U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT NEWS RELEASE
| Contacts: | Alicia King (USFWS) | , 571-214-3117 | ||
| Dave Barna (NPS) | , 202-208-6843 | |||
| Celia Boddington (BLM) | , 202-208-6913 |
BLM Signs Memorandum of Understanding on Migratory Bird Conservation
WASHINGTON, D.C. --U.S. Fish Wildlife Service Acting Director Rowan Gould signed two Memoranda of Understandings today, one with National Park Service Director Jon Jarvis, and another with the Bureau Land Management Deputy Director Mike Pool. The Memoranda of Understandings (MOUs) are designed to strengthen coordination for migratory bird conservation. The MOUs help identify and implement strategies to complement and support existing efforts, and facilitate new collaborative migratory bird conservation partnerships and comprehensive planning strategies for migratory birds.
“This agreement will help us conduct landscape-level planning and develop additional conservation measures to benefit migratory bird species across public and private lands,” said Gould. “The conservation of birds will help sustain ecological integrity and ecosystem services, including insect control, pollination, and seed dispersal. Migratory bird conservation also meets the growing public demand, and need, for outdoor education and recreation.”
“This cooperative agreement provides a tremendous opportunity for our agencies to unite our efforts to more effectively protect migratory birds,” said Jarvis. Migratory birds are an important and fragile resource of our planet and what we have done here today is just the first step in this combined effort to strengthen migratory bird conservation.”
“Addressing the conservation needs of migratory birds on public lands is crucial to many species,” said Bureau of Land Management Director Bob Abbey. “We're pleased to work closely with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to restore and enhance critical habitat and improve conservation through public education.”
Recreational activities associated with migratory birds contribute to the economies of many communities. One of every five Americans watches birds, and birdwatchers contributed $36 billion to the U.S. economy in 2006 according to Birding in the United States: A Demographic and Economic Analysis– a report released by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
These MOUs meets the requirements under section 3 of Executive Order 13186 concerning the responsibilities of Federal agencies to protect migratory birds. The Executive Order directs executive departments and agencies to take certain actions to further implement the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA). The MOUs identify specific ways the agencies can cooperate to substantially contribute to the conservation and management of migratory birds and their habitats. Potential areas of collaboration include:
- Implementing studies on migratory bird species that may be potentially affected by agency actions
- Developing conservation measures and best management practices
- Developing and providing ongoing support for educational programs such as International Migratory Bird Day
- Promoting and providing training, sharing information, and integrating migratory bird conservation principles and practices across agencies.
The mission of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is working with others to conserve, protect and enhance fish, wildlife, plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. We are both a leader and trusted partner in fish and wildlife conservation, known for our scientific excellence, stewardship of lands and natural resources, dedicated professionals and commitment to public service. For more information on our work and the people who make it happen, visit www.fws.gov.
The National Park Service preserves unimpaired the natural and cultural resources and values of the national park system for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration of this and future generations. The Park Service cooperates with partners to extend the benefits of natural and cultural resource conservation and outdoor recreation throughout this country and the world. www.nps.gov
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land, the most of any Federal agency. This land, known as the National System of Public Lands, is primarily located in 12 Western states, including Alaska. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. In Fiscal Year (FY) 2011, recreational and other activities on BLM-managed land contributed more than $130 billion to the U.S. economy and supported more than 600,000 American jobs. The Bureau is also one of a handful of agencies that collects more revenue than it spends. In FY 2012, nearly $5.7 billion will be generated on lands managed by the BLM, which operates on a $1.1 billion budget. The BLM's multiple-use mission is to sustain the health and productivity of the public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations. The Bureau accomplishes this by managing such activities as outdoor recreation, livestock grazing, mineral development, and energy production, and by conserving natural, historical, cultural, and other resources on public lands.
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