Bi-partisan effort calls for recognition of Important Bird Areas
Seventeen Washington State senators and 23 house members representing both parties have co-signed proposed legislation that would provide both public and private landowners with scientific information about where birds live, feed and nest in Washington state.
The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) will work with the Earth Share of Washington member, Audubon Society, and other experts in bird population data, to officially recognize areas that are important for birds as they migrate through or reside in Washington. The proposed bill is not regulatory; rather, it provides a structure for the compilation and distribution of important information.
According to Audubon Washington's Executive Director Debbi Edelstein, the bill will save the state money because DNR can use existing, free scientific data about bird populations to officially recognize Important Bird Areas or IBAs. The IBA program is an international effort to map locations used by birds on every continent.
The bird population data to be used by DNR was rigorously tested and collected by using internationally adopted criteria agreed to by bird scientists in Europe, Africa, Canada, Mexico and the United States.
This bill creates a partnership between DNR and volunteers throughout Washington to collect data and recognize the importance of birds in our state. The information can be used for Watchable Wildlife projects, habitat restoration projects and community conservation education.
