2012 NAWMP REVISION ARCHIVE

Introduction: 

Initially, we considered reviewing a variety of habitat types (wetlands and coastal habitats, forest, and grassland and scrub-shrub) to assess net landscape change assessment information needs. For some of these habitat groupings it appeared that alternate sources of data allowed for cost-effective, alternative approaches to assessing changes in landscape composition. Eventually, we gravitated to a set of key habitat elements viewed as showing the greatest need for such information. Those elements resulted in the following identified needs: 

1. Fulfill agency mandates to update NWI 
2. Improve classification and quality assessment of grassland and shrubland habitats 
3. Increase communication with NRCS NRI regarding data needs and accessibility 
4. Increase opportunities to update NLCD 

Our objective for this whitepaper was to focus efforts to pursue data where alternate sources do not provide the requisite information to assess landscape composition change. Each section presents a brief description of limitations of existing data, what data is needed and at what resolution, the importance and value the desired data holds for JV conservation planning with examples showing how JVs intend to use the data in their net landscape change assessments and ultimately its value in habitat allocation decision making. To the extent possible, this will be supplemented with cost estimates.

In each section, we provide recommendations for the US NABCI committee to consider in their efforts to interact with agency leaders to address the paucity of information limiting more transparent and effective habitat conservation delivery. Those ten recommendations are summarized immediately below

ABSTRACT
During the early 2000s, M. Koneff (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service) developed a methodology to derive regional non-breeding waterfowl population abundance objectives from continental abundance estimates. This information has been foundational to Joint Venture (JV) planning and implementation of habitat conservation for non-breeding waterfowl, especially wintering ducks. The 2012 NAWMP Revision and its amended population objectives motivated many JVs to begin updating their waterfowl implementation plans. Accordingly, interest grew in revisiting Koneff’s analysis to calculate JV regional non-breeding population abundance objectives consistent with the revised NAWMP breeding objectives, while also seeking process refinement and repeatability using persistent datasets. We describe the data, equations, and caveats of the original derivation technique and compare results of alternative approaches using updated population and harvest information. Of the four methods compared, the superior approach (fewest number of short-comings) employed harvest data partitioned into separate autumn and mid-winter time periods, thus enabling finer temporal characterization of duck distribution and resulting population objective across individual JV regions. This approach
made use of the least biased and most geographically consistent datasets, collected over an extended time frame, and likely to be collected in a similar manner into the future. JV regional population abundance objectives are provided for the 17 most commonly harvested duck species. Recommendations for applying results along with uncertainties, assumptions, and limitations which will guide future revisions are provided.

ABSTRACT
Improved spatial analysis tools and waterfowl population data for many regions of North America prompted refinement of the 2004 NAWMP map depicting areas most significant to waterfowl at the continental scale. The NSST established an 11-member committee to coordinate map revision via Joint Ventures (JVs) and their conservation partners. The committee was not able to develop universal criteria for area inclusion on the NAWMP map, but JVs were required to support proposals with the best quantitative information available. A total of 41 adjustments proposed by 15 habitat and 2 species JVs were approved by the map committee, but quality and reliability of available population data varied considerably among regions and proposals. Despite data limitations, the revised NAWMP map represented material improvements in depicting areas of continental significance to waterfowl. However, given the subjectivity in its development and refinement, the NAWMP map has limited ability to inform conservation decisions. The committee advocates a succeeding effort to develop products for guiding conservation at appropriate scales and addressing the 3 fundamental goals of the 2012 NAWMP Revision. Key decision frameworks must be established to assure resulting maps and decision-support tools are rooted in a clearly defined and accepted context.

ABSTRACT
In 2009, the NSST Alternative Performance Metrics (APM) Committee identified a limited number of alternative performance metrics to be adopted and implemented by the NAWMP Committee and Joint Ventures (NSST Technical Report 2009-1). The APM Committee developed guidance for advancing beyond financially and area-based objectives and accomplishment metrics to those more meaningful for assessing biological impacts of conservation actions.

