HomeBird Conservation Takes Wing with Funding
to Manitoba Communities 
Oak Hammock Marsh MB, May 3 – Bird-loving communities across Manitoba recently received a total of $13,600 from an international effort to establish conservation programs for feathered friends.
Community groups in Selkirk, Erickson, Langruth, Melita, Douglas and The Pas received funding under the Important Bird Areas (IBA) program.
The international IBA program identifies conserves and monitors a network of sites that provide essential habitat for bird populations. Since the program began in 1985, over 100 countries have joined to create the global IBA program.
Recipients of IBA funding in Manitoba will increase public awareness of important bird habitats in their communities. Education programs, educational signs and hand-outs will be developed. Some communities are using the funds to gather information on birds and their habitats, others are making sites more attractive to birds and more accessible to bird watchers.
Cory Lindgren, coordinator of the IBA program in Manitoba, is currently working with 11 different communities to prepare conservation plans for birds. He said IBA brings together community members who appreciate the presence of birds in their area. Often bird watchers, naturalists, fish and game club members, and school groups are represented in applications to nominate important bird areas.
"The strength of the Canadian IBA program is that conservation is being achieved through partnerships at the community level," Lindgren said. "It's the community members who develop the plan. There's a lot more ownership of the conservation plan at the local level."
Funding is provided under the IBA's Community Action Fund. The fund offers matching grants of up to $5,000 to support local conservation actions for high-priority important bird areas.
IBA program partners include the Canadian Nature Federation, Bird Studies Canada, BirdLife International and Ducks Unlimited Canada.
