Home • Partners and Friends • Grant Recipients • Grant Applicants • Media • Public • Español

At a Glance

2011

Quick Links

Applications deadline will be announced in August.

Since 2002, more than $46.5 million in grants.

Grants have supported 422 projects in more than 35 countries.

Partners have contributed an additional $178.5 million.

More than 3.25 million acres of habitat affected.

Funding for the following 34 projects was approved in May 2011. A total of $4.3 million in funding was approved with project partners contributing $15.1 million in matching funds. This information is gathered from proposals as submitted and is accurate as of the date of approval. For further information about specific grant projects, please contact the grantee listed in individual project summaries. Project Summary Table, U.S. Projects, U.S. - International Projects, International Projects.

U.S. Projects

IOWA
Project: Five Ridge Prairie Addition at Broken Kettle Grasslands Bird Conservation Area.
Location: Plymouth County 5.
Grantee: Plymouth County Conservation.
Contact: Dennis Sohl, dennis_sohl@plymouthcountyparks.com
Partners: Plymouth County Conservation Board; LeMars Sportsman’s Club; Pheasants Forever; Iowa Department of Natural Resources; private individual.
Approved: May 2011.
Grant: $97,000.
Matching Funds: $300,966.
NonMatching Funds: None.
Ecoregion: NA0805.		 The Five Ridge Prairie addition at Broken Kettle Grasslands Bird Conservation Area project will provide long-term protection for a key inholding within the 26,500-acre Broken Kettle BCA.  A secondary component of this project is management, including restoration, of grasslands on habitat currently in cropland, and prescribed fire management on the new addition, as well as on the adjacent Five Ridge Prairie Preserve critical to the conservation of grassland habitat in the area.
WISCONSIN
Project: Central Wisconsin Grassland Conservation Area – Acquisition II.
Location: Wisconsin Districts 3, 6, 7.
Grantee: Golden Sands Resource Conservation & Development Council Inc.
Contact: Sharon Schwab, schwabs@co.portage.wi.us.
Partners: Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources; USDA - Natural Resource Conservation Service; Land Preservation Fund.
Approved: May 2011.
Grant: $250,000.
Matching Funds: $800,000.
Ecoregion: NA0415.		 To continue the establishment and protection of grassland for Neotropical bird species in central Wisconsin, partners will encourage willing rural landowners to enroll in perpetual federal, state or local conservation programs and promote appreciation of grassland ecosystems through education and outreach.

