management Board pledged in a 2001 Resolution to conduct all-bird conservation, accommodating other bird groups while implementing the NAWMP. The UMGL JV Landbird, Shorebird, Waterfowl, and Waterbird Habitat Conservation Strategies outline our shared goals and commitment to all-bird habitat conservation.