Alaska Bird Observatory

The Alaska Bird Observatory and Canadian Wildlife Service are working together to develop an All-Bird Conservation Plan for the Northwestern Interior Forest. This large conservation region encompasses land in interior Alaska, the Yukon Territory, western Northwest Territories, and northern British Columbia. Regional conservation planning has become an instrumental component in prioritizing conservation needs for North America’s diverse avifauna. Such planning is essential to help determine where limited resources should be directed to meet the most pressing regional conservation needs for birds. To this end, the North American Bird Conservation Initiative (NABCI), a cooperative venture with representation from Canada, Mexico, and the United States, was developed to promote avian conservation. NABCI has partitioned the continent into 67 bird conservation regions following ecosystem boundaries. One of the largest is Bird Conservation Region 4 (BCR4), the Northwestern Interior Forest.

Currently, multiple plans address bird conservation in parts of this region. These plans focus on specific groups of birds (for example, landbirds, waterfowl, or shorebirds) in specific regions (Alaska, Yukon, British Columbia) under specific administration (state, territorial, provincial, federal). Land managers and other interested parties must glean information on priority species and their associated habitats from a myriad of sources. A regional All-Bird Conservation Plan will integrate and update information from all these sources and present it in a comprehensive manner. This single source will provide information on all birds and their associated habitats across BCR4. Regional patterns will be readily discernible, along with regional and local development and conservation concerns.

This is an international effort to coordinate conservation efforts across a vast stretch of relatively unaltered boreal habitat. Half of the birds found in North America regularly use or breed in the boreal forest. The vast majority of the avifauna within BCR4 is common; we have a rare opportunity to maintain populations at these levels rather than manage to increase numbers above a threatened or endangered threshold. We will 1) assess the conservation status of all bird species that regularly occur in BCR 4, 2) identify priority species and subspecies for the region, 3) describe habitats used by identified priority species, 4) identify threats to priority species and habitats within the BCR, and 5) identify specific needs for inventory, monitoring, research, and conservation for birds in the region. Partners from various state, provincial, territorial, federal, Alaskan Native, Canadian First Nation, industry, and non-governmental groups will provide input to the Plan. 

We live during a period of change in the North. Increasing resource development and recent shifts in climate cycles will have a profound effect on our natural resources. Management decisions made here not only affect the local environment but have far-reaching effects on regional populations of birds. It is important that these decisions be made with the most comprehensive and complete information available. The All-Bird Conservation Plan for BCR4 will supply this information to all interested parties.

ABO has received a partner grant from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADFG) to coordinate, develop, and write this All-Bird Conservation Plan. We have also received grants from the Alaska Conservation Foundation and the Mountaineers Foundation. Our current partners include the Canadian Wildlife Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Migratory Bird Office in Anchorage, ADFG Non-game Program,  Alaska Audubon, and True North GIS.

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