Technical Committee

AMJV Technical Committee members enjoy a hay ride to see oak management that benefits Wood Thrush and Cerulean Warblers at the Vinton Furnace State Experimental Forest in Ohio. Photo: Becky Keller

The Appalachian Mountains Joint Venture Technical Committee serves as a voluntary scientific and technical advisory body for advancing science-based bird conservation efforts within the AMJV region. Technical committee members include scientists, land managers, biologists, foresters and other professionals from universities, federal agencies, state fish and wildlife agencies, and non-governmental organizations. The Joint Venture Technical Committee primarily works with AMJV staff to integrate cutting-edge research, monitoring, and planning efforts into both the Joint Venture’s planning documents and implementation actions as well as within their own agencies and organizations.

The Technical Committee promotes collaboration across the AMJV partnership and establishes priorities to support the AMJV mission. The AMJV Technical Committee is open to all organizations interested in supporting bird conservation or management in the Appalachians. New organizations who wish to join the AMJV Technical Committee may submit a request for membership for consideration by AMJV Staff at any time. Recommendations for new members also can be made by current Technical Committee members as well as the AMJV Staff or Board.

The AMJV Technical Committee meets annually each summer and has multiple ad hoc working groups that convene as needed. Technical Committee members are strong leaders within the AMJV Regional Partnerships and AMJV Focal Landscapes Initiatives. AMJV Staff and partners produce a biannual AMJV Technical Committee Digest for sharing information about ongoing and completed projects.

In addition to work domestically, AMJV partners produced a story map and white paper in 2017 depicting the extensive research and conservation efforts they are involved in on the wintering grounds for AMJV priority species.

AMJV partners work extensively internationally, such as American Bird Conservancy’s partnership with ProAves to reforest an area known as the Cerulean Warbler Corridor in Colombia.

AMJV Technical Committee members enjoy sharing success stories about forest management techniques that work to improve habitat for bird populations.