U.S. - International Projects

ALASKA, CANADA
Project: The Arctic Shorebird Demographics Network.
Location: Alaska, Congressional District 1; Northwest Territories, Nunavut, and Manitoba, Canada.
Grantee: Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences.
Contact: Stephen Brown, sbrown@manomet.org.
Partners: Kansas State University; Simon Frasier University; University of Missouri; University of Colorado Denver; Wildlife Conservation Society; Manomet Inc.; Environment Canada; Denver Museum of Nature and Science; Trent University.
Approved: May 2011.
Grant: $154,560
Matching Funds: $487,947
Ecoregion: NA1103, NA1104, NA1107, NA1115, NA0616, NA1114.		 The goal of the Arctic Shorebird Demographics Network is to determine what limits populations of eight high-priority target species, including semipalmated sandpipers and dunlin, by developing demographic models to guide conservation action. Network partners will measure demographic rates such as adult survival, and productivity at ten field sites to provide information on the reasons for observed declines, and when shorebird population sizes are likely to be limited. Determining when shorebird populations are limited will have significant impacts on future conservation actions to address population declines.
UNITED STATES, CANADA, MEXICO
Project: Developing a Comprehensive Coordinated Monitoring Program for Hummingbirds.
Location: Canada; Mexico; Arizona, Congressional Districts 7 and 8; Utah, Congressional District 2.
Grantee: The Hummingbird Monitoring Network.
Contact: Dr. Susan Wethington, swething@dakotacom.net.  
Partners: Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México; Comisión Nacional para el Conocimiento y Uso de la Biodiversidad; Biophilia; Cuenca los Ojos; private individual.
Approved: May 2011.
Grant: $158,853.
Matching Funds: $596,187.
Ecoregion: NT0310, NT0217, NA0302, NA1305, NA0520. 		Partners will build on current hummingbird monitoring efforts and develop protocols for a comprehensive monitoring program.  Activities planned include restoring habitats in southeastern Arizona and Sonora; monitoring hummingbird abundance before and after restoration efforts; monitoring the abundance of flowers that produce nectar for hummingbirds; and training and local community outreach in both the United States and Mexico.
UNITED STATES, CANADA
Project: Boreal Avian Modeling Project Phase III.
Location: The boreal forest region of North America.
Grantee: University of Alberta.
Contact: Dr. Erin Bayne, bayne@ualberta.ca.
Partners: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Arctic Landscape Conservation Cooperative and Migratory Bird Management-Alaska; Alberta Ingenuity Fund; Alberta Landuse Framework; Alberta Pacific Forest Industries; Environment Canada; Izaak Walton Killam Scholarship; Ministère des Ressources Naturelles et de la Faune; Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship.
Approved: May 2011.
Grant: $112,640.
Matching Funds: $337,920.
Ecoregion: Ten Canadian ecozones. 		 North America’s boreal forest encompasses 25 percent of the world’s intact forests and is a vital nursery for some 1.7 billion birds, approximately 94 percent of which are migratory and winter throughout the Americas. This third phase of the Boreal Avian Modeling Project aims improve conservation delivery for boreal forest birds by expanding its geographic scope to encompass the entire North American boreal forest; enhance data coverage by fully incorporating data from the North American Breeding Bird Survey; improve scenario analyses to project avian responses to future changes in climate; bolster partnerships to help implement the Canadian Boreal Forest Agreement, a new initiative to secure biodiversity from unsustainable development; and use the Web to increase both the transparency of activities and the functionality for users, particularly those responsible for management of boreal birds.
UNITED STATES, MEXICO
Project: U.S.-Mexico Grassland Bird Conservation, Phase IX.
Location: Chihuahua, Coahuila, Durango, Nuevo León, San Luís Potosí, Sonora, and Zacatecas, Mexico, and Colorado Congressional Districts 3, 4 and 7.
Grantee: Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory.
Contact: Arvind Panjabi, Arvind.panjabi@rmbo.org.  
Partners: Colorado Division of Wildlife.
Approved: May 2011.
Grant: $250,000.
Matching Funds: $755,415.
Ecoregion: NA0815, NA1303.		 This project will continue work funded by NMBCA since 2002 to conserve high-priority and declining grassland bird species of western North America, including developing forecasts of near-term climate change impacts on grassland birds in the Chihuahuan Desert. For a sixth year, partners will conduct a regional grassland bird researchand monitoringprogram in Mexico to provide quality data to inform conservation and management for high-priority wintering grassland bird species.  Partners will also train Mexican biologists in the region to build local capacity for grassland bird conservation.  This project will also protect shortgrass prairie within a large grassland landscape in southern Colorado.  Partners will conduct grassland bird/ecosystem educationfor students and teachers in Colorado.