Although development of these recommendations represented a significant accomplishment, tangible advancements in measuring biological effectiveness of conservation actions will occur only if the recommendations are adopted by the NAWMP community. The NSST identified as a priority item in its 2012 – 2016 Work Plan the need to continue shepherding these recommendations and to facilitate their implementation. Thus, the NSST Demographic Objectives Committee was established in 2010 with the primary goal of developing methods for setting demographic objectives (i.e., vital rates) at BCR/JV-scales for focal waterfowl species.

The NAWMP Science Support Team’s (NSST) Demographic Objectives Committee convened a workshop on 14-15 June 2011 in Corpus Christi, Texas to solicit input from Joint Venture representatives on their efforts to establish regional-scale demographic objectives, logistical and technical challenges to doing so, and opportunities and strategies to expedite the surmounting of those challenges. To catalyze workshop discussions, each attending JV representative was asked to deliver a presentation describing the biological models used to establish waterfowl habitat objectives within their region and the extent to which their models were linked to vital rate objectives. Primary objectives of the workshop were to: 1) provide peer review of current JV biological modeling approaches; 2) establish a commitment from JVs to begin developing demographic objectives within the next 5 years where they do not already exist; and 3) develop a clear understanding of the most appropriate strategies for measuring habitat conservation impacts on key vital rates.

Workshop recommendations for establishing objectives and measuring accomplishment in terms of demographic rates are included in this report and are summarized as follows: promote completion of pintail, scaup, and black duck annual cycle models; develop an annual cycle model for a generic dabbling duck, perhaps based on mallard demographics; and develop strategies to communicate the value and utility of integrated annual cycle models and demographic objectives.

Based on the 2012 Value Proposition flyer, a revised (and shorter) promotion on the need and value of becoming a NAWMP Partner:

What is the North American Waterfowl Management Plan?

The North American Waterfowl Management Plan is an international strategy for conserving migratory waterfowl and their habitats throughout
the continent. It is one of the most successful wildlife conservation initiatives in the world.
Since 1986, the Plan has been a catalyst for sustaining abundant waterfowl populations by conserving landscapes through public-private partnerships
guided by sound science.
Plan programs and projects are international in scope. Twenty-five Migratory Bird Joint Venture partnerships implement these efforts at regional and local levels. This work contributes to the conservation of wetlands habitat and wildlife species across the North American landscape.

Responding to a Critical Need
In 1985, North American waterfowl populations had plummeted to record lows. Recognizing the need for international cooperation to help recover these shared resources, the U.S. and Canadian governments developed a strategy to restore waterfowl populations through habitat protection, restoration, and enhancement.
The U.S. and Canada signed the Plan in 1986 and Mexico in 1994. Because it is an evolving document that is updated periodically with engagement of the waterfowl conservation community, the Plan remains a leading model for other international conservation initiatives.

Dynamic Partnership
The North American Waterfowl Plan has pioneered a successful collaborative approach, forging strong alliances to achieve healthy and sustainable landscapes.
It relies on conservation organizations joining forces with federal, provincial, and state governments, industry, private companies, individuals, and private landowners.

Why Become a Partner with the Plan?
The Plan articulates a clear vision to move forward with a comprehensive, science-driven approach to waterfowl conservation that coordinates and integrates efforts across North America.
By participating in the Plan, you work with a dynamic group of government agencies, world-renowned conservation organizations, and thousands of individuals across North America to implement high priority conservation projects accruing perpetual benefits to waterfowl, wetlands, and society. Opportunities to participate are many and include helping to conceive and implement habitat restoration and protection projects, becoming involved in strategic planning and landscape design efforts, and investing conservation dollars in support of the work of plan partners.
One of the Plan’s greatest strengths is the ability of its partners to quickly pool and leverage conservation funding from a variety of sources. This expands the Plan’s conservation reach and supports strategically targeted local, regional, and international habitat conservation projects.

To learn more about NAWMP and becoming a partner, check out the full document below.

