Proceedings of
Waterbird Conservation Council
2007 Annual Meeting

Held jointly with the WHSRN Hemispheric Council.
January 15-19, 2007
Quito, Ecuador
Contact for the meeting: Jennifer Wheeler
Next Annual Meeting: January 2008, Marismas Nacionales, Mexico

Purpose

The Waterbird Conservation Council is the body responsible for facilitating the implementation of the North American Waterbird Conservation Plan. Its Annual Meeting is a very important event for the Council. The meeting goals are fostering Council energy and momentum for the next year; endorsing the vision and tasks forwarded by its working committees; and developing stronger relationships between Council members.

Participants, Including Council Members and Guests
Full Participants List

Back Row: Ward Hagemeijer, Sanda Loor, Stephen Brown, Ian Davidson, Scott Johnston, Rob Clay, Don Paul, Garry Donaldson, Guy Foulks, Francie Cuthbert, Jim Kushlan, Eric Mellink, Paul Kluckner, Kathy Parsons, Rosabel Miro, Fernando Castillo, Nicole LeBoeuf.
Front Row: Xico Vega, Lisa Sorenson, Itziar Olmedo, Lourdes Mugica, Rosa Montañez, Carol Lively, Jennifer Wheeler, Maria Rivera, Humberto Berlanga, Debbie Hahn, Ghisselle Alvarado, Jeff Parrish, Jennifer Arnold, Amanda Tapia, Cristina Morales.
Participants Not Pictured: Nicole Balloffet, Charles Duncan, Esteben Frere, Nancy Hilgert, Wendel Landes, Sergio Lasso, Dave Mehlman, Gabriela Montoya, Francisco Rilla, Paul Schmidt, Alberto Yanosky, Tatiana Santander

Summary/Resumen

Summary of Outcomes of the 2007 Annual Meeting
Resumen de Resultados de la Reunión Anual de 2007

Day 1: WHSRN Meeting

Day 2: Joint Meeting

Preparatory Reading
"Collaboration Under A Common Vision": Formalizing The Range-Wide, Integrated Approach To Water Bird Conservation In The Americas: A Proposal For An Americas Water Birds Partnership (PDF)
"Colaboración Bajo una Visión Común":Formalizando el método integrado de extensión total de la conservación de aves acuáticas en las américas: Una propuesta para una alianza para las aves acuáticas de las américas (Word)

Presentations
Attendees received information on a number of topics as a basis for discussions on collaboration.
Description of the WHSRN Hemispheric Council and its work - Charles Duncan
Description of the Waterbird Conservation Council and its work - Jennifer Wheeler
The two councils compared and contrasted - Charles Duncan and Jennifer Wheeler
Findings from NMBCA-funded waterbirds project that call for collaboration - Rob Clay
Laguna Cuyutlán - examples of a site of both waterbird and shorebird interest -Eric Mellink
The Neotropical Waterbird Census and International Waterbird Census as tools of mutual interest -- Ward Hagemeijer
WHSRN's Site Assessment Tool -- Charles Duncan
Introduction to CREHO - Rosa Montañez
Ramsar Convention's High Andean Wetlands Regional Strategy - Sergio Lasso
Lessons learned in other regions from Wetlands International Perspective, including the East Asian - Australasian Flyway and the GEF-funded African-Eurasian Flyway project - Ward Hagemeijer
Introduction to Convention on Migratory Species - Francisco Rilla
Western Hemisphere Migratory Species Initative -- Charles Duncan/Jennifer Wheeler

Brainstorm Exercise
Participants held a brainstorm and synthesis exercise to answer the question: "What are the most important short- and long-term collaborative activities the two Councils should undertake?"
Spreadsheet of responses

Resolution and Action Items
The means of taking advantage of the exercise and continuing the discussion was the topic of conversation for subsequent days. Ultimately, the group agreed on a charge and form for a task force to carry this effort forward. Contact Carol Lively for more information.
Coordination Task Force Charge and Principles of Operation
Metas y principios de operación del Grupo de Trabajo de Coordinación 

Day 3: Joint Field Trip to Antisana

Day 4: Findings of the Council's "Advancing a Range-wide Approach" Project

The Council received the products culminating from a two-year NMBCA-funded project “Advancing a Range-wide Approach to Waterbird Conservation at Priority Sites throughout the Neotropics.” The project provides a foundation of aquatic bird conservation information in Central and South America and the Caribbean.

Presentations
Participants were provided with an overview of the status of waterbird species as determined from the national reports created for Central and South America and the Caribbean.
Outcomes of the project “Advancing a Range-wide Approach to Waterbird Conservation at Priority Sites throughout the Neotropics” -- Rob Clay
Aquatic Bird Conservation in Ecuador – Sandra Loor, Tatiana Santander

Resolution and Action Items
Recommendations relating to species, site and habitat conservation as well as advocacy, awareness and capacity-building, including a recommendation to evaluate the development of a hemispheric, all aquatic bird initiative to facilitate conservation work in the Americas, were forwarded. In response, the Council reaffirmed its commitment to a hemispheric scope, charging itself and its committees to draw from the project to guide its future work and to encourage partners to do the same.

Day 4, continued: Strategic Seabird Conservation

To determine where and how it can best continue to contribute to seabird conservation, the Council retained a team of University of Maryland Sustainable Development and Conservation Biology graduate students to perform a strategic assessment of the state of seabird conservation and the capacity of the Council to address conservation needs.

Preparatory Reading
Report: Strategic Engagement in Seabird Conservation: An Opportunities Assessment and Action Guide for the Waterbird Conservation Council (PDF) Report and Recommendations – Nicole Balloffet, Wendel Landes, Nicole LeBouef
American Bird Conservancy’s Seabird Program – Jennifer Arnold
Birdlife International’s South American Seabird Program – Esteben Frere

Resolution and Action Items
The Council resolved to draw on its members’ influence in their affiliated organizations and geographic regions to raise awareness and increase support for current conservation programs (e.g., those of Birdlife International and American Bird Conservancy) and provide access to potential partnering organizations. In particular, it will emphasize coordination across organizations operating in the northern and southern Americas. The Council will also act as an entity to undertake specific recommended actions, charged its committees with initiating and coordinating relevant projects aimed at raising awareness and mitigating threats.

Day 5: Council Committee Annual Workplans

The Council reviewed and approved workplans for the coming year, presented by topic and associated committee.

Presentations
Status of Tasks of 2006 Reviewed and Assessed – Jennifer Wheeler

Resolution and Action Items
2007 Waterbird Conservation Council Workplans

Acknowledgements

Local hosts: Birdlife International and Aves y Conservación. Financial support for meeting costs and travel grants: Birdlife International, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, WHSRN/Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences, Canadian Wildlife Service, U.S. Forest Service, J. Kushlan.