International Projects

ARGENTINA
Project: Local Governance, Ecotourism, Ecological Monitoring and Education for Wetland and Grassland Conservation in Iberá Natural Reserve (II).
Location: Corrientes province
Grantee: The Conservation Land Trust
Contact: Ignacio Jimenez, i_jimenez_perez@yahoo.es.
Partners: Fundación Flora y Fauna Argentina; local municipalities.
Approved: May 2011.
Grant: $37,000.
Matching Funds: $111,000.
Ecoregion: NT0909; NT0708; NT0801.		 Ibera Natural Reserve shelters pristine marshland and grassland areas, some of which see high numbers of migrating shorebirds or host wintering populations of upland sandpiper and golden plover. The aim of this project is to continue to promote Neotropical migratory bird conservation through strengthening local governance of this large reserve; promoting ecotourism; conducting local outreach and training for local leaders in biodiversity conservation, population monitoring; and strengthening law enforcement.
ARGENTINA, BOLIVIA, ECUADOR, PERU
Project: Conserving Neotropical Migratory Birds in High Andean Wetlands II.
Location: Junín Department, Peru; Tungurahua, Napo and Pastaza provinces, Ecuador; Oruro Department, Bolivia; and Catamarca Province, Argentina.
Grantee: BirdLife International.
Contact: Amiro Pérez-Leroux, amiro.perez-leroux@birdlife.org. 
Partners: BirdLife International; Aves & Conservación; Biota; Asociación Ecosistemas Andinos; Grupo Conservación Flamencos Altoandinos.
Approved: May 2011.
Grant: $159,100.
Matching Funds: $477,655.
Ecoregion: NT1003, NT0121, NT1001. 		The wetlands of the high Andes are important for both resident and migratory bird species, including a suite of Neotropical migrants. Continuing an initial NMBCA investment in the conservation of high Andean wetlands, this project will advance the conservation of Neotropical migrants at five sites through the development of participatory conservation plans and the implementation of priority conservation actions, supported by research and outreach and education activities. The project will also make available information about the status and habitat requirements of Neotropical migrants in high Andean wetlands.
ARGENTINA, BRAZIL, URUGUAY
Project: Connecting Sites and People for Buff-breasted Sandpiper Conservation in Wintering Areas.
Location: Rocha, Uruguay; Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil; and Provincia de Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Grantee: Aves Uruguay.
Contact: Joaquín Aldabe Toribio, joaquin@aldabe.org. [LINK TO E-MAIL]
Partners: Aves Uruguay/Alianza del Pastizal; Universidad de la República, Uruguay; Sistema Nacional de Áreas Protegidas, Uruguay; Canadian Wildlife Service; Aves Argentinas
Approved: May 2011.
Grant: $38,400.
Matching Funds: $121,500.
Ecoregion: NT0803, NT0806.		 The main objective of this project is to develop partnerships and strengthen cooperation and communication to improve management of wintering habitat for buff-breasted sandpiper conservation at three key sites. Regional workshops and meetings involving landowners, authorities and technicians will help design a strategy and business plan for conserving these sites, as well as identify and share best management practices. Partners will initiate a regional species banding and monitoring program to evaluate population responses. Capacity building for management and monitoring will be provided to key stakeholders in all sites.  Educational material and informative talks will be offered to local communities.
ARGENTINA, CHILE
Project: The Shorebird Recovery Project for Patagonia, South America.
Location: Patagonia Region.
Grantee: Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences.
Contact: Charles D. Duncan, cduncan@manomet.org.
Partners: Fundación Inalafquen; Consejo Provincial Council for Ecology & Environment of Río Negro Province; Asociación Ambiente Sur; National University of Austral Patagonia; Municipality of Río Gallegos; Municipality of Río Grande; Secretary of Sustainable Development and the Environment of the Province; Virginia Choquintel Museum of the City; St. Thomas University; Chilean Ministry of the Environment; Municipality of Primavera; Empresa Nacional del Petróleo.
Approved: May 2011.
Grant: $249,817.
Matching Funds: $749,453.
Ecoregion: NT0402, NT0802, NT0804, NT0805.		 Project partners will work to conserve high-priority long-distance migrant shorebird species, including the Hudsonian godwitand the rufa subspecies of red knot, at stopover and wintering grounds in Patagonia through site-based conservation actions, building science foundations and stakeholder involvement.
Project: Towards Sustainable Migratory Bird Conservation: Linking Sites, Linking People II.
Location: Argentina and Chile.
Grantee: BirdLife International.
Contact: Rob Clay, rob.clay@birdlife.org.
Partners: BirdLife-Rio Tinto Partnership; Aves Argentinas; Comité pro Defensa de la Flora y Fauna; Weber State University.