What is NAWMP?
The North American Waterfowl Management Plan (“NAWMP” or “the Plan”) is an international action strategy for conserving migratory waterfowl throughout the continent.
The purpose of the Plan is to sustain abundant waterfowl populations while preserving the traditions of wildfowling and achieving broad benefits to
biodiversity, ecosystem processes and the people of North America. Plan goals will be accomplished by partnerships that conserve habitats and sustain
populations, guided by science.
The Plan is a partnership of federal, provincial/state and municipal governments, non-government organizations (NGOs), private companies and many
individuals, all working towards preserving wetlands to benefit waterfowl and other wildlife -- as well as people. The Plan's unique combination of science,
conservation and partnerships comprise its exemplary conservation legacy. Plan programs and projects are international in scope, but implemented at regional and local levels. Together they contribute to the protection of habitat and wildlife species across the North American landscape. In fact, the North American Waterfowl Management Plan is considered one of the most successful conservation initiatives in the world.
Governments, communities, industries, NGOs, and public and private organizations operating in today's environment and business climate may realize significant benefits by becoming a NAWMP partner.

Why Conserve Wetlands?
Wetlands are vital to the life cycle and conservation of all waterfowl species.
Wetlands are also nature’s “kidneys.” They have the amazing ability to remove up to 99 percent of bacteria, up to 94 percent of phosphorous and up to 87 percent of nitrates from the waters that flow into our rivers and lakes. Conserving wetlands means helping to keep our drinking water safe and clean.
Given the value to society as a whole of conserving wetlands, NAWMP’s world recognition as a leader in wetland conservation is the key element in our appeal to new partners.

To learn more about NAWMP and how get involved or become a Partner, check out the full document below.

The North American Waterfowl Management Plan (NAWMP) was implemented in 1986 with the goal of maintaining abundant and resilient waterfowl populations in North America and sufficient wetlands and related habitats to sustain those populations (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Canadian Wildlife Service 1986). In 2012 the planning committee, in consultation with stakeholders, decided to revise the NAWMP with additional goals to plan for changing times. The 2012 NAWMP Revision provides a new vision of waterfowl management that emphasizes a growing and supportive core of waterfowl hunters and an engaged conservation community inspired by waterfowl and wetlands.

To achieve this goal, NAWMP partners must engage both the traditional waterfowl hunting community and broader stakeholder groups who are interested in waterfowl and the conservation of waterfowl and wetlands. To facilitate this engagement, the National Flyway Council (NFC) – in cooperation with the four Flyway Councils, the NAWMP Committee, and nongovernmental agencies – initiated the formation of a Human Dimensions Working Group (HDWG). This working group is tasked with obtaining the incorporating human dimensions information and approaches into migratory bird conservation programs, policies, and practices.

In particular, the NFC’s HDWG and other NAWMP partners developed a research proposal for North American stakeholder and general public surveys that will inform: 1) NAWMP objectives; 2) harvest objectives and strategies; 3) habitat management; and 4) public engagement strategies. Three surveys – a waterfowl hunter survey, a birdwatcher survey, and a general public survey – were administered in the United States. Similar birdwatcher and hunter surveys occurred concurrently in Canada. Separate summary reports are available for the U.S. general public, birdwatcher surveys, as well as the Canadian surveys (U.S. Geological Survey 2017; Harshaw 2018a,b, Patton 2021a). This report presents results from the U.S. National Survey of Waterfowl Hunters (NSWH).

The North American Waterfowl Management Plan (NAWMP) was implemented in 1986 with the goal of maintaining abundant and resilient waterfowl populations in North America and sufficient wetlands and related habitats to sustain those populations (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Canadian Wildlife Service 1986). In 2012 the planning committee, in consultation with stakeholders, decided to revise the NAWMP with additional goals to plan for changing times. The 2012 NAWMP Revision provides a new vision of waterfowl management that emphasizes a growing and supportive core of waterfowl hunters and an engaged conservation community inspired by waterfowl and wetlands.

