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May 2007
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Arizona Bird  Conservation Initiative announces State Wildlife Grants
The Arizona Bird Conservation Initiative (ABCI) is pleased to announce the availability of State Wildlife Grant (SWG) funds for bird conservation work.
Proposals should address specific priority actions as identified in the Arizona Partners in Flight Bird Conservation Plan (APIF Plan). The APIF Plan identifies priority species and habitats, and establishes objectives for bird populations and habitats in Arizona. It also delineates specific areas of concern for management, inventory/monitoring, research, and education that should be addressed in Arizona by land managers, wildlife managers, and scientists.
Proposals that address priority objectives of any of the four major bird initiatives (National Shorebird Conservation Plan, North American Waterfowl Management Plan, Partners in Flight, and the North American Waterbird Conservation Plan) and/or the regional joint venture plans (Sonoran and Intermountain West) may also be considered, when there’s a demonstrable benefit to birds in the state of Arizona.
The application package is available on the Arizona Game and Fish Department website. The APIF Plan is also available for download at this site. The completed project application with coversheet must be submitted electronically to Edwin Juarez by 18 June 2007.
Global Restoration Network
The Society for Ecological Restoration (SER) International recently launched an innovative industry tool: the Global Restoration Network (GRN)—a free, online hub for comprehensive information on ecological restoration. A unique industry resource, the interactive website is rich with data, information, expertise and the latest techniques and innovations in restoration. Freely accessible to anyone who has an Internet connection, users can now find the exact information they need to research, implement and improve their ecological restoration projects in three clicks or less.
The Global Restoration Network improves the quality of restoration work worldwide with the click of a mouse. A specially designed database now allows users to conduct efficient searches by entering specifications such as the type of biome (wetland, grassland, etc), region of interest, source of degradation, and more. Search results include annotated links to the most relevant resources including literature, case studies, data sets, white papers, organizations, government resources and restoration experts. The GRN also offers lists of potential funders, educational and volunteer opportunities, video and audio feeds of Restoration Radio programs/interviews, descriptions of current and past restoration projects, thousands of links to restoration websites and blogs, and a growing directory of industry experts. Access the network by visiting their website: http://GlobalRestorationNetwork.org.
Book Review: A Global Look at Waterbirds
(Reprinted from the Birding Community E-Bulletin)
In early March, the Dutch and UK Environment Ministers published WATERBIRDS AROUND THE WORLD. This publication, actually the proceedings of a landmark 2004 conference held in Edinburgh, is a unique resource for worldwide wetland and waterbird conservation.
This is a compilation that contains contributions from 453 authors from 59 countries; comprises 264 papers and reviews relating to 614 waterbird species from 162 countries; and presents new data on 170 Globally and Near Threatened species.
Habitat loss is driving the decline for many waterbird species. There are widespread drops in the size of many waterbird populations in most regions of the world caused principally by loss and degradation of important wetland habitats. This publication, which can be downloaded for free, provides a significant overview on the status of the world's waterbirds at the start of the current millennium.
Comment Deadline Extension for Wetland and Riparian Area Protection Policy
The California State Water Resources Control Board has extended the comment deadline for California Environmental Quality Act scoping comments for its proposed Wetland and Riparian Area Protection Policy.
The new deadline is Tuesday, 15 May 2007, 12:00 noon. Visit the State Water Board's website for more details about how to submit comments.
Baja California Condors
(Reprinted from the Birding Community E-Bulletin)
On 2 April 2007, biologists working with the California Condor Recovery
Program announced the discovery of the first California Condor egg
laid in Baja California, Mexico, since the species' introduction to
the Sierra San Pedro de Martir National Park in 2002. The egg was
found in an abandoned eagle nest on a cliff in the national park,
located in the arid interior of the Baja California peninsula more
than 100 miles south of the U.S.-Mexico border. The parents, among 11
condors released in the park in 2002, were bred in U.S. zoos and
have only recently reached breeding age. On 24 April 2007 it was announced that the egg had hatched, making the
chick the first California Condor hatched in Mexico in over 75 years.
