Selection Criteria

WHSRN has two qualifying criteria for inclusion in the Network. A Site must be of demonstrated importance to shorebirds and it must have the express agreement of the landowners. A WHSRN Landscape is an area where habitat availability varies spatially and temporally and where broad scale changes due to anthropogenic influences are often extensive. Often Landscapes are characterized by complex ownership patterns.

1. Importance to shorebirds should be based on peak species counts or on calculated turnover rates. Qualifying sites may be in one of the following WHSRN categories:
   
   Sites/Landscapes of Hemispheric Importance:
   • at least 500,000 shorebirds annually or
   • at least 30% of the biogeographic population for a species

   Sites of International Importance

   • at least 100,000 shorebirds annually or
   • at least 10% of the biogeographic population for a species

   Sites of Regional Importance

   • at least 20,000 shorebirds annually or
   • at least 1% of the biogeographic population for a species
   
   **Latest estimates of biogeographic populations of most North American shorebirds are avilable from the U.S. Shorebird Conservation Plan.
   
   **For other species (that do not occur in the United States), please use the estimates in the book Waterbird Population Estimates - 4th Edition by Wetlands International.
   **"Landscapes" must be of Hemispheric Importance to gain WHSRN recognition.
   


2. Agreement of the owner(s). In the case of WHSRN Sites, landowners must agree in writing to the following three conditions:


• To make shorebird conservation a priority at the site
• To protect and manage the site for shorebirds
• To update the Network at least annually in the event of changes in the site’s status (boundaries, degree of protection) or the contact information of the person responsible.

For WHSRN Landscapes, a legally recognized agency or entity (such as a joint venture, landowners' coalition, or watershed council) would agree to the following terms in writing, in lieu of individual landowner agreements. As for a site level nomination, the recognized entity would accept responsibility for:


• making shorebird conservation a priority
• working with landowners to protect and manage habitat for shorebirds
• keeping WHSRN updated on changes in the landscape's status, and
• supply point-of-contact information
  
  
Identifying important landscapes begins at a broad geographic scale, for example, at the level of a shorebird planning region, joint venture (JV), or bird conservation region (BCR) in North America, or a life zone or eco-physiographic region within South America. Entities working within the region define the landscape in a way that is most meaningful for the species, region, and management structures, and that best uses shorebird information and technical expertise.