The Challenge of Implementing the Important Bird Area Program in a Megadiversity and Mega-threatened Country1 Jaqueline M. Goerck2 and David C. Wege3 ________________________________________ Abstract Brazil is a megadiversity country but also has the high- Americas in numbers of threatened bird species; 114 est number of threatened bird species in the neotropics. species of the Brazilian avifauna are considered threat- There are over 100 species of birds threatened with ened with extinction, (BirdLife International 2000). In extinction in Brazil. Some of the most threatened birds a country with continental dimensions, (ca.8,500,000 occur in the highly threatened Atlantic Forest hotspot km2), two hotspots have been identified, namely the of Brazil. BirdLife International started an Important Atlantic Forest (ca. 1 million km2) and the Cerrado (ca. Bird Areas (IBA) program in Brazil by identifying 161 2 million km2) (Mittermeier et al. 1999). The hotspot areas in 15 of the 26 Brazilian states. Two areas were concept was first proposed by Myers (1988). The main selected as priorities for initial projects, and their case criterion to identify a hotspot is the level of species studies are presented here: Murici, in Alagoas, and endemism (instead of the total biodiversity), particu- Serra das Lontras, in the state of Bahia. In Brazil, Bird- larly of vascular plants, in a biogeographic region. Life has been working with local non-governmental Although the hotspots are determined primarily based organizations (NGOs) to develop and implement con- on plant endemism, animal data are also examined. An- servation projects. Local NGOs, which are an integral other important criterion to determine a hotspot is the part of the process, have easier access to first-hand degree of threat to the region, caused principally by knowledge and information about the real situation of humans. Many hotspots have had over 90 percent of the areas under study. A network of such NGOs, linked their original vegetation cover altered, including the through BirdLife, can then exchange experiences and above-mentioned Atlantic Forest Region of Brazil thereby enhance the chance of success of any (Mittermeier et al. 1999). individual initiative. Some of the most threatened birds occur in the Atlantic Forest of Brazil, which spans the region from Piauí in the north-east to Rio Grande do Sul in the south, and Key words: Atlantic forests, birds, Brazil, Important includes portions of the interior states of Minas Gerais, Bird Areas, Murici Serra das Lontras, threatened. Goiás and Mato Grosso do Sul (Federal Decree nº 750/93). The coastal states were the first to be colon- ized in Brazil, and as a consequence 70 percent of Brazilians live in this, the most developed region of the country (Conservation International et al. 2000). The Introduction exceptionally diverse forests here help protect watersheds that provide water for both urban and rural Brazil is a megadiversity country and ranks first in the communities, help to regulate microclimate, and still neotropics in richness for higher plants, freshwater are home to several traditional peoples. Within the fishes, and mammals, and in the top five for amphib- states of the Atlantic Forest Domain, there are 103 ians, reptiles, birds, and butterflies (Myers et al. 2000). globally threatened and 64 near threatened bird species. Such high biodiversity combined with the continuing destruction of the country’s natural resources has lead to an imminent threat of extinction for many species and, as a consequence, Brazil also ranks first in the Background BirdLife International initiated a conservation program __________ in Brazil in March 2000, with support from the British 1A version of this paper was presented at the Third Interna- Birdwatching Fair and the Council of Agriculture of tional Partners in Flight Conference, March 20-24, 2002, the Republic of China (Taiwan). The program was Asilomar Conference Grounds, California. 2 developed based on an initial assessment of needs, BirdLife International Brazil Program, Al. Grécia 297, 06474- challenges and opportunities, reviewed by key ornitho- 010, Barueri, São Paulo, Brazil. E-mail: [email protected] com.br. logists and conservationists. 3BirdLife International, Wellbrook Court, Girton Road, Cam- bridge CB3 ONA, UK. USDA Forest Service Gen. Tech. Rep. PSW-GTR-191. 