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Arkansas' Important Birds Areas
What are its goals?
Part of a global effort to strengthen bird populations, the
Important Bird Area (IBA) Program will aid dozens of vulnerable
bird species by identifying, monitoring and protecting the
most significant bird habitats in the state.
Founded and supported by Audubon Arkansas,
the statewide initiative is led by a 15-member volunteer team
of experts who are either state and federal agency staff members
or private citizen-scientists. The proactive IBA Program works
collaboratively and on a voluntary basis with communities,
conservation groups, and landowners, both private and government,
to:
- reverse the loss and fragmentation
of important bird habitat in the state;
- protect and create significant bird
habitat (often through restoration or by bringing more land
into public ownership);
- increase public knowledge, volunteerism,
advocacy and financial support for habitat conservation
in the state.
 How
does it work in Arkansas?
The IBA Program is bringing together the primary actors in
conservation in Arkansas to build public support and volunteerism
for habitat protection. Primary state partners in efforts
to decrease habitat loss are the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission
and the Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission. The 15-member
IBA Technical Committee establishes criteria for IBAs, reviews
nominations for IBAs, names those areas qualifying as IBAs,
and assists with creating and implementing plans for protecting
IBAs. Techniques for managing IBAs include monitoring, education,
outreach, and conservation (e.g., habitat management and restoration).
Volunteer teams assist with habitat protection
by helping monitor and restore IBAs. Audubon's scientists
on staff provide technical assistance and support with implementation
to the IBA team and to volunteers. Audubon staff also are
developing public support for habitat protection through a
communications and fundraising campaign.
Why is it important?
On the Mississippi flyway, Arkansas is home to great populations
of important migratory songbirds and waterfowl. The largest
wintering population of Mallards in the US and the largest
wintering population of Trumpeter Swans in the Southeast can
be found in the state. The endangered Red-cockaded woodpecker
is known to inhabit several areas, and the endangered Least
Tern breeds on Arkansas' river sandbars. Less than 15% of
lands in Arkansas are in the public domain, therefore, voluntary
cooperation by private landowners is critical to a successful
program. The IBA program has proved highly effective in similar
situations elsewhere. Its implementation in Arkansas can realize
a much greater level of protection for bird populations and
endangered species in the state. While there are other active
habitat conservation efforts in Arkansas, there is no other
single program that brings together state, federal and private
organizations to collaborate using a comprehensive approach
that identifies and works to protect important bird habitat
statewide.
Why Audubon?
Appropriately, Audubon is taking the leadership role in the
IBA program in Arkansas. Founded in 1905, The National Audubon
Society is currently supported by 600,000 members and over
500 chapters in the Americas. Founded by a grant from the
Winthrop Rockefeller Charitable Trust in May of 2001, Audubon
Arkansas is the 25th State Office of the National Audubon
Society. Audubon Arkansas has developed a number of partnerships
in support of environmental restoration and education with
critical public and private supporters. The state office is
supported by 3,400 members.
What is the status of the IBA program?
- 28 recognized IBAs.
- 25 WatchList species and 63 Arkansas Birds of Conservation
Interest use at least one IBA.
- 13 Wildlife Management Areas, 8 National Wildlife Refuges,
4 State Parks, 5 Natural Areas, and 2 National Forests are
found within the 28 IBAs.
- 6 IBAs contain private land, encompassing 43% of the land
area within the program.
- 2,808,000 acres are encompassed within the program.
- Rare habitat types contained within IBAs include cypress-tupelo
swamp, pine savanna, and blackland prairie.
- 4 IBAs meet global criteria.
- 4 IBAs meet continental criteria.
- The Cache-Lower White Rivers IBA is a global IBA because
it is home to the Ivory-billed Woodpecker. This site was
recognized as an IBA before the rediscovery.
For more information on the IBA program
in Arkansas, contact our office at (501) 244-2229 or email
Dr. Dan Scheiman, Bird Conservation Director at dscheiman@audubon.org.
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