| 
June 2006
En Español
Printer-friendly version
IMBD 2006 celebration a success!
 Over 125 people participated in the International Migratory Bird Day events at the San Pedro House on 13 May 2006. The day-long celebration was sponsored by the Sonoran Joint Venture, in collaboration with the Friends of the San Pedro, the Bureau of Land Management, Tucson Audubon Society, and the US Forest Service International Program.
Ten groups, including agencies, non-profits, and local businesses, volunteered their time and expertise by setting up information tables, leading hikes and activities, and giving workshops.
One of the day's highlights was the official unveiling of the Southeastern Arizona Birding Trail Map, which the SJV helped to sponsor. The day ended with a special ceremony and tree planting honoring the efforts of retiring Congressman Jim Kolbe to protect the San Pedro River. Speakers at the Kolbe ceremony included SJV Coordinator Robert Mesta and SJV Management Board members Sonja Macys and Nancy Gloman, as well as speakers from the Los Ajos-Bavispe Forest Reserve, the Friends of the San Pedro, the Bureau of Land Management, and Congressman Kolbe's office.
Get your conservation news here!
With the advent of podcasting and other means for listening to radio programs via the Internet, a whole new world has opened up for conservation outreach efforts.
 www.yourwetlands.org is a new website developed by the San Francisco Bay Joint Venture and partners. The website features a weekly podcast program called "Your Wetlands” and is a developing component of their outreach campaign for the Highway 37 corridor. Visit their site to read about conservation issues and to listen to podcasts.
Voces de la Tierra is a radio program produced by SEMARNAT, the Mexican Secretariat of the Environment and Natural Resources. Visit their website to listen to current and past programs, which discuss conservation issues in Mexico, including within the SJV region.
SJV region receives Neotrop Act funds
Forty-three conservation projects from throughout the United States, Latin America, and the Caribbean were recently approved for funding under the Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act by the Director of the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Dale Hall. Seven of these projects take place within the SJV region, and four of the seven will be carried out by SJV partners (lead organizations are in bold face):
Title: National Wildlife Federation-Cocopah Tribe Collaboration for Colorado River Restoration
Amount: $68,090
Partners: National Wildlife Federation,
Cocopah Indian Tribe, Pronatura Sonora, and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Title: The Value of Restored Riparian Habitat to Overwintering Neotropical Migratory Birds Amount: $171,343
Partners:
PRBO Conservation Science, California Bay Delta Authority, DMarlou Foundation, The Nature Conservancy, Pronatura Sonora, Manantlán Institute of Ecology and Biodiversity Conservation-University of Guadalajara (IMECBIO), Center for Scientific Research and Higher Education of Ensenada (CICESE), T'isil Natural Reserve, U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Title: Conservation Status of Snowy Plovers Breeding in Mexico
Amount: $98,424
Partners: Pronatura Noroeste,
Pronatura Noreste, Pronatura Veracruz, Pronatura Península de Yucatán, Pronatura Chiapas, and Center for Scientific Research and Higher Education of Ensenada (CICESE).
Title: Rancho Los Fresnos
Amount: $190,000
Partners: BIDA, A.C.,
Naturalia and The Nature Conservancy
Title: Rio San Bernadino Wetlands Restoration and Protection
Amount: $100,000
Partners: Cuenca Los Ojos, A.C.
Title: Aros/Yaqui Rivers Habitat Conservation
Amount: $66,025
Partners:
Northern Jaguar Project
For a summary table of all approved projects, arrayed by country and state, as well as for brief project descriptions, click here. Descriptions of the 29 projects taking place entirely in Latin America and the Caribbean will be available soon.
Rapid assessment at Rancho El Aribabi
 In early May 2006 a team of biologists from the USFWS Ecological Services Office in Tucson, the Sonoran Joint Venture, the University of Sonora, and Monte Sonorense met at Rancho El Aribabi, on the Cocóspera River in northern Sonora, to conduct a rapid biological assessment of the area. Over the course of three days the group documented fish, amphibian, reptile, mammal, and plant species present in the area, with an emphasis on rare species. The team also added to the ongoing bird list of the ranch. Some highlights of the visit included a Scissor-tailed Flycatcher, Huachuca water umbel (Liliopsis
schaffneriana var. recurva), and lowland leopard frog (Rana yavapaiensis). |
 |
SJV 2006 Awards announced
The SJV is pleased to announce the 2006 Awards Program recipients. Nine projects focusing on education and outreach, research, and monitoring were approved for funding. Read details by clicking here.
