By Hope-Elena Sardella, May 21, 2019, ENV350: Conservation Biology
Shorebirds are often referred to as ‘waders’; are derived from the Charadriiformes order; a seafaring species of birds. By right of birth, the marine bound birds are designed for extended migratory travel in which through the shorebirds long journeys during migration and breeding season, shorebirds will regain their strength; sleep and eat in designated aquatic and non-marine wetlands and marshes (Dayer, 2008, pg. 1, para. 1). Furthermore its important for the reader to know that there are eight primary routes of migration that shorebirds actively use; in which five of the channels intersect the continents of Europe and Asia and the remaining shorebird migration channels are located in Northern and Southern America (Dayer, 2008, pg. 1, para. 1). The shorebird presence in Alaska are crucial because the shorebirds of North America are reliant on Alaska’s ideal habitat, in fact, the most prolific recorded numbers of shorebirds in breeding have been cited in Alaska making up one-third of the existing species of shorebirds in the world (Alaska Shorebird Conservation Plan, 2008, pg. 2, para. 2). From the evidence provided it is evident that the biodiversity of the shorebird in its entirety is contingent on the habitats provided by the state of Alaska. Hence the Alaska Shorebird Conservation Plan Version II was established in two-thousand-eight in response to the increasing urbanization and rapid economic growth affecting the habitats of native migratory hubs for shorebird breeding and migration.
In the nonbreeding season, the most vital habitats for shorebirds are vanishing due to the construction of seawalls. There are significant ramifications for not acting on shorebird conservation in Alaska. The Alaskan Shorebird Group implemented the taxonomy of threat to conservation deriving from the Conservation Measures Partnership. Under the CMP regulations structure of dilemmas further classified into the following nine separate groups; “Habitat Conversion and Degradation, Transportation Infrastructure, Energy Protection & Mining, Biological Resource Harvesting, Recreation & Work Natural Habitats, Pollution, Climate Change & Severe Weather, Invasive & Problematic Species, Disease” (Alaska Shorebird Conservation Plan, pg. 5-8). These nine groups divide the conservation efforts into categories by type of issue. Furthermore, the Alaskan Shorebird Group (2008) has a specific vision to redefine aspects of “research, monitoring, management, habitat protection, education, and public outreach” (pg. 18, para. 1). The overall objective in making conservation changes to the referenced groups is to identify the root causes to the rapid decreased numbers in shorebirds. The second objective focuses on the implantation of restructuring and innovating the current bird banding programs existing for the shorebird species in Alaska. Along these lines the third objective is directed to the evolution of knowledge that currently exists with present day technology in disciplines of “genetics, banding, geolocators, telemetry, stable isotopes” (Alaska Shorebird Conservation Plan, pg. 19-20, para. 4).
Challenges faced in conservation efforts?
Some chief concerns throughout the analysis of the nine subdivisions of issues affecting shorebird populations consisted of the revelation that population growth in many locations in Alaska have risen to exponential levels.
Can the Alaskan Shorebird Conservation Plan benefit from adaptive or adjustive management?
I think that the Alaska Shorebird Conservation Plan can benefit from adjustive management. In scenarios where there are many factors at play in the biodiversity of a specific area there is a great need to using adjustive management in order to receive an unbiased analysis.
Do you think this is a good conservation plan?
Yes I believe this is a very good conservation plan but I think there could be some transparency in funding international efforts for educational purposes in order to make sure United States tax dollars are being properly used for conservation efforts. Additionally, educating the public is only a very small portion of conservation of the shorebirds; thus I propose that laws of environmental concern must supercede fiscal implications if significant damage is conducted on the wetlands and marshes for the disappearing shorebird populations
References
Alaska Shorebird Group. cc Version II. Alaska Shorebird Group, Anchorage, AK. Retrieved
from http://www.shorebirdplan.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/AlaskaPlan2008.pdf
Dayer, A. (2008). Shorebird. In M. Luck (Ed.), The encyclopedia of tourism and recreation in
marine environments. Oxford, UK: CABI. Retrieved from
https://search-credoreference-com.proxy-library.ashford.edu/content/entry/cabitrme/shorebird/0
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