Approved: May 2011.
Grant: $147,162.
Matching Funds: $441,560.
Ecoregion: NT1303, NT0210, NT0803. 		This project, a continuation of earlier work, aims to advance the conservation of critical migratory habitats throughout the Western Hemisphere through action at three sites in Argentina and Chile linked by shared migratory waterbird species of concern.  Species and site monitoring efforts will continue, to evaluate conservation measures; education and outreach campaigns will be consolidated and links built between the local communities through teacher exchanges; and local capacity will be built by creating and supporting local conservation groups.  Long-term sustainable conservation of the sites will be sought by involving local authorities in an education and experience-sharing initiative.  Sustainability will also be sought through the development of local conservation-business partnerships.
CANADA
Project: Operation Grassland Community: Working with Landowners to Enhance and Protect Native Prairie Habitats in Alberta.
Location: Alberta.
Grantee: Alberta Fish and Game Association.
Contact: Kerry Grisley, kerry@afga.org.
Partners: Alberta Conservation Association;Minister’s Special License Fund; Alberta Sport, Recreation, Parks, and Wildlife Foundation;Government of Canada Habitat Stewardship Program for Species At Risk; TD Friends of the Environment Fund; Imperial Oil; Altalink; ATCO Electric.
Approved: May 2011.
Grant: $60,000.
Matching Funds: $265,350.
Ecoregion: NA0810, NA0811.  		Objectives of this project are to protect native grasslands by seeking voluntary habitat stewardship agreements with landowners; develop conservation plans that include best management practices benefitting priority species and evaluate existing species‐specific management plans; develop, maintain, and monitor foraging and nesting habitat enhancement projects; monitor trends and distribution of burrowing owl and loggerhead shrike populations in Alberta; and increase awareness of threats to grassland species and native grassland habitats, and ways to minimize the impact of human activities.
Project: Conservation Action for Bicknell’s Thrush Across its Canadian Range.
Location: Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Quebec.
Grantee: Bird Studies Canada.
Contact: George Finney, gfinney@birdscanada.org. 
Partners: Bird Studies Canada; Regroupement QuebecOiseaux; Environment Canada; New Brunswick Department of Natural Resources.
Approved: May 2011.
Grant: $56,000.
Matching Funds: $168,000. Ecoregion: Atlantic Maritime and Boreal Shield Ecozones.		 Project partners will work together across the Bicknell thrush’s Canadian breeding range to mitigate threats in the short-term and set the stage for long term species recovery. Primary objectives are to partner with forestry companies and relevant agencies to develop and implement best management practices on industrial forest land; and develop specific habitat and population targets for individual management jurisdictions. Regional and range-wide monitoring programs will evaluate the success of these conservation actions.
Project: Stewards of Saskatchewan: Habitat Conservation for Bird Species at Risk II.
Location: Saskatchewan.
Grantee: Nature Saskatchewan.
Contact: Margaret Skeel, mskeel@naturesask.ca.
Partners: Canada Habitat Stewardship Program; Saskatchewan Ministry of Environment Fish & Wildlife Development Fund/Conservation Data Centre; SaskPower; TD Friends of the Environment Foundation; EJLB Foundation; Saskatchewan Environmental Industries Managers’ Association; Mountain Equipment Co-op; private landowners; Nature Saskatchewan; Moose Jaw River/Wood River Stewardship Groups; Saskatchewan Burrowing Owl Interpretive Centre; BUOW Researchers-University of Alberta/Royal Saskatchewan Museum University; Saskatchewan Watershed Authority.
Approved: May 2011.
Grant: $50,000.
Matching Funds: $389,759.
Ecoregion: NA0811, NA0810, NA0802.  		The Bird Species at Risk project focuses on conserving habitat for the burrowing owl, prairie loggerhead shrike, piping plover, Sprague’s pipit and other prairie species. Objectives are to conserve habitat through voluntary stewardship agreements and actions with landowners; promote conservation easements; develop with land managers site-specific beneficial management practices; provide environmental and conservation outreach to agricultural producers, youth and others; increase, enhance and monitor key bird habitat; and monitor the owl, shrike and plover populations through an annual census.
Project: Mapping the Distribution and Abundance of Boreal Nesting Neotropical Migrants in Québec.
Location: Quebec.
Grantee: The Regroupement QuébecOiseaux
Contact: Jean-Sébastien Guénette, direction@quebecoiseaux.org.
Partners: Canadian Wildlife Service of Environment Canada; Bird Studies Canada.
Approved: May 2011.