The last documented wild California Condor sighted in Mexico was seen
in the late 1930s.
It is hoped that the condors reintroduced to Baja California may one
day unite with condors from California to form one population. Up
until early April, the birds had only flown as close as 15 miles of
the U.S.-Mexico border. On 5 April, however, the first wild
California Condor was documented flying across the border in San
Diego County since 1910. The announcement was made by the San Diego
Zoo's Conservation and Research for Endangered Species Program.
Habitat loss, lead shot, collisions with power cables, and poisoning
devastated the species' numbers through the years, and by the 1980s
fewer than two dozen California Condors were actually left in the
wild. Since then, several organizations have been working together to
boost condor numbers under the Condor Recovery Program, a group
founded in 1982 by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Among the
members are several Mexican groups, zoos (e.g., Los Angeles Zoo, San
Diego Zoo, Oregon Zoo), and the Peregrine Fund's World Center for
Birds of Prey.
Call for Papers for the 32nd Annual Meeting of Western Field Ornithologists
Abstracts are now being accepted for presentations at the 32nd annual meeting of Western Field Ornithologists, to be held 27–30 September 2007 in Henderson, Nevada. Oral presentations should reflect original research or summarize existing unpublished information and should be presented in a manner that will be of interest to serious amateur and professional field ornithologists. Papers presented at other conferences will be considered provided that the material has not already been published. Research described should apply to birds of the WFO region: western North America (from Alaska through Mexico, and the Great Plains to the Pacific coast) and the eastern Pacific Ocean.
All queries and submissions must be via e-mail. All abstracts must be received by 30 June 2007. For more information about the conference, including guidelines for submitting an abstract, visit the WFO website or contact Jay Withgott or Debbie Van Dooremolen. |
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Upcoming grant deadlines
We have recently added information about a number of new funding opportunities for those doing work in the SJV region. Please take the time to browse through the complete list of funding opportunities.
- North American Wetlands Conservation Act Program
Deadline: 1 June 2007 (Mexican Standard Grants); 27 July 2007 (U.S. Standard Grants); 30 November 2007 (U.S. Small 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 $75,000). For more details on how to apply, visit the NAWCA section of the SJV website. And be sure to check out the Playa Lakes Joint Venture's Timeline for preparing a NAWCA Proposal. Important note: Anyone considering applying for a U.S. grant should coordinate their application with SJV Science Coordinator Carol Beardmore (602-242-0524 ext. 248). The SJV will need to be involved not only to provide guidance but also because we rank all applications that are submitted (Mexican applicants do not need to coordinate with the SJV, although we are happy to provide assistance).
- Tourism Cares Worldwide Grant Program
Deadline: 1 June 2007 and 1 October 2007
Description: Tourism Cares’ Worldwide Grant Program distributes charitable grants to worthy tourism-related non-profit organizations worldwide for capital improvements or appropriate. The 2007 Worldwide Grant Program goals for grantmaking call for a balanced distribution to U.S. and non-U.S. recipients. Based on merit and availability of funds, grants up to $100,000 will be considered.
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Deadline: 7 June 2007
Description: NOAA's Office of Education (OED) is requesting applications to establish an institutional award for the purpose of supporting a professional development program for pre-service and in-service educators that is designed to support NOAA's mission by improving their knowledge of atmospheric and ocean sciences. The successful project will be national in scale with implementation on a local level. The project will include distance-learning and face-to-face components and allow teachers to earn graduate-level credit-hours from an accredited university in the United States. The project will involve NOAA scientists and other members of the scientific community.
- Multistate Conservation Grant Program
Deadline: 8 June 2007
Description: The Multistate Conservation Grant Program (MSCGP) is intended to address regional or national level priorities of state fish and wildlife agencies. The Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) cooperatively administer the MSCGP, with the Association soliciting, selecting, and recommending to the FWS a "priority list" of projects to be funded. The USFWS selects projects from the "priority list" and awards and manages grants.
