Translated and adapted from an original story written in Spanish.
The Caribbean coastal areas of Central America are poised to become the next key conservation priority for the Atlantic Flyway Shorebird Initiative (AFSI), an effort to contribute to the management and protection of shorebird habitat led by the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). Over the coming months, Central American conservationists will assess threats, prioritize strategies and actions, and identify opportunities to restore and protect critical shorebird habitat, working toward development of a full-lifecycle framework for shorebird conservation throughout the Atlantic Flyway.
Including the Caribbean coastal areas of Central America in AFSI, an effort launched by the Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network (WHSRN)’s Executive Office in February 2022, is supported by an advisory committee of regional shorebird experts and the USFWS. (WHSRN’s executive office is housed within Manomet’s Flyways program.) By adding the Central American Caribbean coast to its business plan, AFSI will bolster its overarching goal which is to increase populations of especially critical and vulnerable shorebirds within the Atlantic Flyway by 10 to 15 percent over a 10-year period.
Conservation partners listen to an update presentation on the Atlantic Flyway Shorebird Initiative.
By including coastal areas of the Caribbean in AFSI, the strength of the entire Atlantic Flyway used by migratory birds can be improved, helping to ensure the conservation and survival of many vulnerable species. To make this a reality, WHSRN, Manomet, and AFSI will convene regional shorebird conservationists, as well as other stakeholders associated with the environments the birds use, such as Central American government agencies and authorities, local and regional decisionmakers, and companies working in coastal industries. By working together, these different stakeholders will identify key threats to shorebirds and their coastal habitats, and develop strategies to mitigate those threats.
These flyway-scale efforts provide many opportunities to bridge conservation gaps for shorebirds, promote collaborations locally and globally, convert local efforts into flyway scale impacts, guide decision-making by identifying conservation investment priorities, integrate different social and economic efforts into national and international environmental agendas, and provide innovative funding alternatives.
The success of this work will depend on the collaboration of partners, experts, and stakeholders interested in the conservation of shorebirds and their habitats along this important migratory corridor. If you are interested in participating, please send us your contact information at this link.
Cover Photo: Whimbrels (Numenius phaeopus) at a coastal area in Central America. Photo: Salvadora Morales.