To achieve this goal, NAWMP partners must engage both the traditional and waterfowl hunting community and broader stakeholder groups who are interested in waterfowl and the conservation of waterfowl and wetlands. To facilitate this engagement, the National Flyway Council (NFC) – in cooperation with the four Flyway Councils, the NAWMP planning committee, and non-governmental agencies – initiated the formation of a Human Dimensions Working Group (HDWG). This working group is tasked with obtaining and incorporating human dimensions information and approaches into migratory bird conservation programs, policies, and practices. To inform this task, three surveys – a waterfowl hunter survey, a birdwatcher survey, and a public survey – were administered in the United States. Similar birdwatcher and hunter surveys occurred concurrently in Canada. Separate summary reports are available for the U.S. general public, waterfowl hunter surveys, as well as the Canadian surveys (U.S. Geological Survey 2017; Patton 2021b; Harshaw 2018a, 2018b). This report presents results from the U.S. birdwatcher survey, and throughout the rest of this report refers to it as the National Birdwatching Survey (NBS).

Comité du PNAGS Priorités et mesures stratégiques de la période de mise à jour 2018

Le Comité du Plan nord-américain de gestion de la sauvagine (PNAGS) a tenu une séance de planification stratégique en juillet 2018 pour donner suite aux éléments suivants :
1) le rapport nommé « Review of the Plan Committee – Achieving NAWMP Objectives1 », préparé par le Sous-comité des institutions;
2) la recommandation 8 de la mise à jour de 2018 du PNAGS (« Définir clairement les rôles et les responsabilités du Comité du Plan et la façon dont ce dernier et ses
fonctions sont stratégiquement articulés pour faciliter l’intégration au sein de plusieurs groupes de travail. »)

Le présent rapport résume les résultats de cette session et énonce les mesures prioritaires pour le Comité du Plan (CP) au cours de la période initiale de mise en oeuvre de la mise à jour 2018 du PNAGS (2019-2021). Le rapport détermine les principales responsabilités que le CP doit assumer et traite ultimement des recommandations structurelles pour le CP, en plus des décisions qu’il a prises le 10 avril 2019.

Le CP a mis l’accent sur les mesures qu’il pourrait mettre en oeuvre pour aider à atteindre les buts et les objectifs du PNAGS, bien qu’il existe de nombreuses autres mesures que la communauté de la sauvagine dans son ensemble pourrait entreprendre. Le CP s’est appuyé sur les efforts du Sous-comité des institutions pour cerner les questions prioritaires et a chargé un petit groupe de rédiger un rapport clarifiant les rôles et responsabilités clés du CP, ses fonctions, ses priorités stratégiques et ses actions. Une fois ces éléments établis et les liens essentiels avec les groupes de travail mis en place, le CP déterminera quels changements, s’il y a lieu, devront être apportés aux structures et aux processus institutionnels du PNAGS pour implanter avec succès les priorités stratégiques.

Public Views of Wetlands and Waterfowl Conservation in the United States—Results of a Survey to Inform the 2018 Update of the North American Waterfowl Management Plan

This report provides information from a general public survey conducted in early 2017 to help inform the North American Waterfowl Management Plan (NAWMP) 2018 update. This report is intended for use by the NAWMP advisory committees and anyone interested in the human dimensions of wetlands and waterfowl management. A mail-out survey was sent to 5,000 addresses in the United States, which were selected randomly in proportion to the population of each State. A total of 1,030 completed surveys representing 49 States were returned, resulting in a 23 percent overall response rate.

More information:  https://pubs.er.usgs.gov/publication/ofr20171148

The 2012 NAWMP Revision Vision Statement provides a new vision of waterfowl management that emphasizes a growing and supportive core of waterfowl hunters and an engaged conservation community inspired by waterfowl and wetlands. The goal is to have a public supportive of waterfowl and wetlands conservation that have strong emotional and pragmatic ties to waterfowl and wetlands.

To facilitate engagement of both the traditional waterfowl hunting community and other nontraditional stakeholder groups who are interested in waterfowl and the conservation of waterfowl and wetlands, the NFC’s Human Dimensions Working Group and other NAWMP partners conducted a research study using both stakeholder and general public surveys of North Americans that can inform: 1) NAWMP objectives; 2) harvest objectives and strategies; 3) habitat management; and 4) public engagement strategies.

