The Pacific Americas Flyway spans the eastern Pacific from Alaska to the southern tip of South America. All along the way, coastal wetland habitats including tidal wetlands and mudflats, eelgrass, and freshwater wetlands are used by millions of migrating birds to breed, rest, refuel and overwinter. These areas provide essential habitats for a diversity of wildlife species and are highly valued by human communities for hunting, fishing, birding, and other recreational or cultural activities.
The Coastal Wetlands Strategic Plan
The goal of this plan is to generate momentum around a shared path forward to conserve healthy coastal wetlands in the North Pacific Flyway, for the benefit of birds, other wildlife, and people.
The plan describes overarching conservation strategies, priority coastal bird species, and associated population and habitat objectives. This plan also includes a list of knowledge gaps and acknowledges that additional and adaptive work is needed to build momentum, achieve objectives, and ensure that the best available information is guiding actions and investments.
Coastal wetlands along the northern Pacific Flyway create an ecological network critical to migratory birds–the Yukon-Kuskokwin Delta, the Copper River Delta, Puget Sound, the Columbia River Estuary and Humboldt Bay among the largest. When these biologically rich habitats are lost or degraded, bird populations lose a piece of this network. Estuaries and coastal freshwater wetlands have been significantly altered by urbanization, industrialization and other human-driven changes, putting species at risk and decreasing the resilience of human communities.
The long-term goal for this conservation priority is ambitious—to conserve and sustain the northern Pacific Flyway’s coastal wetlands. We will also work to generate public support for conservation flyway-wide and advocate for policies that will benefit all fish and wildlife species. Our work in coastal wetlands is guided by a conservation priority committee.
The Goal
Conserve coastal wetlands by meeting the habitat needs of migratory birds and other native fish and wildlife as human communities adapt to rising sea levels, a changing economy and other social and ecological changes.
The Partners
Conserving coastal wetlands has been core to Pacific Birds work since our inception as a Joint Venture in 1991. Conservation projects, led by dozens of partners and friends, have conserved estuaries and freshwater wetlands from Alaska to California. We have helped them network, strategize, and find the expertise and funding they needed to meet both their conservation goals and those of the JV. We look forward to working with our long-standing partners and engaging with new ones.
The Planning
In 2021, Pacific Birds initiated a planning process, led by a Coastal Wetlands Committee for coastal wetlands conservation within the U.S. North American boundaries of Pacific Birds. The committee is developing a 10-year Coastal Wetlands plan that builds on existing knowledge while also seeking out new data and analyses, additional partners, and new perspectives. The plan will complement the recently released 10-year Implementation Plan for the British Columbia arm of Pacific Birds.
The Habitats
Coastal wetland habitats–including tidal wetlands and intertidal mudflats, eelgrass, and freshwater wetlands and lakes–support huge numbers of migratory and resident birds, and other fish and wildlife species. Healthy habitats are also key to resilient coastal communities.
BY THE NUMBERS: The Fraser River Delta
The Fraser River Delta, a crossroads for birds from three continents, is a major link in the Pacific Flyway network. It is a priority conservation area for Pacific Birds, due its importance to birds and the threats to the estuary’s habitats.
To learn more about Pacific Birds Coastal Wetlands priority, contact Monica Iglecia, Pacific Birds U.S. Coordinator.
Recent News about Coastal Wetlands and Estuaries
Breaking down “Birds of Conservation Concern”
Western Grebes performing their mating dance. Photo: Mick Thompson CC What is a BCC? You’ve heard of endangered species but do you know about Birds of Conservation Concern (BCC)? Birds of Conservation Concern represent migratory and non-migratory bird species that are in decline – for which proactive conservation can help prevent further declines. This list […]
Re-envisioning Conservation Science
This post was originally posted on the National Estuarine Research Reserve Association (NERRA) website, and featured in their June 2024 e-newsletter. You can find the original post here. In April 2024, Reserve staff from Alaska, Washington, Oregon, and Hawaiʻi worked together with Pacific Birds Habitat Joint Venture to convene the largest gathering of Indigenous leaders […]
NAWCA awards in Alaska and Washington will benefit migratory birds and wetlands
Last week, the Department of the Interior announced over $87 million in funding for the Migratory Bird Conservation Fund and North American Wetland Conservation Act grants. Two of the accepted projects are within the Pacific Birds service area and represent a substantial investment in coastal wetland habitats and migratory birds.