Collaborating with the Bird Conservancy of the Rockies
Chris Boone, State Biologist, BLM Montana/Dakotas
The Integrated Monitoring in Bird Conservation Regions (IMBCR) program was coordinated by the Bird Conservancy of the Rockies (BCR) and developed through a collective effort of
bird conservation partners across the western landscape. Piloted in 2008, this program implements broad scale bird monitoring across several states and ownerships, including those owned and managed by the BLM.
Working with BCR and utilizing the IMBCR program allows the BLM to learn more about bird occupancy, distribution and current trend. This is especially true for those species identified on the BLM Special Status Species list as Sensitive-- those species requiring special management consideration to promote their conservation and reduce the likelihood and need for future listing under the Endangered Species Act (ESA).
Many sensitive species are already protected under federal laws such as the Migratory Bird Treaty Act and the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act. Numerous sensitive species are identified by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service as Species of Conservation Concern, which are at risk for listing as threatened or endangered under ESA.
Therefore, as a federal land management agency, the BLM embraces the challenge along with multiple partners to promote the conservation of all breeding birds across the western United States. In large part, this is accomplished by coordinating our efforts with adjoining BLM state offices, state and other federal agencies, BLM stakeholders, and private organizations such as BCR. What we learn through collaboration and utilizing the IMBCR program helps inform federal land management agencies with the condition of breeding bird populations and their habitats, and how our discretionary actions may affect those species and habitats in the long-term.
Our long-standing partnership with BCR has helped facilitate 10 years of breeding landbird surveys across the BLM Montana/Dakotas, providing up to date data to our field office biologists, partners and the public via the Rocky Mountain Avian Data Center. Using this information has certainly afforded our agency with the tools and ability to proactively manage our federal actions to improve the health and productivity of the land and ensure management objectives are reached for our sensitive species. While undoubtedly supporting multiple use and the BLM’s mission, bird conservation is and will continue to be a top priority for the BLM and long-term partners like BCR, especially for those species and habitats in decline.