Up to $6 million ($3 million each from both the Sport Fish Restoration and Wildlife Restoration Programs) is available each calendar year to fund Multistate Conservation Grants, depending upon how much of the funds have been obligated for multi-year grants.
To be eligible, proposals must:
1) Meet the MSCGP's legal requirements (e.g., submitted by an eligible organization type; benefits appropriate states/regions; benefits sport fish, wild birds, and/or wild mammals);
2) Address one, or more, of the seven 2008 National Conservation Needs;
3) Adhere to the formats and requirements for the accompanying narrative and budget; and
4) Include all the standard federal application forms.
- Bureau of Reclamation: Limitrophe Endangered Species Habitat Restoration
Deadline: 15 June 2007
Description: The Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation), Lower Colorado Region, Yuma Area Office is requesting proposals to fund projects for habitat restoration activities in support of their Endangered Species program. The Yuma Area Office periodically makes funding available for conducting activities for Threatened and Endangered species and their habitats. The objective is to fund habitat restoration opportunities for endangered bird species in the Limitrophe division of the lower Colorado River. Restoration efforts funded under this award should include a minimum of 40 acres of Southwest Willow Flycatcher habitat and 40 acres of Yuma Clapper Rail habitat.
- Nature of Learning Grants
Deadline: 15 June 2007
Description:The Nature of Learning is the FWS National Wildlife Refuge System’s community-based environmental education initiative that seeks to: use National Wildlife Refuges as outdoor classrooms to promote a greater understanding of local conservation issues;
encourage an interdisciplinary approach to learning that seeks to enhance student academic achievement;
utilize field experiences and student-led stewardship projects to connect classroom lessons to real world issues; and
involve a partnership among local schools, community groups, natural resource professionals and local businesses.
- Ecological Impacts from the Interactions of Climate Change, Land Use Change and Invasive Species: A Joint Research Solicitation – EPA, USDA
Deadline: 26 June 2007
Description: The Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Science to Achieve Results (STAR) Program and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Research Initiative (NRI) Competitive Grants Program are seeking applications for research on the ecological impacts from interactions of climate change, land use change, and invasive species. An invasive species is an alien species whose introduction does or is likely to cause economic or environmental harm or harm to human health. The EPA is interested in proposals addressing aquatic ecosystems and the USDA in proposals addressing managed terrestrial systems, both of which can be used to enhance decision support tools used by decision makers to respond to invasive species.
- The Ramsar Small Grants Fund
Deadline: 30 June 2007
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. The Secretariat's regional teams also offer an advisory service to help with the preparation of suitable proposals, for which drafts should be submitted to the Senior Regional Advisors by 30 April 2007.
- Captain Planet Foundation
Deadline: 30 June 2007 and 30 September 2007
Description: The Captain Planet Foundation will fund projects that promote understanding of environmental issues, focus on hands-on involvement, involve children and young adults 6-18 (elementary through high school), promote interaction and cooperation within the group, help young people develop planning and problem solving skills, include adult supervision, commit to follow-up communications with the Foundation. The Foundation only funds projects to organizations or sponsoring agencies that are exempt from federal taxation under the Internal Revenue Code Section 501. Grants typically range from $250-$2500 USD. In an effort to conserve paper the Captain Planet Foundation requires grant applicants to apply for funding using the online application form. Should you have any questions regarding the grant application or the small grants program, please contact Taryn Murphy, CPF's program director.
Upcoming meetings and workshops
See complete details about upcoming meetings and workshops.
Western State Workshop: Strengthening the Roles of Land Trusts and Local Governments in Protecting and Restoring Wetlands and Riparian Areas: 3-6 June 2007, Park City, Utah.
American Ornithologists' Union: 8-11 August 2007, Laramie, Wyoming.
California Partners in Flight: 6-7 September 2007, near Sacramento, California.
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