Athens Important Bird Area Equipment Procurement Grant

The Important Bird Area (IBA) Program is a world-wide effort to identify and conserve key breeding and feeding sites for birds. An Important Bird Area is a place that provides essential habitat for one or more species of bird, whether in breeding season, winter, or during migration. These sites are considered to be exceptionally important for bird conservation. Protection of the most critical of these sites is one important approach to the protection of many bird species. Within the United States, the IBA program is part of the larger Partners in Flight program that, in turn, is part of the North American Bird Conservation Initiative. These larger programs have additional landscape and management-based approaches to bird conservation. Taken together, these approaches are designed to help ensure the survival of all bird species.

There are 49 IBAs in Georgia with 1 official IBA (State Botanical Gardens and Whitehall Forest) in Athens/Clarke County.  ORAS is working to nominate an additional IBA that includes Sandy Creek Nature Center, Sandy Creek Park, and the connecting Cook’s Trail.

ORAS wishes to support a student or individual conducting research or habitat improvement on any of the 5 IBA (or potential IBA) properties in Athens/Clarke County.  Research and restoration are important to the long-term sustainability of the IBAs.  Reports and results will be used by ORAS and the staff of the IBAs to direct future projects and improve the quality of IBAs in Athens.

Amount: $300

Eligible Applicants: Any individual wishing to conduct bird research or habitat improvement on the 5 IBA properties in Athens/Clarke County.

Eligible Locations: State Botanical Garden of Georgia, Whitehall Forest, Sandy Creek Nature Center, Sandy Creek Park, and Cook’s Trial

Requirements:  Successful applicants are expected to submit a report detailing findings or results to ORAS.  In addition, applicants are expected to give a 30min – 1hr presentation of their project during one of ORAS’s monthly meetings.

Application:  Please email a cover letter detailing your project and how it affects birds directly or indirectly, an intended equipment list with budget, and your resume to ORAS President Vanessa Lane, president@oconeeriversaudubon.org.

Deadline:  Applications are due by October 1st, 2009.