Grant: $187,860.
Matching Funds: $635,600.
Ecoregion: Boreal Forest of Eastern North America. 		This project aims to take advantage of the opportunity offered by the 2nd Québec Breeding Bird Atlas to collect data on the distribution and abundance of birds breeding in the boreal forest.  Project partners will hire and equip ten field crews to collect breeding evidence and conduct point counts. Crews will also collect detailed information concerning species at risk that will be integrated into Québec’s conservation data center.
COLOMBIA
Project: Colombian Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Program II.
Location: 13 departments, including San Andres.
Grantee: Fundación ProAves.
Contact: Lina Daza, ldaza@proaves.org. 
Partners: ProAves, Permian Colombia.
Approved: May 2011.
Grant: $250,000.
Matching Funds: $1,604,273.
Ecoregion: 20 Neotropical ecoregions. 		In 2003, with NMBCA support, ProAves launched a nationwide research and monitoring campaign to identify key areas and habitats for the most threatened migrants of Colombia’s forests. Based on data and plans from those activities, ProAves has built a strategic network of public and private protected areas that to date has protected 618,696 acres across Colombia. This project will sustain and expand this conservation program in 20 areas. Actions will focus on expanding the protected area coverage and restoration of forests.
Project: Salt-works and Rice-fields as Alternative Habitats for Migrant Shorebirds in Colombia.
Location: Colombia.
Grantee: Calidris- Asociación para el Estudio y Conservación de Aves Acuáticas en Colombia.
Contact: Luis Fernando Castillo, calidris@calidris.org.co.
Partners: CVC- Corporacion Autonoma Regional del Valle del Cauca; FEDEARROZ-Federación Colombiana de Arroceros; El Fondo- Fondo Para la Acción Ambiental; Wetlands International Latin-American; Asociación El Renacer; Corporación para Estudios Interdisciplinarios y Asesoría Técnica.
Approved: May 2011.
Grant: $34,000.
Matching Funds: $102,000.
Ecoregion: NT0207; NT0709; NT0201; NT1308; NT0221.		 Project activities will include implementing best practices benefiting biodiversity and migrant shorebirds in rice fields in Colombia; increasing awareness of both environmentalists and producers of the promise of organic rice agriculture; and establishing a certification program of "bird-compatible" rice promotion in Colombia.
COSTA RICA
Project: Bridges and Barriers: Conservation in the Agricultural Matrix and Benefits to Connectivity and Ecosystem Services.
Location: Volcan Central Talamanca Biological Corridor, Cartago.
Grantee: CATIE.
Contact: Fabrice DeClerck, fdeclerck@catie.ac.cr.
Partners: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; CATIE; University of Idaho.
Approved: May 2011.
Grant: $116,380.
Matching Funds: $361,872.
Ecoregion: NT0129, NT0167, NT0119. 		This project will undertake four activities: continue monitoring resident and migratory bird populations in collaboration with Partners in Flight and the Institute for Bird Population, with particular attention to indicators of species health; improve and restore migratory and wintering habitat for migratory birds through Rainforest Alliance certification of pasture and coffee land uses on the CATIE farm; monitor the composition of migratory species on restored agricultural lands; and increase the impact of these actions through two field courses on conservation in pasture systems and using restored areas as demonstration sites.
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
Project: A Critically Important Forest Corridor in the Dominican Republic Biosphere Reserve.
Location: Pedernales Province.
Grantee: Grupo Jaragua.
Contact: Yvonne Arias, yvonne.arias2@gmail.com.
Partners: BirdLife International.
Approved: May 2011.
Grant: $16,253.
Matching Funds: $48,760.
Ecoregion: NT0127, NT0215, NT0305, NT1410.   		The Jaragua-Bahoruco-Enriquillo Biosphere Reserve is among the most biodiverse lands of the Dominican Republic and the Caribbean, hosting more than 30 Neotropical migratory birds and globally important native, endemic and threatened species. Grupo Jaragua, with the support of the Forest of Hope Programme of BirdLife International, will maintain, manage, protect or restore bird habitat and conduct law enforcement in Jaragua National Park and its buffer zone.
Project: Enhancing the Protection of Reserva Biologica Loma Charco Azul and Sierra de Bahoruco National Park for Neotropical Migratory Birds.
Location: Reserva Biologica Loma Charco Azul and Sierra de Bahoruco National Park, in the Provinces of Pedernales, and Independencia.
Grantee: American Bird Conservancy.
Contact: Andrew Rothman, arothman@abcbirds.org. 
Partners: Sociedad Ornitológica Hispaniola; Ministry of the Environment and Natural Resources of the Dominican Republic.
Approved: May 2011.
Grant: $149,539.
Matching Funds: $677,840.
