General

This project aims to restore critical wintering habitat for Bicknells Thrush (Catharus bicknelli) in Loma Quita Espuela Scientific Reserve, the largest protected area of the Cordillera Septentrional, Dominican Republic, by phasing out agricultural activities and livestock ranching in the core area of the Reserve through a pilot program that combines economic incentives for farmers, legal tools such as conservation easements, and law enforcement. Specifically: 1) Agricultural activities and livestock ranching in 250 hectares of land within Loma Quita Espuela Scientific Reserve (LQESR) will be phased out, via compensatory payments and outreach; 2) 6 key farmers cultivating plots within the Reserve boundaries will be compensated and relocated outside the Reserve; 3) 250 hectares of degraded lands formerly used for annual crops and pastures within the park boundaries will be managed to restore and enhance natural regeneration; 4) A vegetation and land use map of LQESR will be updated and completed; 5) A land tenure and property boundary assessment of two target sectors in the Reserve (El Valle and Pie de Plata) will be completed. 6) A monitoring program for Bicknells Thrush, other selected migrant and resident species, and vegetation will be conducted in both intact forest and degraded lands identified for recovery, to provide baseline data by which to assess the ecological success of restoration efforts and to track population levels of this high priority migrant; 7) 10 park rangers will be extensively trained and properly equipped to enforce laws within the Reserve, to file reports of illegal activities, and to conduct routine biological observations.

General

The goal of this three-year project is to increase knowledge of elephant populations in southern Myanmar, generating evidence on which to base an elephant landscape management plan, and the tools for local stakeholders to implement the plan. Project objectives include: 1) establish routine monitoring of key elephant sub-populations and threats; 2) improve human-elephant conflict (HEC) management and reduce HEC events to under 5 annually; 3) mitigate the threat of poaching; and 4) with stakeholders draft and implement an elephant landscape management plan. Activities include: 1) collaring 10 elephants to support land-use planning and HEC management, and provide real-time early warnings to villages; 2) establish, train and support Community Elephant Guards to respond to and document HEC and poaching threats; 3) work with local communities to create information networks and build on anti-poaching messages of previous campaigns; and 4) analyze monitoring data, consult with stakeholders, and draft an elephant landscape management plan. This project will contribute to the survival and increase the population and habitat of wild Asian elephants in Myanmar.

General

A lack of information on the non-breeding ecology of the Southwestern Willow Flycatcher (WIFL) (an endangered species) and Western Yellow-billed Cuckoo (a threatened species) prevents effective conservation in their wintering grounds on the Pacific slope of Nicaragua. Both species have experienced substantial population declines and partners seek to better understand the migratory routes, overwintering areas, habitat preferences, and survival rates of these two threatened species. Partners will measure these bird's presence at key sites in Nicaragua, and link migrating and wintering populations at these sites with breeding sites in North America as well as use remote sensing modeling to identify WIFL wintering habitat throughout western Nicaragua. These applied research efforts will accompany conservation actions to restore and protect habitat areas, and will build capacity for migratory bird conservation through targeted training to local biologists and through environmental education. This project will improve protection for migratory birds on private lands where partners will increase a new 60 hectare reserve and add another 200 hectares of private protected areas for bird conservation, work with farmers to restore 20 hectares of riparian habitat and work closely with farmers and ranchers to improve habitat on 1000 hectares through a range of land management strategies.