ABSTRACT
At their meeting at Savannah, GA during January 9-11, 2007 the North American Waterfowl Management Plan Committee identified top priorities distilled form the Continental Progress Assessment Report which included Recommendation A.1: The Plan Committee should ensure development of a clearer and more robust accountability framework for the achievement of NAWMP biological objectives involving all organizational levels in the Plan Community.
Subsequently, the Plan Committee developed management responses to the Assessment including a response to Recommendation A.1 as follows:
The Plan Committee will work with the JVs and the NSST to develop and maintain an accountability framework for the achievement of Plan goals. Necessary components will include coherent objectives at continental, national, regional (JV), and sub-regional scales and regular reporting among the committees and organizations responsible for Plan implementation.
Estimates of regional habitat gains (including NAWMP accomplishments) and losses are essential for estimating net conservation progress. Combined with improved understanding of how landscape conditions affect waterfowl vital rates, plan partners will be better able to set adequate habitat objectives and assess biological progress.
The Plan Committee expects the NAWMP Science Support Team to develop and report recommendations for Plan Committee endorsement. This scoping document was developed in response to the Plan Committee’s request for NAWMP Science Support Team recommendations to address the charges within Recommendation A.1 and will contribute to the development of NAWMP Science Support Team efforts to address priorities.
The NAWMP Science Support Team provided a summary review of the issues associated with each sub-element of recommendation A.1, discussed pros and cons for each sub-element, and developed NAWMP Science Support Team recommendations addressing each sub-element of recommendation A.1 to present to the Plan Committee.
Logical sequencing of NAWMP Science Support Team recommendations addressing each of the sub-elements reflected the NAWMP Science Support Team perspective for urgency and need.