Ecoregion: NT0215, NT0305.		 Project partners will strengthen protection of critical wintering habitat for migratory birds at Bahoruco and Loma Charco Azul by hiring and training additional guards; promoting protected areas to increase public support and resources; reaching out to surrounding communities with environmental education; and monitoring migratory birds at the protected areas.
GRENADA
Project: Modeling Sea-level Rise Impacts on Mangrove Distribution and Use by Migratory Birds in Grenada.
Location: Various mangrove locations throughout Grenada.
Grantee: Grenada Fund for Conservation, Inc.
Contact: Tyrone Buckmire, Gfcinc1@gmail.com.
Partners: University of New Hampshire; St. George’s University; Society for the Conservation and Study of Caribbean Birds; The Nature Conservancy; Grenada Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries.
Approved: May 2011.
Grant: $46,000.
Matching Funds: $138,000.
Ecoregion: NT1416.  		The potential effects of sea level rise on mangrove habitat for wintering and migratory populations of waterbirds, shorebirds and landbirds can only be speculated for Grenada given the scarcity of monitoring data and studies to date.  In response to these data gaps, this project seeks to update and improve the accuracy of mangrove mapping in Grenada; initiate a long-term bird monitoring program within selected mangrove sites; model potential change to mangrove area and community distribution based on a range of predicted sea-level rise scenarios; and project associated impacts to bird habitat availability.
GUATEMALA
Project: Community Based Bird Conservation through Citizen Science in Guatemala.
Location: Alta Verapaz and Quiche.
Grantee: Community Cloud Forest Conservation.
Contact: Tara Jean Cahill, tarajcahill@gmail.com.
Partners: Proeval Raxmu, Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology.
Approved: May 2011.
Grant: $139,388.
Matching Funds: $470,439.
Ecoregion: NT0112, NT0154, NT0303.  		The Guatemalan National Biodiversity Strategy lists Alta Verapaz and Quiché as two of nine priority areas for biodiversity conservation. Areas targeted by this project have high conservation priority because of their importance to migratory bird species of concern and high number of species endemic to the highlands of northern Central America. Project activities in education, capacity building, community outreach, monitoring and research will teach students, school teachers and educators at conservation organizations about Neotropical birds and conservation of endangered species and bird habitats.
GUATEMALA, HONDURAS, MEXICO
Project: Conservation, Sustainability and Adaptation to Climate Change of the Pine-oak Forests of Mesoamerica.
Location: Northern Central America, including: Altos and Montaña oriente de Chiapas, México; Altiplano Central, Verapaces and Oriente, Guatemala; Olancho, Honduras.
Grantee: Fundación Defensores de la Naturaleza.
Contact: Ana José Cóbar, acobar@defensores.org.gt.
Partners: Fundación EDUCA; Pronatura Sur; The Nature Conservancy.
Approved: May 2011.
Grant: $235,342.
Matching Funds: $709,100.
Ecoregion: NT0303.		 The pine-oak and dry forests have been classified as the most important ecosystems for conservation in Central America.  The threat of climate change means that species’ geographic distributions may be shifted, re-arranging plant and animal communities and ecosystems, and disrupting birds’ relationships with predators, competitors, prey and parasites.  This project will evaluate the effects of climate change within the pine-oak and dry forests of the region using GIS analysis and identify potential adaptation measures. The project will also continue working toward conservation, sustainable forestry management, integrated fire management and the implementation of outreach activities in three countries.  Partners also plan to publish guidelines for sustainable management of the pine-oak forest.
HONDURAS
Project: Corridors and Communities: Conserving Vital Forest Habitat in Northern Honduras, Phase II.
Location: Departments of Atlántida and Yoro.
Grantee: EcoLogic Development Fund.
Contact: Peter Kalil, pkalil@ecologic.org. 
Partners: Pico Bonito Southern Sector Association of Water Committees; The Alliance of Municipalities of Atlántida State.
Approved: May 2011.
Grant: $89,500.
Matching Funds: $269,202.
Ecoregion: NT0111, NT0112, NT0209, NT0303.  		The project will strengthen the capacity of two local institutions to guide their member-communities in the successful and sustainable conservation of forested habitat surrounding and between Pico Bonito National Park, Texiguat Wildlife Refuge and Cuero y Salado National Park in northern Honduras. These forests are critical to diverse Neotropical migratory bird species. Combined, these two partner institutions represent a total of 49 rural communities who hold the key to maintaining forest cover and providing connectivity between protected areas.