This report constitutes the first release of the full results of the birdwatcher study, organized by flyway.

The 2012 NAWMP Revision Vision Statement provides a new vision of waterfowl management that emphasizes a growing and supportive core of waterfowl hunters and an engaged conservation community inspired by waterfowl and wetlands. The goal is to have a public supportive of waterfowl and wetlands conservation that have strong emotional and pragmatic ties to waterfowl and wetlands.

To facilitate engagement of both the traditional waterfowl hunting community and other nontraditional stakeholder groups who are interested in waterfowl and the conservation of waterfowl and wetlands, the NFC’s Human Dimensions Working Group and other NAWMP partners conducted a research study using both stakeholder and general public surveys of North Americans that can inform: 1) NAWMP objectives; 2) harvest objectives and strategies; 3) habitat management; and 4) public engagement strategies.

This report constitutes the first release of the full results of the birdwatcher study, organized by flyway.

The 2012 NAWMP Revision Vision Statement provides a new vision of waterfowl management that emphasizes a growing and supportive core of waterfowl hunters and an engaged conservation community inspired by waterfowl and wetlands. The goal is to have a public supportive of waterfowl and wetlands conservation that have strong emotional and pragmatic ties to waterfowl and wetlands.

To facilitate engagement of both the traditional waterfowl hunting community and other nontraditional stakeholder groups who are interested in waterfowl and the conservation of waterfowl and wetlands, the NFC’s Human Dimensions Working Group and other NAWMP partners conducted a research study using both stakeholder and general public surveys of North Americans that can inform: 1) NAWMP objectives; 2) harvest objectives and strategies; 3) habitat management; and 4) public engagement strategies.

This report constitutes the first release of the full results of the birdwatcher study, organized by flyway.

The 2012 NAWMP Revision Vision Statement provides a new vision of waterfowl management that emphasizes a growing and supportive core of waterfowl hunters and an engaged conservation community inspired by waterfowl and wetlands. The goal is to have a public supportive of waterfowl and wetlands conservation that have strong emotional and pragmatic ties to waterfowl and wetlands.

To facilitate engagement of both the traditional waterfowl hunting community and other nontraditional stakeholder groups who are interested in waterfowl and the conservation of waterfowl and wetlands, the NFC’s Human Dimensions Working Group and other NAWMP partners conducted a research study using both stakeholder and general public surveys of North Americans that can inform: 1) NAWMP objectives; 2) harvest objectives and strategies; 3) habitat management; and 4) public engagement strategies.

This report constitutes the first release of the full results of the birdwatcher study, organized by flyway.

To facilitate engagement of both the traditional waterfowl hunting community and other nontraditional stakeholder groups who are interested in waterfowl and
the conservation of waterfowl and wetlands , the NFC’s Human Dimensions Working Group and other NAWMP partners conducted a research study using both stakeholder and general public surveys of North Americans that can inform: 1) NAWMP objectives; 2) harvest objectives and strategies; 3) habitat management; and 4) public engagement strategies.

This report constitutes the first release of the full results of the waterfowl hunter study, organized by flyway.

To facilitate engagement of both the traditional waterfowl hunting community and other nontraditional stakeholder groups who are interested in waterfowl and
the conservation of waterfowl and wetlands , the NFC’s Human Dimensions Working Group and other NAWMP partners conducted a research study using both stakeholder and general public surveys of North Americans that can inform: 1) NAWMP objectives; 2) harvest objectives and strategies; 3) habitat management; and 4) public engagement strategies.

This report constitutes the first release of the full results of the waterfowl hunter study, organized by flyway.

To facilitate engagement of both the traditional waterfowl hunting community and other nontraditional stakeholder groups who are interested in waterfowl and
the conservation of waterfowl and wetlands , the NFC’s Human Dimensions Working Group and other NAWMP partners conducted a research study using both stakeholder and general public surveys of North Americans that can inform: 1) NAWMP objectives; 2) harvest objectives and strategies; 3) habitat management; and 4) public engagement strategies.

