North American Bird Initiatives
The biological planning and conservation design of the IWJV tiers form the continental bird population objectives established in the four major bird initiatives – NAWMP, USSCP (U.S. Shorebird Conservation Plan), NAWCP (North American Waterbird Conservation Plan), and PIF (Partners in Flight). The North American Bird Conservation Initiative (NABCI) supports each of the four initiatives by fostering coordination and collaboration on key issues of concern, including coordinated bird monitoring, conservation design, private land conservation, international conservation, and institutional support in state and federal agencies for integrated bird conservation. However, the four initiatives are self-directed partnerships, much like JVs, and their major role is establishing the continental foundation for bird conservation. JVs serve to convert the continental objectives to ecoregional scales.
North American Waterfowl Management Program (NAWMP) is an international agreement developed in 1986, which recognizes the recovery and perpetuation of waterfowl and other wetland wildlife that depend on the restoration of wetlands and associated ecosystems throughout North America. As a result, it established cooperative initiatives (joint ventures) to reverse declines in wetland habitats and associated wildlife.
Partners In Flight (PIF) is a cooperative effort of federal, state and local government agencies, philanthropic foundations, and individuals interested in the conservation of birds not covered by existing conservation initiatives. Its focus is on the improvement of monitoring and inventory, research, management, and educational programs involving birds and their habitats.
The U.S. Shorebird Conservation Plan (USSCP) is a partnership of organizations throughout the United States committed to the conservation of shorebirds. The partnership has developed conservation goals for each region of the country, identified critical habitat conservation needs, and proposed education and outreach programs to increase awareness of shorebirds and the threats they face.
The North American Waterbird Conservation Plan (NAWCP) is a multinational partnership for conserving and managing waterbirds and their habitats throughout North America. Its goal is to produce a plan for maintaining healthy populations, distributions, and habitats of waterbirds in North America, throughout their breeding, migratory, and wintering ranges.