Regional Partnerships

The AMJV stretches from northern Alabama up to Ithaca, NY, including extensive physiographic, ecological, social, and economic diversity within its broad geographic boundaries. The AMJV has found that while it is important to keep a national and regional perspective in mind for overarching bird and habitat objectives, working at smaller regional and local scales can yield more effective and frequent communication and collaboration, ultimately leading to enhanced on-the-ground action that improves conditions for bird populations.

We wish to acknowledge the following regional partnerships that exist within our borders, some of which are directly tied to the AMJV, while others are self-organized partnerships whose objectives often overlap with those of the Joint Venture. Each of these regional partnerships enhances engagement among our diverse partnership and fosters increased collaboration across shared conservation goals.

AMJV Northeast Region Working Group

 
AMJV partners from the Northeastern region of the Joint Venture meet regularly to discuss monitoring, research, implementation, and funding opportunities within Pennsylvania, New York and New Jersey. The group has met at Bear Lake, NY and the Cornell Lab of Ornithology in Ithaca, NY in recent years.
 

Appalachian Regional Reforestation Initiative

The Appalachian Regional Reforestation Initiative (ARRI) is a coalition of groups, including citizens, the coal industry, and government dedicated to restoring forests on coal mined lands in the Eastern United States. ARRI was established in early 2004 with the formation of the Core Team. The Core Team's responsibilities include outreach, trainings, event planning, monthly meetings to discuss progress reports and new strategies, among other things.

Website: arri.osmre.gov/Default.shtm

Central Appalachians Fire Learning Network

The Central Appalachians FLN engages federal, state and private land managers in a collaborative effort to enhance capacity to implement ecological fire management in the Central Appalachian Forest, Western Allegheny Plateau, and Cumberlands and Southern Ridge and Valley ecoregions. Within this biologically diverse region, the FLN seeks to:

  • Collaborate with stakeholders to strengthen the scientific basis for landscape-scale fire management, and develop landscape-scale desired future condition and fire management objectives;
  • Transfer knowledge and lessons learned to facilitate ecological objective setting, effective stakeholder engagement, efficient compliance with regulatory requirements, and funding of ecological fire management projects; and
  • Identify critical barriers to implementing restoration of fire adapted ecosystems, and develop strategies to overcome these barriers;

Central Appalachian Spruce Restoration Initiative

The Central Appalachian Spruce Restoration Initiative (CASRI) is a partnership of diverse interests with a common goal of restoring historic red spruce-northern hardwood ecosystems across the high elevation landscapes of Central Appalachia. It is comprised of private, state, federal, and non-governmental organizations which recognize the importance of this ecosystem for its ecological, aesthetic, recreational, economic, and cultural values.

Contact: Julie Fosbender, USFS

Southern Appalachian Golden-winged Warbler Working Group

 

Golden-winged Warblers were tagged in Highland and Bath Counties, VA on a multi-state project to learn more about their migratory route and wintering sites. Photo courtesy of Lesley Bullock

The Southern Appalachian Golden-winged Warbler Working Group is a team of biologists, foresters, land managers, and conservation specialists who meet biannually to coordinate efforts for monitoring and conserving Golden-winged Warblers across Tennessee and North Carolina. The group has recently expanded their focus to discuss Cerulean Warblers and potential projects for collaboration on the wintering grounds. Contact: Mary Miller, USFS

Southern Appalachian Spruce Restoration Initiative

SOUTHERN APPALACHIAN SPRUCE RESTORATION INITIATIVE

The Southern Appalachian Spruce Restoration Initiative (CASRI) is a partnership of diverse interests with a common goal of restoring historic red spruce-northern hardwood ecosystems across the Southern Appalachian landscape. It is comprised of private, state, federal, and non-governmental organizations which recognize the importance of this ecosystem for its ecological, aesthetic, recreational, economic, and cultural values.

Southern Wings

A partnership of State Wildlife Agencies Conserving State Priority Birds on their Wintering Grounds in Mexico, Central America, South America and the Caribbean. The partnership supports the common vision of providing a funding mechanism for bird conservation projects in these regions to support priority birds throughout their annual cycle and protect the state wildlife agencies investments.

Email: dhahn@fishwildlife.org
Website: www.fishwildlife.org/index.php?section=southern-wings-program&activa;

Virginia Golden-winged Warbler Partners

In Virginia, Golden-winged Warblers are restricted to the high valleys of the western, mountainous part of the state. State, university, and non-governmental partners meet biannually in Warm Springs, VA to discuss ongoing research, monitoring, and habitat enhancement projects. Partners from the VA DGIF and Virginia Commonwealth University have been working to develop a landowner survey to better understand pro-wildlife attitudes and intentions regarding shrubland habitat management in five focal counties in western VA (Highland, Bath, Giles, Tazewell and Smyth. Contact: Sergio Harding, VA DGIF