MEXICO
Project: Expanding the Network of Private Nature Reserves and Public Awareness for Bird Protection II.
Location: Sierra Gorda Biosphere Reserve, Querétaro.
Grantee: Grupo Ecologico Sierra Gorda, I.A.P.
Contact: Roberto Pedraza Muñoz, gesgiap@prodigy.net.mx. 
Partners: Bosque Sustentable, A.C.; Gonzalo Río Arronte Foundation; Sierra Gorda Biosphere Reserve Querétaro.
Approved: May 2011.
Grant: $54,029.
Matching Funds: $309,047.
Ecoregion: NE1307, NE0303, NT0176, NT0177.		 The Sierra Gorda Ecological Group seeks to support and broaden the network of private nature reserves in the Sierra Gorda Biosphere Reserve, in which properties of special biological value have been secured for conservation since 1996.  This project will carry out conservation actions in the region’s old-growth temperate forest.
Project: Expansion of the Breeding Bird Survey to México: Phase 2, Consolidation.
Location: Baja California, Baja California Sur, Sonora, Chihuahua, Coahuila, Nuevo Leon, Tamaulipas.
Grantee: Comisión Nacional para el Conocimiento y Uso de la Biodiversidad.
Contact: Humberto Berlanga García, hberlang@xolo.conabio.gob.mx.
Partners: Comisión Nacional de Áreas Naturales Protegidas, Dirección General de Vida Silvestre, Pronatura.
Approved: May 2011.
Grant: $40,000.
Matching Funds: $120,000.
Ecoregion:		 The goal of this project is to expand to Mexico the Breeding Bird Survey, intended to provide reliable data for both migratory and resident bird species, and to help build a long-term, continental perspective on bird population trends.  It will also provide Mexican stakeholders with information and resources for decision making on bird and habitat conservation.
Project: Grassland Protection and Restoration in Mapimí Biosphere Reserve, Durango, Mexico, Phase II.
Location: Durango.
Grantee: Pronatura Noreste A.C.
Contact: Alfonso Banda Valdez, abanda@pronaturane.org.
Partners: Pronatura Noreste A.C.; Ejido Tlahualilo; National Commission for Natural Protected Areas; Autonomous University of Nuevo Leon; Pronatura A.C.
Approved: May 2011.
Grant: $205,850.
Matching Funds: $632,989.
Ecoregion: NA1303.  		This project is directed at restoring and protecting a large land extension in the Mapimi Biosphere Reserve, in the states of Chihuahua, Durango and Coahuila, where livestock techniques and agriculture have deteriorated natural grasslands and wildlife. Project objectives are to protect habitat by signing long-term conservation agreements with landowners, and to maintain, manage and restore Neotropical bird habitat in the ejido Tlahualilo.
Project: Forest Conservation for Neotropical Birds in Sierra Madre Oriental, Mexico.
Location: Coahuila, Nuevo Leon and Tamaulipas.
Grantee: Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey.
Contact: Sonia Gabriela Ortiz Maciel, sgom@itesm.mx.
Partners: Natural Protected Areas Commission; Forest Management Unit; San Antonio de la Osamenta, Rayones and Santo Niño Ejidos, Santa Catalina Municipality.
Approved: May 2011.
Grant: $246,846.
Matching Funds: $783,140.
Ecoregion: NA0303.  		This project is designed to achieve protection and connectivity among Natural Protected Areas and Areas of Importance for Bird Conservation in Sierra Madre Oriental mountains through ecological easements, biological assessment, restoring degraded ecosystems, conserving areas through forest management programs, and conducting environmental education activities. These strategies will protect landscapes that represent critical habitat in pine-oak forests, tropical deciduous and semi-deciduous forests.
Project: Restoration of Priority Habitats for Neotropical Migratory Birds in the Madrean Sky Islands Region.
Location: State of Sonora, Mexico.
Grantee: Avian Science Center, University of Montana.
Contact: Aaron Flesch, aaron.flesch@umconnect.umt.edu.
Partners: Veolia Environment Foundation; Turner Foundation; Wilburforce Foundation; Ajos-Bavispe Forest Reserve, Comisión Nacional de Áreas Naturales Protegidas; U.S. National Park Service; Sonoran Joint Venture.
Approved: May 2011.
Grant: $189,810.
Matching Funds: $744,970.
Ecoregion: NA0302, NA1310, NA1303. 		The Sky Islands region of northern Sonora provides wintering, breeding and stopover habitats for more than 100 species of Neotropical migrants. To advance bird conservation in this region, partners will integrate existing education, outreach and research programs with focused efforts to restore degraded riparian areas. With the help of local landowners, citizens and government agencies, partners will build fencing and erosion control structures in riparian areas and gather baseline data on bird abundance, vegetation, and geomorphology.  In concert with restoration, partners will conduct workshops focused on the ecology and management of Neotropical migratory birds and techniques to restore and maintain habitat.
