Project Description
The Colorado River delta is one of the most important areas for bird conservation in the Sonoran Desert. The delta supports more than 150,000 migratory waterbirds, is a critical stopover site for over 100 species of Neotropical migratory landbirds, and provides habitat for endangered species such as Yuma Clapper Rail and California Black Rail. A binational team of environmental groups, universities, and agencies has developed a Bird Conservation Plan (BCP) for the Colorado River delta. The plan identifies activities and strategies to maintain healthy populations of birds and is a guideline for conservation activities in the region. The goal of this project is to implement key outreach and monitoring activities identified in the BCP. Specific objectives include: (1) develop awareness of the biological importance of the Colorado River delta among primary school children; (2) train school teachers on environmental topics and provide them with materials so they can continue environmental education in their classrooms; (3) develop awareness of the biological importance of the Colorado River delta among community leaders, decision-makers, and stakeholders; (4) involve and train community members in monitoring efforts; (5) detect significant changes in bird populations in the delta region; (6) associate these changes (if any) to changes in habitat features and management actions; (7) provide data for the long-term evaluation of the effectiveness of the conservation strategies; and (8) provide opportunities in the field for environmental education and outreach.