About the Conference
The Steering Committees of the Northeast (NEPIF) and Southeast Partners in Flight (SEPIF) regional working groups have agreed to hold a joint conference in Virginia Beach, Virginia, on October 6-9, 2014. Many federal agencies, state fish and wildlife agencies, and various non-government organizations are active participants in both NEPIF and SEPIF, and both working groups provide relevant forums for advancing our shared bird conservation priorities related to nongame bird conservation. The overall goal of hosting a joint conference is to bring together the bird conservation community across the eastern United States to improve linkages and enhance coordination and collaboration among individual partner efforts, and provide more unified approaches for guiding conservation at landscape scales.
Since the inception of PIF in 1990, collaboration has been an essential component of PIF efforts to address species at risk and keep common birds common through voluntary partnerships. This has resulted in more efficient and effective planning and delivery of bird conservation, across organizational boundaries and landscapes. This conference will be a timely opportunity to carry this momentum forward.
Reasons for holding a joint NEPIF-SEPIF conference include:
Since the inception of PIF in 1990, collaboration has been an essential component of PIF efforts to address species at risk and keep common birds common through voluntary partnerships. This has resulted in more efficient and effective planning and delivery of bird conservation, across organizational boundaries and landscapes. This conference will be a timely opportunity to carry this momentum forward.
Reasons for holding a joint NEPIF-SEPIF conference include:
- The previous joint conference between these regional working groups (2003 in Blacksburg, VA) resulted in significant outcomes addressing bird conservation needs relevant to both the northeast and southeast (e.g. establishment of the Appalachian Mountains Joint Venture).
- Following up on the 5th International Partners in Flight conference in Snowbird, Utah in 2013, NEPIF and SEPIF intend to further develop full life-cycle conservation business planning projects and efforts in conjunction with state partners.
- This conference will host workshops that provide a hands-on opportunity for state agency personnel to learn about and begin using the Eastern Avian Data Center (a regional node of the Avian Knowledge Network) , an online tool promoting improved access to national, regional and local avian data sets.
- Opportunities to host technical working group meetings of mutual relevance to state agency personnel working in the two regions (e.g., Cerulean Warbler, Golden-winged Warbler, Wood Thrush and Black Rail Working Groups; Atlantic Flyway Shorebird Business Strategy).