Project: Áreas Privadas de Conservación en la Costa Central de Veracruz: Sitios de Parada de Aves Migratorias.
Location: Veracruz, México.
Grantee: Pronatura México A. C.
Contact: Elisa Peresbarbosa Rojas, eperesbarbosa@pronaturaveracruz.org. 
Partners: Audubon-International Programs; Alstom; Hawk Mountain Sanctuary; private landowners; Pronatura Veracruz.
Approved: May 2011.
Grant: $163,664.
Matching Funds: $491,151.
Ecoregion: NT0233.		 This project will allow Pronatura to complete bird management plans for three private protected areas along the central coast of Veracruz, helping landowners identify alternative economic uses for habitat and helping Pronatura develop Best Management Practices that landowners can use to improve habitat for migratory birds. Partners will also implement management actions to improve habitat, such as live fencing, reforestation, fencing of riparian corridors and forest patches.  The project will also continue and expand educational outreach work with local communities.
Project: Aros/Yaqui Rivers Habitat Conservation III.
Location: Sierra Los Pavos and Sierra Zetasora, Sonora.
Grantee: Northern Jaguar Project.
Contact: Diana Hadley, information@northernjaguarproject.org. 
Partners: Naturalia, A.C.
Approved: May 2011.
Grant: $60,000.
Matching Funds: $200,750.
Ecoregion: NA0201, NA0302, NT0228, NA1310, NA1303.  		The Aros/Yaqui Rivers Habitat Conservation III project is situated on a peninsula of land framed by the Yaqui and Aros rivers, and includes the Northern Jaguar Reserve and neighboring private ranches.  Partners in this project will conduct an intensive fall survey with mist-netting of birds and special study of molt-migrants, create transects at newly purchased habitats, conduct restoration and monitoring activities, and continue educational outreach in local schools.
Project: Recovering Habitat for Migratory Birds in the Sierra Zongolica, Phase II.
Location: Veracruz.
Grantee: Pronatura México A.C. (Veracruz).
Contact: Aníbal Farabundo Ramírez Soto, aramirez@pronaturaveracruz.org.
Partners: Secretaría de Desarrollo Social y Medio Ambiente; Instituto Tecnológico de Zongolica; Fondo para la Paz; Asociación Regional de Cafeticultores de Zongolica; Pronatura Veracruz A.C.
Approved: May 2011.
Grant: $134,413.
Matching Funds: $403,239.
Ecoregion: NT0146, NT0154, NT0308.  		Phase I of this project identified priority conservation areas for resident and migratory bird habitat in the Sierra Zongolica. In the current project, partners will help protect areas by creating private and community ecological reserves. Partners will also establish pilot projects for ecological restoration, and hope to expand these efforts to establish biological corridors between forest patches. The project will also create a system for long-term monitoring of ecological restoration processes can be replicated in other ecosystems.
Project: Conservación de Hábitat para Las Aves Migratorias en el Corredor Puuc – Chenes, México. Fase I.
Location: Campeche and Yucatán.
Grantee: Pronatura Peninsula de Yucatan, A.C.
Contact: Efraim Acosta, eacosta@pronatura-ppy.org.mx.
Partners: Environment and Sustainable Development Secretary, Campeche; Environment and Urban Development Secretary, Yucatan.
Approved: May 2011.
Grant: $30,000.
Matching Funds: $90,000.
Ecoregion: NT0235.  		The Puuc-Chenes corridor is located between the states of Campeche and Yucatan in the Yucatán Península, providing connectivity for one of the peninsula’s migratory routes.  Partners will develop long-term strategies to protect the region’s natural areas and bird species by creating support for conservation for the corridor; protecting the Sierrita de Ticul, one of the region’s priority areas; and improving stewardship by local communities by developing mechanisms to restore and conserve migratory bird habitat.
PERU
Project: Conservation of shorebirds and coastal wetlands at Bahía de Sechura, Peru.
Location: Piura.
Grantee: Nature and Culture International.
Contact: Luis Alban, lalban@natureandculture.org.
Partners: BirdLife International; Peru’s Environment Ministry; Nature and Culture International
Approved: May 2011.
Grant: $105,325.
Matching Funds: $367,850.
Ecoregion: Guayaquil Marine Ecoregion (171), NT1315, NT1429, NT0232.  		The wetlands of Bahía Sechura are among the most important non-breeding shorebird habitats in Peru. With this project, Nature and Culture International and BirdLife International will expand efforts and implement a comprehensive strategy for reserve expansion, and implement on-the-ground management activities to protect wetland habitats; establish a monitoring program to include a site assessment tool, bird monitoring, and hydrologic monitoring and assessment; and gain the support and participation of the local community through environmental education and sustainable livelihood projects.
Projects in Your Region

Project summaries

Donate

Got ideas?

Follows Us on Facebook