National, International, and Step-down Plans

Waterbird Conservation for the Americas (WCA) is an independent, international, broad-based, and voluntary partnership created to link the work of individuals and institutions having interest and responsibility for conservation of waterbirds and their habitats in the Americas. The term waterbird generally refers species that are dependent upon open water or wetlands during a portion of their life cycle. The Waterbird Conservation for the Americas partnership addresses the conservation and management of 210 species of waterbirds, including seabirds, coastal waterbirds, wading birds, and marshbirds in 29 nations throughout North America, Central America, the islands and pelagic waters of the Caribbean Sea and Western Atlantic, the U.S.-associated Pacific Islands and pelagic waters of the Pacific. The North American Waterbird Conservation Plan is a product of the WCA partnership. Version 1, published in 2002, focuses primarily on colonial-nesting waterbirds. A second North American Waterbird Plan addressing other waterbird species will be published soon.

View the North American Waterbird Plan

The MANEM Working Group is a regional partnership of organizations and individuals working to facilitate waterbird conservation in the MANEM region. The working group hopes to help local resource managers within the region, stretching from the Gulf of St. Lawrence to the southern end of the Chesapeake Bay, protect waterbirds and their habitats by facilitating the development and distribution of information on the status and conservation needs of waterbirds and habitats, and by building partnerships between wildlife managers, scientists, conservationists and supporters.

Southeast U.S. Region Waterbird Conservation Plan

The Plan was developed to focus on regional waterbird populations and habitats and associated conservation issues, and represents the next steps in waterbird conservation called for in the NAWCP in the Southeastern United States. The Plan focuses on the following 13 states: Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Kentucky, Tennessee, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Virginia.

Northwestern Atlantic Marine Bird Conservation Cooperative

The Northwest Atlantic Birds at Sea Conservation Cooperative has formed and is committed to engaging resource agencies and partners in and outside its membership to develop new alliances to prioritize and implement research, management, policy and educational actions needed to sustain marine birds in their offshore environments. View their site for resources, working groups, and other information.

U.S. Shorebird Conservation Plan

View the Plan

Concerns over shorebirds led to the creation of the U.S. Shorebird Conservation Plan in 2000. A partnership of individuals and organizations throughout the U.S., the plan develops conservation goals for each region of the U.S, identifies important habitat conservation and key research needs, and proposes education and outreach programs to increase awareness of shorebirds and their threats.

Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network (WHSRN) is a voluntary, non-regulatory coalition that identifies and promotes conservation of crucial sites for shorebirds, no matter whether they are used in the breeding, migratory, or "winter" season. It was created in 1985 as an ambitious and visionary approach to addressing shorebird conservation needs at an enormous scale. WHSRN's mission is to conserve shorebird species and their habitats across the Americas through a network of key sites.

The draft WHSRN Strategic Plan for 2004-2008 is now posted and available in both English and Spanish.