Beach nesting birds ATLANTIC FLYWAY SHOREBIRD INITIATIVE

Transcription

1

2 Beach nesting birds ATLANTIC FLYWAY SHOREBIRD INITIATIVE

3 Beach nesting birds

4

5 Beach nesting birds Species Focal Species USSCP Status High Concern Estimated Population Population trend (30-year) American Golden Plover 500,000 American High Concern Oystercatcher 11,284 Greater Yellowlegs High Concern 137,000 Lesser Yellowlegs High Concern 660,000 Marbled Godwit High Concern 2,000 UNK Piping Plover Highly Imperiled 3,600 Purple Sandpiper High Concern 15,000 Red Knot (rufa) Highly Imperiled 42,000 Red-necked High Concern Phalarope 2,500,00 Ruddy Turnstone High Concern 180,000 Sanderling High Concern 300,000 Semipalmated High Concern Sandpiper 810,000 Snowy Plover Highly Imperiled Whimbrel High Concern 40,000 Wilson s Plover High Concern 8,600

6 Beach nesting birds

7 Beach nesting birds SHORT-TERM OUTCOMES Predation pressure reduced # protected nesting beaches increased # chicks produced per pair increased LONG-TERM OUTCOMES U.S. breeding population increased by 10%

8 Beach nesting birds

9 Beach nesting birds Session 3b - Building a Culture of Conservation to Safeguard Beach-Nesting Birds This discussion aims to create a foundation for developing a proof-of-concept public awareness campaign for Gulf shorebirds: What are the key stressors? Are there initiatives that have addressed these stressors successfully? How might this be applicable to the Gulf? What are the challenges and opportunities? How would success be measured? What are some next steps? Moderator: Suzanne Sessine, Assistant Director, Eastern Partnership Office, NFWF Panelist 1: Kacy Ray, Manager, Gulf Conservation Program, American Bird Conservancy Panelist 2: Laura Chamberlin, Coordinator, Delaware Bay Program, Manomet Center for Conservation Panelist 3: Margo Zdravkovic, Director, Conservian/Coastal Bird Conservation Conservian

10

11 Key Challenges Human disturbance on migrating, wintering and breeding coastal birds Securing resources to implement strategies to reduce disturbance Influencing behavior change in the general public

12 Fish, Swim and Play from 50 yards away Texas & Louisiana Advertising TV, Internet, Smart Phone On-the-ground Educational surveys at boat ramps, marinas, beaches, parks Nest site stewardship Large groups of birds influence decisions Majority people recreate at 50+ yards People recognize signs and fencing Continued education needed

13 Texas Coastal Wildlife Outreach Program Formed on the heels of FSP, Lift, Drift, Pole, and Troll and Back the Bay 10+ collaborating partners Reduce human disturbance on birds and sea turtles Advertising beyond the beach Stewardship on the beach/island Community engagement Signs, symbolic fencing, bollards Influence behavior change through education/informing Community-Based Social Marketing

14

15 May on the Delaware Bay

16 Challenges Disturbance while feeding, which led to beach closures Horseshoe Crab mortality: natural and humanimpingements People have limited knowledge on how they can help Apathy and limited understanding outside Bayshore region Horseshoe Crab harvesting

17 Community Engagement Solutions Built resident/local support Hands-on opportunities for leaders Link with existing community development (i.e., economic development) Created stewardship and citizen science projects to build base of supporters Provided education and empowering message to reduce disturbance Beach steward Student signs

18 Lessons Learned 1. Tell people what to do Create clear and direct strategies 2. Understand your audience 3. Understand your threat and how it can be solved 4. Build your base

19

20 Conservation Opportunity Reminder Exploit High Cuteness Factor!

21 Gulf Coast Assessment All 5 Assessment Focal Species In GULFWIDE BEACH-NESTING BIRD POPULATION ESTIMATES Breeding Pairs Individuals SNOWY PLOVER ( 1,900) WILSON S PLOVER 3,000-3,200 ( 6,400) AMERICAN ( 1,550) OYSTERCATCHER LEAST TERN 8,600-9,350 ( 18,700) BLACK SKIMMER 10,080-10,800 ( 21,600) New Data Conservation Concerns

22 Primary Human-created Threats Number of Sites (Gulfwide) Challenges/Key Stressors 28% 29% 16% 16% 11% High Moderate-High Moderate Minimal-Moderate Minimal New Data 0 More than one half of beach-nesting bird sites have high to moderate levels of disturbance/habitat loss

23 Human-created Impact Levels Sites Impacted (Gulfwide) Challenges/Key Stressors 93% 83% 84% 50% 39% 37% 22% 13% New Data Public Access ORV use Watercraft Accessible Unleashed Pets Beach Raking Beach Planting Development Oil Spill Impacted Public ORV Watercraft Unleashed Beach Beach Development Oil Spill Access Use Accessible Pets Raking Planting Impacted

24 Site Manager/Partner Education Beach-nesting birds respond positively to protective measures Conservation Actions = Restoration

25 What Have We Learned? Number of Breeding Pairs Snowy Plover Breeding Pairs Florida Panhandle Protective Measures Beginning in Historical Level Beach-nesting birds respond positively to protective measures Conservation Actions = Restoration

26 Next Steps: Opportunity New Gulf Coast Conservation Tool US Gulf Coast Beach-nesting Bird Assessment and Management Guidelines will assist land managers to stabilize and increase shorebird populations