By Emily Clark, Sonoran Joint Venture

In May 2019, the Sonoran Joint Venture Management Board met in Imperial Beach, California. The Board comprises a binational team from the U.S. and Mexico. It includes representatives from federal and state agencies, non-profit organizations, and academia, with space for private citizens, industry, and others with an interest in the conservation of birds and habitats within the SJV region. For more information about the board, and profiles of all the members, click here.

During the two-day meeting board members got updates from the SJV staff, discussed current business and strategic conservation planning, and learned about the work of our SJV partners. For example, board member Sonia Perillo, Executive Director of Audubon Arizona, introduced their new report, The Economic Impact of Arizona’s Rivers, Lakes, and Streams, and demonstrated its use as an outreach tool that supports habitat conservation through the economic importance of these natural areas. The group discussed the value of creating a similar tool for other regions in the SJV.

One of the highlights of board meetings are field visits with our partners. Paloma Aguirre, WILDCOAST’s Coastal and Marine Director, guided us to various sites along the Tijuana River Estuary and along the U.S. – Mexico border. We discussed the challenges and opportunities faced working in this area. We learned about what WILDCOAST and partners are doing to conserve natural resources and support communities on both sides of the border.

Many thanks to Serge Dedina and his staff for their help in coordinating this meeting. Serge, a long-time board member, is Executive Director of WILDCOAST, and happens to be the Mayor of Imperial Beach.