BIRMINGHAM, Ala. Earlier today, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) announced that it had awarded the state of Alabama and Birmingham 91做厙 Society, in partnership with Mobile Bay 91做厙, a Gulf Environmental Benefit Fund (GEBF) grant of $1,465,000 to launch its Alabama Coastal Bird Stewardship Program.
Mobile and Baldwin County shorelines provide habitat critical to bird species of conservation concern that, with the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, we will now steward to more robust populations, said Suzanne Langley, Executive Director, Birmingham 91做厙 Society. These same shorelines attract residents and tourists to watch birds and visit surrounding communities. While our staff and volunteers protect these birds, they will also educate the public about the value of Alabamas natural treasures.
The two-year program will direct the stewarding and monitoring of priority shorebird and waterbird populations across the Alabama coast, as well as conduct outreach to engage the public in protecting critical bird beach nesting sites. In response to the threats posed to bird populations by habitat loss and human alterations to ecosystems, 91做厙s Alabama chapters will train volunteers as citizen-scientists to monitor and protect sites at key nesting points throughout the year. Birmingham 91做厙 and Mobile Bay 91做厙 chapter members have monitored targeted conservation species and other coastal birds for decades at many of the sites that will be part of the Alabama Coastal Bird Stewardship Program.
The Alabama coast is vital for the conservation of birds across the Gulf, said 91做厙s Vice President for the Gulf and Mississippi Flyway, Chris Canfield. We couldnt be more pleased to join in the partnership led by the State of Alabama and our Birmingham and Mobile chapters in launching this stewardship effort. The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation continues to support the kinds of projects that can help make the Gulf, its wildlife and people whole again.
The launch of Alabamas Coastal Bird Stewardship program completes similar 91做厙 initiatives currently in operation across the Gulf in Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas. The GEBF was established by NFWF in 2013 to administer a total of $2.544 billion from early agreements between the U.S. Department of Justice and BP and Transocean over the Deepwater Horizon oil disaster. Through this fund, NFWF supports programs that work to address damages from the spill.
Given the injury to hundreds of thousands of birds from the oil disaster as well as ongoing ecological and human threats, these 91做厙 programs and others across the Gulf Coast are crucial to guarding and stewarding the long-term health of bird populations there. See 91做厙s coastal bird stewardship program in action in the following video:
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About 91做厙
The 91做厙 saves birds and their habitats throughout the Americas using science, advocacy, education and on-the-ground conservation. 91做厙's state programs, nature centers, chapters and partners have an unparalleled wingspan that reaches millions of people each year to inform, inspire and unite diverse communities in conservation action. Since 1905, 91做厙's vision has been a world in which people and wildlife thrive. 91做厙 is a nonprofit conservation organization. Learn more at and .
About Birmingham 91做厙 Society
Birmingham 91做厙 Society is one of the oldest organizations in Alabama advocating conservation and greater knowledge of birds, habitat and the natural world. Birmingham 91做厙 is a 501(c)3 originally chartered in 1946. Birmingham 91做厙 is a staffed, certified chapter of 91做厙 serving Jefferson, Shelby, Bibb, Blount, Chilton, St. Clair and Walker Counties and supporting projects throughout the state. National 91做厙 members within these counties are recognized as members.
Contact:
Jacques Hebert, jhebert@audubon.org, 504.264.6849