This report constitutes the first release of the full results of the waterfowl hunter study, organized by flyway.

To facilitate engagement of both the traditional waterfowl hunting community and other nontraditional stakeholder groups who are interested in waterfowl and
the conservation of waterfowl and wetlands , the NFC’s Human Dimensions Working Group and other NAWMP partners conducted a research study using both stakeholder and general public surveys of North Americans that can inform: 1) NAWMP objectives; 2) harvest objectives and strategies; 3) habitat management; and 4) public engagement strategies.

This report constitutes the first release of the full results of the waterfowl hunter study, organized by flyway.

In February 2015, the NAWMP Science Support Team (NSST) and Interim Integration Committee (IIC) met jointly in Memphis, TN, and began to explore ways of integrating objectives for waterfowl habitat and people, the latter including hunters, other conservation supporters and the general public.

Participants were exposed to approaches and efforts attempting to integrate habitat-human objectives and monitor responses and progress toward integration, and were actively engaged in generating and summarizing ideas.

Defining the “problem set”, i.e., explicitly specifying the linked habitat-people objectives and associated management decisions, was challenging. Yet, all groups managed to make progress, and identify trade-offs associated with decisions that could most benefit birds, people or both target groups.

Implementing the 2012 North American Waterfowl Management Plan: people conserving waterfowl and wetlands

Abstract

The North American Waterfowl Management Plan (NAWMP) is a continental ecosystems model for wildlife conservation planning with worldwide implications.
Since established in 1986, NAWMP has undergone continual evolution as challenges to waterfowl conservation have emerged and information available to support  conservation decisions has become available. In the 2012 revision, the waterfowl management community revisited the fundamental basis for the Plan and placed greater emphasis on sustaining the Plan’s conservation work and on integration across disciplines of harvest and habitat management. Most notably, traditional and  nontraditional users (i.e. hunters and wildlife viewers) of the resource and other conservation supporters are integrated into waterfowl conservation planning.

Challenges ahead for the waterfowl management enterprise include addressing trade-offs that emerge when habitat for waterfowl populations versus habitat for humans are explicitly considered, how these objectives and decision problems can be linked at various spatial and temporal scales, and most fundamentally how to sustain NAWMP conservation work in the face of multi-faceted ecological and social change.

The NAWMP Action Plan is a companion document to the 2012 NAWMP. It provides initial guidance and strategic ideas for implementing the 2012 NAWMP. As its title implies, the Action Plan is a call to action. In addition to identifying key actions for each of the seven recommendations in the 2012 NAWMP, it contains technical details and ideas to advance creation of an integrated waterfowl management enterprise.

As a result of considerable effort put forth by the waterfowl management community over the last year, one of seven recommendations outlined in the 2012 NAWMP Revision has been formally completed. This document outlines revised objectives for waterfowl populations, waterfowl habitat, and those who enjoy and actively support waterfowl and wetlands conservation. Although much work remains, these objectives represent an important step toward ensuring that management programs are aligned and work in a complementary fashion. Efforts to formally integrate management actions, assess stakeholder values, evaluate harvest management strategies, and engage waterfowl conservation supporters remain as near-term challenges to the waterfowl conservation community.

Over the past several months, the Interim Integration Committee has accomplished the task set out last fall by the NAWMP Committee to oversee the review and development of contemporary and coherent objectives for waterfowl populations, people, and habitat. With input from the waterfowl management community that task has been advanced, and the revised "working objectives" follow in the attached document.

A collection of documents with feedback on the work plan. Although comments on the plan have reflected diverse views, the collective input has been very helpful in identifying the emerging themes that will need to be addressed.

The adaptive management of waterfowl harvests in the United States has endured as an institution for 8 almost 20 years. This is an overview of adaptive harvest management and goals it tries to accomplish and what can be expected in the future. 

A communique to the waterfowl management community from the co-chairs of the North American Waterfowl Management Plan Committee. 

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An Interim Integration Committee (IIC), prescribed in the Action Plan, has been charged with facilitating the integration of waterfowl management and advancing many of the specific recommendations identified in the Revision and Action Plan. You will have received a DRAFT WORK PLAN from the IIC in mid-July, and we discussed this at length last week at our Plan Committee meeting in Winnipeg.

