The Important Bird Areas (IBA) program is a science-based initiative designed
to identify, conserve, and monitor sites that provide essential habitat for
bird populations. Developed in Europe, the program has expanded to become an
international network of conservation sites. Under this initiative, sites that
are critical for the long-term survival of bird populations have been
identified across the globe using internationally agreed upon criteria. The
quality and effectiveness of this conservation network depends directly on the
information resources and expertise used in its development.
In 2006 with funds provided by the Coastal Zone Management Program and in
cooperation with the recently established Virginia IBA Program, the Center for
Conservation Biology used existing information resources to delineate 10
important bird areas within the coastal plain of Virginia. On the outer
coastal fringe these areas include the Virginia Barrier Island/Lagoon IBA,
Delmarva Bayside Marshes IBA, Chesapeake Islands IBA, Lower Delmarva IBA, and
Back Bay IBA. On the inner coastal plain these areas include the Lower James
River IBA, Pamunkey and Mattaponi Rivers IBA, Rappahannock River Tidal Fresh
IBA, Potomac River Tidal Fresh IBA, and Western Shore Marshes IBA. All of
these areas play a significant role in the life cycle of bird species of high
conservation concern. Their delineation should help to focus conservation
actions on the resources needed to sustain these populations for the long term.
Fact sheets and associated materials for these important sites were presented
in two reports that may be accessed from the Center's website
http://www.ccb-wm.org.
Direct links to the reports:
Inner Coastal Plain IBA Report -
http://ccb-wm.org/publications/pdf_techreports/CCBTR-06-05_IBA%20Phase%20I.pdf
Outer Coastal Plain IBA Report -
http://ccb-wm.org/publications/pdf_techreports/CCBTR-06-13_IBA%20Phase%20II.pdf
Bryan Watts
Center for Conservation Biology
Posted For Bryan Watts by Bart Paxton
