IMPORTANT BIRD AREAS PROGRAM TAKES OFF! 
     
    
   
   
    
     The Canadian Nature Federation advised the Natural History Society that it was the recipient of a 
     
     Millennium Partnership Program grant of $1.25 million from the Government of Canada to aid in the 
     
     establishment of the Important Bird Areas in Canada. This program is designed to identify and protect a 
     
     network of critical nesting sites, migration staging areas. and wintering grounds for a wide variety of North 
     
     American bird species. A workshop was hosted September 19-20th, 1997 and the Natural History 
     
     Society was represented by its President of the time, Dr. Ray Cooke. The results of that initiative are 
     
     depicted below, namely, a map of Potential IBAs Within the Maritimes. 
     
    
   
   
    
     1 5 Potential IBAs Within the Maritimes 
     
    
   
   
    
     (Approximate Locations) 
     
    
   
   
    
       
     
    
   
   
    
     A portion of the funding will be used to hire a Maritimes Region lBA Community Conservation 
     
     Planner who would be responsible for working with community gr0ups to develop conservation plans for 
     
     the 18 lBA sites across the Maritimes. Part of the money will be used to create a Community Action 
     
     Fund to support the work of local groups and individuals taking on key lBA conservation projects. The 
     
     New Brunswick Federation of Naturalists, the Federation of Nova Scotia Naturalists and the Natural 
     
     History Society of Prince Edward island will work on a planning committee with the CNF to develop and 
     
     implement various aspects of the program in the Maritimes. Ray Cooke has kindly agreed to continue to 
     
     represent the Society as a member of the regional committee. 
     
    
   
   
    
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