In addition we heard reports from the nascent Human Dimensions Working Group (HDWG), the NSST, the NAWMP Joint Ventures, and the Plan Committee’s new Public Engagement Team (PET). Collectively the work of these groups, in partnership with all of you is advancing the recommendations of the 2012 Revision on many fronts. As Co-Chairs of the international Plan Committee we are committed to implementing the 2012 Plan and updating you from time to time on the progress of this important work.

The NAWMP Plan Committee met August 21-22, 2013 in Winnipeg, Manitoba. This is a progress update from the Plan Committee co-chairs regarding implementation of the 2012 NAWMP Revision.

A letter from the 2012 Revision of the North American Waterfowl Management Plan (NAWMP) discussing the adoption of 3 goals.

• Abundant and resilient waterfowl populations to support hunting and other uses without imperiling habitat.
• Wetlands and related habitats sufficient to sustain waterfowl populations at desired levels, while providing places to recreate and ecological services that benefit society.
• Growing numbers of waterfowl hunters, other conservationists and citizens who enjoy and actively support waterfowl and wetlands conservation.

The 2012 North American Waterfowl Management Plan – People Conserving Waterfowl and Wetlands presents a bold renewed vision for the future, grounded in 25 years of implementation of the 1986 North American Waterfowl Management Plan. Since its creation, the Plan has achieved wetlands and waterfowl conservation successes by adopting a partner­-based model that has been broadly acclaimed and widely emulated.

Building on a remarkable legacy of coordinated public-­private strategies for managing waterfowl, our three countries have embarked on an ambitious journey to achieve a new conservation vision.  Extensive public consultations have confirmed that we need to pursue abundant and resilient waterfowl populations and sustainable landscapes, through management decisions based on strong biological foundations. This Plan focuses more than ever on expanding an engaged community of users and supporters. This includes hunters and a non-­hunting public, both committed to conservation and valuing waterfowl and their habitat as essential characteristics of the North American landscape. Citizens of our three countries ascribe increasing value to the broad suite of ecological values associated with wetlands and other important waterfowl habitats. They place their trust in science-­based management that ensures sustainable populations of waterfowl. This Plan responds to the changing needs of our evolving societies while respecting and recommitting to the rich traditions that have been ours since before the founding of our nations.

The North American Waterfowl Management Plan (NAWMP) Committee sought public comment on the Draft Revised Plan (Draft) from August 25, to September 26, 2011. Comments were submitted one of four ways:

• Email to info@nawmprevision.org
• A web form located at www.nawmprevision.org
• Comment document uploaded to www.nawmprevision.org
• Or mailed to the USFWS Division of Bird Habitat Conservation, 4401 North Fairfax Drive MS4075, Arlington, VA 22203, Attn: NAWMP Revision Comments.

Written comments on the draft NAWMP revision document were received from more than 50 individuals and organizations in the United States, Canada and Mexico. These have been compiled into one PDF document. The comments are not arranged in any particular order in the document.

The first NAWMP Revision Webinar which was held July 27, 2011

The report of results from Round 1 and 2 stakeholder input workshops. The report is divided into several files: main report and several appendices files.

Additional input provided during the Round 2 comment period from the Central Flyway Council. 

Seven Round 2 consultation workshops were held between September 2010 and February 2011. The first was held in conjunction with the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies annual meeting. Feedback from that workshop helped to modify the agenda and process for the remaining workshops. Those workshops - held in New Orleans, Denver (Dec. 7), Portland OR, Denver (Feb. 3), Edmonton, and Ottawa - followed a different agenda than the Grand Rapids Workshop. The agenda and powerpoint presentations used for those six workshops are attached below. (Grand Rapids results are further below.) Results from each of the four US and the two Canadian (but not Grand Rapids) include the TurningPoint slides, the compiled valuing exercise average, and the table discussion notes. The table discussion notes include suggestions for clarification of the fundamental objectives as well as suggested measurable attributes.

