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Pacific Americas Shorebird Conservation Strategy

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Pacific Americas Shorebird Conservation Strategy PACIFIC AMERICAS SHOREBIRD CONSERVATION STRATEGY PACIFIC AMERICAS SHOREBIRD CONSERVATION STRATEGY December 2016 1 PACIFIC AMERICAS SHOREBIRD CONSERVATION STRATEGY Suggested citation Senner, S. E., B. A. Andres and H. R. Gates (Eds.). 2016. Pacific Americas shorebird conservation strategy. National Audubon Society, New York, New York, USA. Updated and corrected, November 2017. Available at: http://www.shorebirdplan.org. COVER PHOTO: Red Knots at Grays Harbor, Washington, USA, during spring migration. Lucas DeCicco / U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Juvenile Western Sandpiper (Calidris mauri) Lucas DeCicco / U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service PREFACE Shorebirds—plovers, oystercatchers, sandpipers, godwits, The intent is to assemble and synthesize information to present curlews—can be found along the entirety of the Pacific coast of a comprehensive approach to address the most pressing conser- the Western Hemisphere during some time of the year. Many vation needs in the flyway between Alaska and Chile, while species travel from Arctic breeding areas to spend their winter on considering the human communities that interact with shorebirds. the beaches and mudflats of México, Central America and South Only with investments in the portfolio of strategies and actions America, where they share the environment with resident species. will conservation of this extraordinary group of birds be achieved. Whether migrants or residents, shorebirds and the habitats they The strategy is not a step-by-step recipe for conservation success depend upon are exposed to an increasing myriad of anthropo- but rather a framework for ceaseless collaboration, innovation genic threats. Although the challenges are great, they are not and accomplishment. without solutions. Across the Western Hemisphere, shorebird scientists, conservationists and managers have banded together Extensive partner involvement in the development of the Pacific to tackle the conservation issues across the annual life cycle of Americas Shorebird Conservation Strategy will need to be this incredible group of birds. Although there is no doubt that sustained and augmented to achieve success across the flyway successful conservation depends upon actions initiated locally, and to mold the broad strategies presented here into tangible, isolated interventions will have the best chance for positively spatially explicit actions. A well-coordinated, collective effort will affecting populations if coordinated at a flyway scale. be needed to achieve overall strategy success; thus, people, and transparent communication among them, are crucial for success. The strategy presented here follows a logical sequence of setting Readers are encouraged to engage with the strategy’s partners shorebird conservation targets, identifying major threats and to endeavor to sustain shorebird populations along the Pacific identifying highly effective actions to restore and maintain Americas Flyway well into the future. shorebird populations throughout the Pacific Americas Flyway. i PACIFIC AMERICAS SHOREBIRD CONSERVATION STRATEGY CONTENTS PREFACE ......................................................................................................................... i CONSERVATION STRATEGIES AND ACTIONS ................................................. 29 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ..............................................................................................2 Strategy 1. Manage and Conserve Existing Habitats ............................ 30 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ...............................................................................................4 Strategy 2. Cultivate and Empower Conservation Authors ..................................................................................................................4 Constituencies ................................................................................................... 31 Steering Committee ..........................................................................................4 Strategy 3. Create Conservation Initiatives with Planning Committee Collaborators ...............................................................4 Natural Resource Industries ..........................................................................32 Peer Reviewers ...................................................................................................5 Strategy 4. Strengthen Compliance and Enforcement .........................33 Fiscal Sponsors ...................................................................................................5 Strategy 5. Develop Environmental and Wildlife Special Thanks ....................................................................................................5 Protection Policies .......................................................................................... 34 CONSERVATION NEED ..............................................................................................6 Strategy 6. Improve Knowledge of Present Shorebird Natural History ................................................................................6 and Future Habitats .........................................................................................35 From Tundra to Tierra del Fuego ..................................................................6 Strategy 7. Increase Partner and Stakeholder Capacity ...................... 36 Why Conserve Shorebirds? .............................................................................8 MONITORING, EVALUATION AND ADAPTATION .............................................37 VISION AND GOALS .................................................................................................10 Effectiveness of Short-term Objectives ....................................................37 MOVING TOWARD ACTION .....................................................................................11 Success Toward Long-term Outcomes ..................................................... 38 The Flyway Approach ......................................................................................11 Data Management........................................................................................... 39 Conservation Planning Foundation ............................................................ 12 CONSERVATION LANDSCAPE ..............................................................................40 Stakeholder Involvement ............................................................................... 12 Institutions ........................................................................................................40 GEOGRAPHIC SCOPE ...............................................................................................14 Leadership, Communication and Coordination .....................................40 Arctic/Subarctic ................................................................................................ 15 Conventions, Legal Frameworks and Initiatives......................................41 North-temperate .............................................................................................. 15 Funding .............................................................................................................. 42 Neotropical ........................................................................................................ 15 RISKS TO SUCCESS ..................................................................................................44 South-temperate .............................................................................................. 15 Regulatory .........................................................................................................44 Key Shorebird Sites within the Pacific Americas Flyway ....................20 Financial .............................................................................................................44 CONSERVATION TARGETS ..................................................................................... 21 Environmental ..................................................................................................44 MAJOR THREATS .......................................................................................................23 Scientific ............................................................................................................44 Climate Change ................................................................................................23 Economic ........................................................................................................... 45 Development .................................................................................................... 24 Social/Cultural .................................................................................................. 45 Invasive Species and Problematic Native Species .................................25 Institutional ....................................................................................................... 45 Disturbance from Recreational Activities ................................................ 26 CONCLUSION AND NEXT STEPS .........................................................................46 Water Use and Management ........................................................................27 LITERATURE CITED .................................................................................................. 48 Aquaculture .......................................................................................................27
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