2005 1250 IBA Program in Brazil—Goerck and Wege The initial focus of the country program lies primarily fragmented (especially so in the north-east), and given in the Atlantic Forest region. Although much attention the large number of very local endemic species that is now given to the Atlantic forests, its continuing des- they support, it is essential to look at species and site- truction is apparent. Indeed, deforestation in this region level conservation issues. Landscape approaches to has been rampant in the last 15 years - recent estimates conservation will succeed only if source populations suggest the rate is 2.5 times that of the Amazon for the exist to disperse into restored or corridor-connected same period. Paradoxically, as much as 410 million areas. Many forest fragments contain multiple priority reais (equivalent to ca. US $160 million in May 2002) bird species and large numbers of other endemic taxa. have been invested in conservation programs in the Therefore, unless a site-oriented effort is undertaken Atlantic Forest region in the past 10 years, as shown by immediately, many populations of threatened species a study lead by the Instituto Socioambiental (Rede de will be lost forever. ONGs da Mata Atlântica 2002). According to this study, most implementing agencies were non-govern- By building on existing initiatives and working from ment organizations, but the majority of the funds came previous priority setting exercises, e.g. by PROBIO from the National Environment Fund (Fundo Nacional (Pacheco and Bauer 2000), BirdLife’s Key Areas for do Meio Ambiente), a fund from the Ministry of the threatened birds in the neotropics (Wege and Long Environment. 1995), and the neotropical Wetlands Directory (Scott and Carbonell 1986), the Important Bird Area (IBA) Although the legal protection of the Atlantic Forest is program of BirdLife International seeks to ensure the ensured by the Brazilian Federal Constitution through sustainable conservation of a network of globally im- several articles, some laws, and a decree, its practical portant biodiversity sites that combine to encompass, preservation remains a challenge. Recently, the nation- and thus help to maintain the integrity of, the entire al policy for the environment known as PPG-7 (Prog- Atlantic Forest region. This region was selected both rama Piloto para a Proteção das Florestas Tropicais for the high degree of threat to the ecosystems that Brasileiras) expanded from the Amazon region to in- form the Atlantic Forest Biome, and for a relatively clude the Atlantic Forest. A sub-program of the PPG-7, greater knowledge of its avifauna available through the known as Ecological Corridors, predicts that protected scientific literature and unpublished reports. The gath- areas will become the cornerstones of the ecological ering and preliminary analysis of this information is an corridors. Land-use in the intervening areas will be essential step in the process of IBA identification to regulated through sustainable development projects and avoid duplication of efforts. Thus, our initial objectives other mechanisms that enhance and ensure that forested were to: patches are connected. Three main corridors have been identified in the Atlantic forests: x Gather extant information on the priority areas for conservation of birds in 15 of the 17 states within x The Central Corridor, which includes areas in the Atlantic Forest Domain southern Bahia, northern Espírito Santo, and north- eastern Minas Gerais x Propose a network of IBAs following global criteria (sensu BirdLife International), based on infor- x The Serra do Mar Corridor, which follows this mation available from the literature, and mountain range along the coast of Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo, and x Evaluate the protection status of the proposed IBAs. x The Tri-national Corridor, which includes the inter- ior Atlantic forests of Paraná towards Argentina These initial phases are being conducted in collabor- (Misiones) and eastern Paraguay. ation with Fundação Zoobotânica do Rio Grande do Sul. The ultimate goal of this phase of the IBA pro- gram is to ensure that each globally threatened species is effectively protected in at least one IBA in the The Niche for the Important Bird Area Atlantic Forest Domain. The network of IBAs in the Program in Brazil Atlantic forests will also ensure the protection of other The BirdLife International Brazil Program seeks to fill endemic bird species, as well as diversity and other a major gap in the current conservation efforts, one that endemic taxa. must be filled in the immediate or short term if we are to prevent numerous species extinctions. In the Brazil- ian Atlantic Forest, landscape level conservation (such as the Corridors initiative) is the ultimate long-term goal, but is not enough in the immediate short-term. The reason is that the remaining forest areas are USDA Forest Service Gen. Tech. Rep. PSW-GTR-191. 2005 1251 IBA Program in Brazil—Goerck and Wege Proposed Network of IBAs in the IBAs once a more complete inventory is concluded. Atlantic Forest Region Nevertheless, as some areas have been identified as priorities being under severe threat (see