Strategic Focus Areas, Goals, and Objectives from the 2009-2014 NABCI Strategic
Intent Document
Understanding this document: The goals and objectives listed below are taken directly from the
NABCI Strategic Intent 2009-2014 document. In each case the goals are verbatim and the
objectives are paraphrased to reduce this handout’s length. My comments are offered to serve
as food for thought as we move towards defining a specific set of actions to guide the
Committee and Coordinators work for the next 18 months.
Communications
Goal : To influence policy, management, and funding decisions through the development of messages,
white papers, and other communication tools directed at the primary audience.
Objective 1: Develop communication strategy for target audiences
Objective 2: Provide messaging and scientific support to BCFC and NABCI NGO members
Objective 3: Inform bird conservation community about NABCI
AV Comments: Overall, this is a logical and relevant goal for the NABCI partnership. However, several
elements of this goal need to be further defined to make it achievable. For example, which specific policy,
management, or funding decisions are we attempting to influence with our communication and
messaging (and for which audiences)? There seems to be a lot of overlap between this goal and the
Policy and Legislation goal.
There is no objective that recognizes the importance of NABCI in serving as a forum for communication
and collaboration among NABCI partners. Although difficult to articulate specific outcomes as a result of
that role, it’s an important element of the NABCI partnership.
Joint Ventures
Goal: to provide the JVs with the resources necessary to meet the demands of integrated bird
conservation within their geographic region.
Objective 1: Meet with JV coordinators in August 2009 to determine the priority action items for NABCI
Objective 2: Consider how to integrate an “assessment” or “review” of all the bird conservation
initiatives (PIF, Shorebird and Waterbird) into JVs similar to the presentations given to the NAWMP
Committee on waterfowl objectives.
AV Comments: The US NABCI Committee has a strong history of advancing the growth and development
of the JV program. Strengthening connections among the NABCI Committee, the Association of Joint
Venture Management Boards, and the Joint Venture Coordinators by defining specific and tangible
efforts that would benefit the Joint Venture community would be a good near-term step.
Policy and Legislation
Goal: to advance bird conservation through proactive engagement in monitoring, understanding,
informing, and influencing policy and legislation that have the potential to significantly impact bird
conservation.
Objective 1: Develop policy and leg subcommittee as well as process for engagement on legislative and
policy issues.
Objective 2: Monitor proposed legislation, comment on relevant rules/ NEPA documentation, inform
priorities of the BCFC.
AV Comments: This subcommittee has struggled to find their niche in this strategic focus area. I suggest
that we explore the overlap between this goal and the Communications goal as well as how the role and
activities of the BCFC should influence NABCI’s objectives in this area.
State of the Birds Report
Goal 1: To ensure scientific credibility while maintaining readability and impact the target audiences of
Congress and the general public in order to advance the conservation of birds through policy, legislative
and funding efforts.
Goal 2: To leverage State of the Birds release with U.S. Committee members to maximize education and
conservation impact through distribution and events within U.S. Committee member organizations.
Goal 3: To serve as the forum to deliver primary messages to target audiences, to monitor behavior
changes or outcomes, and to provide the resources for follow-through on solutions and
recommendations.
Goal 4: To determine direction, effectiveness, and priority messages for the long term.
AV Comments: Of all the strategic focus areas, this is the one that I feel we’ve made the most progress
since February 2011. The time on this meeting’s agenda about the various activities underway with past,
present, and future State of the Birds reports will provide direction for next steps.
Monitoring
Goal 1: Implement recommendations of the NABCI Mo
nitoring Report through national leadership and a vision for monitoring programs at the appropriate
geographic scales.
Goal 2: Increase the acceptance of monitoring as an integral component of conservation and
management and the acceptance of minimum standards for monitoring programs throughout the bird
conservation community through communications and outreach.
Goal 3: Increase the security of initiative identified priority databases for the long term.
AV Comments: Although the monitoring committee has been on hiatus during the last 18 months,
discussion of the monitoring subcommittee during this meeting will help define next steps within this
strategic focus area.
International (through the Tri-national Committee)
Objective: Provide support to 5 existing Tri-national Projects
Objective: Link new programs/initiatives (such as The Western Hummingbird Project) to NABCI
Objective: Provide a forum for communication among the three countries, development of new project
ideas and follow-up on existing international activities
Objective: Encourage strategic and collaborative guidance for working internationally for existing Bird
Plans, Joint Ventures, organizations and consortiums of interested resource partners when
contemplating working internationally.
AV Comments: An important note in further defining tasks under this goal is the inactivity of the TriNational Committee. We might consider the role of the Migratory Birds table at the Trilateral in
advancing NABCI’s continental goals. Additional specificity is needed to clarify the work needed to
advance these objectives.