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Pronatura Noroeste: Community participation in bird conservation in Bahía de Los Angeles, Baja California, Mexico Objectives: (1) Provide formal avitourism training as an incentive to involve locals in the sustainable use and conservation of birds and their habitats in Bahía de Los Angeles; and (2) support and facilitate conservation and monitoring actions, as well as local participation in these activities, by involving locals in the development of a first GIS database on terrestrial and coastal birds in the region. Project Description: Pronatura Noroeste received support from the Sonoran Joint Venture to promote the involvement of the local community in bird conservation and monitoring activities in Bahía de Los Angeles , Baja California , Mexico . The BLA region has been designated as a priority site for bird conservation in Mexico , between other recognitions. It is used as a breeding, roosting, and feeding ground by large numbers of seabirds and wading birds; no information is available on the terrestrial species, particularly those which use desert oases. The incipient local ecotourism industry is not aware of the importance and potential of birds as a natural attraction in this region. Consequently, birds and their coastal habitats are not included in the local conservation agenda, despite the fact that the area is being proposed as a new coastal and marine National Park. At the same time, the "Valle de los Cirios" Federal Wildlife Reserve, which covers all terrestrial habitats in the desert, does not have a bird conservation plan or monitoring strategy. Project goals will be achieved by offering locals a formal avitourism course and involving them in a 12-month bird monitoring program covering coastal wetlands, desert oases, and desert scrub habitats. Contact: |