Workshops results from round 2 in Ottawa. 

Workshop results from round 2 in Edmonton. 

Workshop results from round 2 in Denver. 

Workshop results from Portland, Oregon from the workshop held January 10-11, 2011. 

Results from the December 7, 2010 workshop in Denver. 

Results from the workshop in New Orleans on December 1, 2010. 

The first Round 2 workshop was held in Grand Rapids on September 30, 2010 in conjunction with the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies' annual meeting. Input from this workshop was used to modify the agenda for the remaining workshops.

Round 1 workshop input  from several flyways. 

The NAWMP Revision Steering Committee and Technical Team are working on evaluating the data from Round 1 workshops. The attached Communique 2 provides a brief update. 

Results of the workshop held in Milwaukee on March 22, 2010.

Results from the workshop held in Sacramento CA, February 25-26, 2010.

Results from the NAWMP Workshop held in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada February 16-17, 2010.

Results from the NAWMP Revision Workshop held in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, February 1-2, 2010.

The Memphis workshop was held in conjunction with the NSST meeting the last week of January 2010.

Results from the NAWMP Workshop held in conjunction with the Adaptive Harvest Management Working Group in Portland, Oregon December 2-3, 2009

The Future of Waterfowl Management Workshop was held in Minneapolis, Minnesota on August 26-28, 2008. The workshop was an important step in the evolution of waterfowl management in North America. Throughout its history, the waterfowl management community has shown great capacity for innovative thinking and action in the interest of improving waterfowl management according to specific objectives, as witnessed by creation of the Flyway Councils, the North American Waterfowl Management Plan, Adaptive Harvest Management, and the National Duck Hunter Survey. The Workshop marks yet another key point in the continuing development of a scientifically-based and socially-responsive management framework.

This report addresses one of the most fundamental debates in waterfowl policy and management -- the relative roles of habitat conservation and harvest regulation. The original framers of the North American Waterfowl Management Plan (Plan) recognized the inherent linkages among harvest, habitat, and hunters. The Plan set the stage for the next two decades of waterfowl conservation, during which managers demonstrated a capacity to deliver habitat initiatives through joint ventures, developed a technical framework for harvest management, and became increasingly aware of the role of stakeholders, especially hunters. To date, however, the waterfowl management community has not explicitly integrated these elements under a cohesive framework.  This integration will require identification of meaningful, measurable goals that integrate habitat conservation, harvest management, and stakeholder support.

...Considerable technical work will be required to integrate uncertainties about habitat and harvest management. Pursuit of a unified framework for waterfowl management at the continental scale must include additional elements, particularly the incorporation of stakeholder desires, clarification of key ecological uncertainties such as the functional form of density dependence, and models that link local habitat management with continental waterfowl demography

In 2005 we were asked by the Plan Committee of the North American Waterfowl Management Plan (NAWMP or Plan) to form an Assessment Steering Committee (ASC) and to conduct the first continental biological assessment of the Plan in its 20 year history. This report summarizes our findings from that effort.

In 2005 we were asked by the Plan Committee of the North American Waterfowl Management Plan (NAWMP or Plan) to form an Assessment Steering Committee (ASC) and to conduct the first continental biological assessment of the Plan in its 20 year history. This report summarizes our findings from that effort.

Our quest has been challenging, informative, and rewarding. Through our interviews, we learned that the Plan Community throughout the continent is very active on many fronts tackling important issues and conserving habitats in many key waterfowl areas for breeding, wintering, and migrating needs. While these efforts have cumulatively affected millions of acres since l986, much work remains to be done before Plan goals for waterfowl populations will be realized.

Our report contains several recommendations which we believe will move the entire Plan effort closer to attaining its continental waterfowl population goals. We strongly urge the Plan Committee to take these recommendations under advisement and to act on them prudently yet promptly. We were very impressed with the professionalism, expertise, and dedication of the many Plan partners. They are truly the backbone of the Plan and we are confident that they represent a highly competent force that is more than capable of acting upon the Plan Committee’s leadership and guidance to implement their recommendations.