AMJV Science Coordinator Becky Keller recently attended a one-day meeting in Portland, ME that explored opportunities to work together with forest landowners and industry to conserve at-risk and listed species on private working forests. The meeting brought together private forest landowners and representatives from the National Alliance of Forest Owners, forest industry, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) Region V. In Region V, approximately 9 of every 10 forested acres are privately held, making private and public sector cooperation an important goal for effective conservation. Those in attendance recognized the need to share conservation investment in at-risk species and the importance of building trust between private landowners and the USFWS.
Read on.
Spring Management Board Meeting: Focal Landscapes and Integrating Findings of National Bird Plans into Future Conservation Efforts
The AMJV Management Board met on May 11-12 in Blacksburg, Virginia and held discussions ranging from identifying focal landscapes to incorporating findings of national bird plans and reports into future AMJV coordination efforts and on-the-ground conservation. The meeting, which was attended by about 25 resource managers representing federal, state, and non-governmental conservation organizations throughout the Appalachians, also included a field trip to view shelterwood harvests and habitat management activities at Jefferson National Forest.
View major highlights and action items.
AMJV on Capitol Hill
For the first time in AMJV history, private landowners participated in our annual Capitol Hill visit. Mike and Laura Jackson from Pennsylvania - who used NRCS’ Working Lands for Wildlife to enhance young forest habitat on their property for Golden-winged Warblers and other wildlife - went to Washington D.C. with AMJV Coordinator Todd Fearer. During their time in the capital, the Jacksons visited with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service leadership as well as some of the Pennsylvania congressional delegation to highlight the benefits of such conservation programs for enhancing the value of their lands and providing critical habitat that will prevent listings of imperiled species.
Read on.
A Focus on Working Lands and Private Landowner Resources
The AMJV partnership is working to provide technical and financial opportunities for private landowners to improve habitat on their property that benefit birds and other wildlife.
A new area on our site is dedicated to providing resources to private landowners interested in a variety of conservation projects, partnerships, and programs - from the Cerulean Warbler Appalachian Forestland Enhancement Project to the Farm Bill Field Guide.
Learn more.
Also New on AMJV Site
AMJV Webinar Series: From new forest analysis to data sharing networks to balancing energy development with natural resource management, our Webinar series touches on all things bird conservation in the Appalachians.
2nd Virginia Breeding Bird Atlas: The AMJV helped support the development and hosting of the 2
nd Virginia Breeding Bird Atlas website. The 2
nd Virginia Breeding Bird Atlas is a survey of all bird species breeding in the state. Data collected will help map the distribution and status of Virginia’s breeding bird community in order to better inform our natural resource and conservation decisions.
Latest News
New Magazine: Agriculture, Wildlife Thrive through Landscape Conservation
New York to Create Young Forest on State WMAs
Ecosystem Benefits and Risks Research Aides Appalachian Resource Management
Wood Thrush Relative Weekly Abundance Animated Map
Save the Date - Upcoming Meetings
AMJV Technical Committee Meeting – August 2-3, Carter Caves State Park in Olive Hills, Kentucky
Primary agenda items for the annual AMJV Technical Committee meeting include designing focal dynamic forest landscapes within the AMJV, stepping down the 2016 Partners in Flight Landbird Conservation Plan to the regional scale, partner updates, and continuing conversations with Energy, Coordinated Bird Monitoring, and Wintering Grounds Working Groups. A field trip will take place in areas managed for Cerulean Warblers. Make reservations online for a room at the Lewis Caveland Lodge:
http://parks.ky.gov/parks/resortparks/carter-caves/reservations.aspx (use group code 1675).
Use the following Google doc to indicate travel arrangements:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1WN5WzCFuijJmzxf_CisG-JSeIX891rQrmCvsrIqROR8/edit#gid=0
North American Ornithological Conference - August 16-20, Washington, D.C.
Held every four years,
this premier ornithological conference will feature lectures by world experts, workshops, round table discussions and interactive sessions and symposia on an array of topics such as systematics and taxonomy, reproductive biology, conservation biology, to name a few.
