{"id":18134,"date":"2016-09-28T20:15:12","date_gmt":"2016-09-28T20:15:12","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/162.217.168.59\/?p=18134"},"modified":"2023-03-22T13:11:56","modified_gmt":"2023-03-22T17:11:56","slug":"abcpresidentsaward","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/forests.org\/fr\/abcpresidentsaward\/","title":{"rendered":"American Bird Conservancy Wins SFI President\u2019s Award For Putting SFI\u2019s Scale To Work For Birds"},"content":{"rendered":"

CLEARWATER BEACH, FL \u2014 American Bird Conservancy (ABC) is taking an ecosystem-based approach to\u00a0bird conservation that is benefitting birds in ways that help other species \u2014 including people. In recognition\u00a0of this work and for partnering with the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) and many others who care\u00a0about birds, ABC received the SFI President\u2019s Award at the SFI 2016 Annual Conference.<\/p>\n

\"SFI<\/div>\n

Examining the needs of a wide variety of birds helps build\u00a0understanding of broader ecosystem health as it relates to\u00a0sustainable forest management \u2014 the kind of forest\u00a0management that also provides wider environmental benefits,\u00a0like clean water and carbon storage, that support all life.<\/p>\n

SFI and ABC are cooperating to conserve habitats of bird\u00a0species of conservation concern that are declining significantly.\u00a0Many of these species have a high-priority score on the North\u00a0American Bird Conservation Initiative Watch List<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cScience clearly shows that declines among many forest birds\u00a0can only be reversed through carefully directed forest\u00a0management,\u201d said George Fenwick, President of ABC.\u00a0\u201cCollaborating with SFI offers unmatched scale in terms of\u00a0major forest regions and forest types. We also get to partner\u00a0with a wide range of SFI Program Participants in grassroots,\u00a0practical ways.\u201d<\/p>\n

ABC works with SFI Program Participants like Weyerhaeuser, Hancock Natural Resource Group, Resource\u00a0Management Service, Enviva and Georgia Pacific to identify priority habitats for bird conservation, develop\u00a0improved management scenarios, and focus on critical habitats and migration routes. Technical partners,\u00a0including the Avian Research and Conservation Institute, Klamath Bird Observatory, and the National Council\u00a0for Air and Stream Improvement, bring strong research and science skills to the effort.<\/p>\n

SFI Program Participants in the Southeast provide habitat conditions that support prairie warblers,\u00a0prothonotary warblers, wood thrushes and Kentucky warblers. In California and Oregon, SFI Program\u00a0Participants and ABC are collaborating to help rufous hummingbirds. All these birds score as highly\u00a0vulnerable on the watch list.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are attracted to ABC\u2019s approach because it helps forest ecosystems function in ways that can help a\u00a0variety of species. ABC came on board looking for innovative ways to collaborate with SFI to leverage our\u00a0vast continent-wide scale. I\u2019m so pleased to recognize their vision and hard work with this award,\u201d said\u00a0Kathy Abusow, President and CEO of SFI Inc. \u201cWorking with ABC is helping SFI Program Participants create\u00a0conditions that many birds need for successful breeding, migration and wintering.\u201d<\/p>\n

SFI and ABC aren\u2019t limiting themselves to the most vulnerable species. Part of ABC\u2019s ecosystem-based\u00a0approach also focuses on \u201ckeeping common birds common.\u201d By working to better understand how forest\u00a0management affects all birds, today\u2019s common birds won\u2019t become tomorrow\u2019s endangered birds. That\u2019s\u00a0good news for swallow-tailed kites, Swainson\u2019s warblers, brown-headed nuthatches and western tanagers \u2014\u00a0all of which are being studied on lands certified to SFI.<\/p>\n

As a grantee of SFI\u2019s Conservation and Community Partnership Grants program, ABC has found ways to\u00a0effectively engage a broad array of landowners in the SFI Program. Access to SFI funding and partner\u00a0contributions has allowed ABC to leverage almost $600,000 toward better understanding how forest\u00a0management can benefit bird habitats.<\/p>\n

ABC is also a strong member of the SFI community \u2014 a community dedicated to working toward shared\u00a0conservation goals. \u201cABC has its sights on the big conservation picture and George [Fenwick] is a past board\u00a0member who continues to make important leadership contributions. I\u2019m looking forward to more SFI\u00a0Program Participants joining forces with ABC so we can make an even bigger difference for birds across\u00a0North America,\u201d Abusow said.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

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