Read the Vision!
A century ago, North American bird populations had declined dramatically in the absence of regulations and other efforts to protect them. Recognizing the importance of migratory birds to humans and the environment, government leaders in Canada, the United States and Mexico signed treaties committing to conserve these valuable resources that cross our borders. The result of these international agreements has been a century of cooperative conservation of our shared migratory birds and their habitats.
Today, birds and their habitats have many new challenges. The State of North America’s Birds 2016 report tells us that populations of many birds have declined significantly, to the point that regional disappearance or widespread extinction looms as a likelihood for a number of species. They face many threats including loss of habitat, mortality due to human activity, and climate change.
Recognizing that continued international collaboration is vital to conserve migratory bird populations, our three nations have come together, through NABCI and the Trilateral Committee for Wildlife and Ecosystem Conservation and Management, to build a Vision for bird conservation for the next century.
The next step is to develop national and international action plans, with concrete ways to ensure sustainable bird populations exist in the Americas for generations to come.