SJV Tech Committee meets in La Paz
The SJV Technical Committee met for the first time in southern Baja, in La Paz, Baja California Sur, on April 7-8 2006. The meeting aimed to encourage those working in bird and habitat conservation in this geographical area to learn about and participate in the SJV. There was good participation from both U.S. and Mexican biologists, several of whom gave presentations about local bird conservation projects. Part of the meeting included working in small breakout groups to discuss possible binational projects. In addition to the meeting the Technical Committee thirteen U.S. and Mexican biologists backpacked into the little explored Sierra de la Laguna Biosphere Reserve to document avian distribution, abundance, and reproductive phenology and to photograph and make audio recordings of bird songs. They also established permanent monitoring plots. The Sierra de la Laguna area is separated by approximately 400 miles from the next closest mountain range with pine-oak habitat and because of this has many recognized subspecies of birds. This mountain range and reserve were identified by Mexican SJV partners as a top priority area in need of monitoring.
Field guide to the Birds of Mexico in Spanish
The
Peterson Field Guide, AVES DE MEXICO, by R. T. Peterson and E. L. Chalif, was originally published in 1989. While it was a valuable tool in the field
for Spanish speakers, the prohibitive cover price of $40 made it difficult
to keep in print. In an attempt to get a more affordable edition of the
guide produced, the folks at Houghton Mifflin are attempting to gather some
information. If you have experience - good or bad - using this field guide,
there are a few simple questions that Lisa White at Houghton Mifflin would
like to send you. These should not take more than a few moments to answer.
Upcoming grant deadlines
- Tourism Cares for Tomorrow
Deadline: 30 June 2006 and 1 November 2006
Description: Tourism Cares for Tomorrow offers grants to worthy tourism-related nonprofit organizations worldwide for conservation or preservation of exceptional cultural, historic, or natural sites.
The program considers projects or programs with either or both of the following
goals: 1) projects that protect, restore, or conserve sites of exceptional cultural, historic, or
natural significance; and 2) programs that educate local host communities and the traveling public about conservation and preservation of sites.
Historically, grants have ranged between $10,000 and $20,000 each. However, based on merit and availability of funds, grants of up to $100,000 will be considered.
- The Ramsar Small Grants Fund
Deadline: 30 June 2006
Description: The Ramsar Small Grants Fund was established as a mechanism to assist developing countries and those with economies in transition in implementing the Convention and to enable the conservation and wise use of wetland resources. Suitable project proposals are those which contribute to the implementation of the Convention's Strategic Plan 2003-2008 for the conservation and wise use of wetlands; provide emergency assistance for Ramsar sites; or provide 'preparatory assistance' to allow non-Contracting Parties to progress toward accession. Complete information and required forms are now available on the Ramsar website.
- North American Wetlands Conservation Act Program
Deadline: 28 July 2006 (US Standard Grants); 1 June 2006 (Mexico Standard Grants)
Description: The North American Wetlands Conservation Act provides matching grants to private or public organizations or to individuals who have developed partnerships to carry out wetlands conservation projects in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The program provides US, Mexican, and Canadian Standard Grants (between $50,000 and $1,000,000) and US Small Grants (up to $50,000). Be sure to check out the Playa Lakes Joint Venture's Timeline for preparing a NAWCA Proposal. Important note: Anyone considering applying should coordinate their application with SJV Coordinator Robert Mesta (520-882-0047). The SJV will need to be involved not only to provide guidance but also because we will need to rank all applications that are submitted.
- Wildlife Habitat Policy Research Program
Deadline: 10 July 2006 (Letters of Intent)
Description: On June 12, 2006, the Wildlife Habitat Policy Research Program will post its first Request for Proposals for research related to wildlife habitat conservation in the United States on this website. The RFPs will potentially include projects in the natural sciences and social sciences, including law, economics, and planning. Grants will range from $25,000 to $150,000 to be conducted over 12 months beginning November 1, 2006. The RFPs will be open to all qualified applicants including academic institutions, NGOs, government agencies, and private firms.
- Wilburforce Foundation
Deadlines: 18 August 2006, 15 December 2006
Description: Wilburforce Foundation is dedicated to protecting nature's richness and diversity through funding programs that help preserve our remaining wild places. We focus our funding on organizations that work to protect habitats that are critically important to sustaining abundant ecological communities in Western Canada and the Western United States.
Upcoming meetings and workshops
Society for Conservation Biology - Conservation Without Borders: 24-28 June 2006, San Jose, CA.
Conservation and Management of Upland Birds in Eastern California - a California Partners In Flight Meeting: 24-25 August 2006, Bishop, CA. Contact: Kim Kreitinger. Fourth North American Duck Symposium and Workshop: 23-26 August 2006, Bismarck, North Dakota. Contact: Mike Johnson. Click here for complete details about upcoming meetings.
|
