Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16Rob Clay, the Director of WHSRN’s Executive Office, is leading AFSI’s Flyway Engagement working group. AFSI was devel- oped from a primarily North American perspective, but in order for it to be success- ful, it needs engagement from the entire hemisphere. WHSRN is already working with diverse partners throughout the hemisphere. In Chile, WHSRN has formed a partnership with the national petroleum company (ENAP by its Spanish acronym) to help conserve Bahia Lomas, a WHSRN Site of Hemispheric Importance in Tierra del Fuego and one of the most important wintering areas in South America for Red Knots. To help protect this imperiled shorebird species, ENAP made the decision to stop operating two oil platforms in the area, participated in the development of a Management Plan for the site, and since 2009, has been providing the use of its helicopter to conduct aerial surveys of Red Knots in partner- ship with the Bahia Lomas Center. But this partnership wasn’t born overnight; it took time and trust for ENAP to start managing their land for shorebirds. WHSRN has spent years fostering these kinds of relationships. The result: a strong network of sites and people that serves as a building block for AFSI. “Manomet continues to be instrumental in ensuring the science underpinning the Flyway initiative is sound,” explained NFWF Bird and Wildlife Conservation Director Ian Davidson. “Manomet’s foundational support to WHSRN has been vital in ensuring effective site-based conservation is linked up across the hemisphere.” VISION FOR SUCCESS Luckily WHSRN is not the only organization that has been building relationships throughout the hemisphere in support of shorebirds. In 2008, BirdLife International began work- ing with hunting communities in the Caribbean to slowly change their traditional hunting prac- tices. BirdLife and its partners saw a greater long- term solution in approaching the hunting clubs not as an enemy, but as a potential partner in shorebird conservation and habitat management. The process has been gradual—working with hunters to move the shooting swamps from a ‘no-limit’ perspective to more responsible, data- informed resource conservation. During the first annual World Shorebirds Day, the WHSRN Executive Office heard that two Barbados shoot- ing swamps observed the global holiday by ban- ning hunting on that day. Knowing the history there, the fact that hunt- ers voluntarily supported conservation efforts was a giant first step and one of the most pro- found outcomes of the partnerships built by many organizations that were leading efforts to reduce the impacts of hunting. Working with industry in Chile and hunt- ers in Barbados will be critical to the future of shorebirds, but in order to turn the narrative around, these types of partnerships need to be replicated throughout the hemisphere. AFSI unites nearly all shorebird conservation initiatives under one plan and outlines the areas, initiatives, and projects that will have the greatest impact on shorebird recovery. AFSI maps out over 190 projects that will need to be implemented in order for shorebird populations to recover, and the cost of success will be tens of millions of dollars. And while the plan’s transparent investment model has attracted some diverse funders, it still has a long way to go to match the type of support needed. Spending millions may seem like a lot of money to be doling out for shorebirds, but any- one lucky enough to witness a shorebird success story knows that an increase in shorebirds is only one benefit of this type of conservation. When birds thrive, people prosper. Shorebirds require intact coastal habitats that will also help protect communities from storm surges and wetlands that filter our water and sequester CO2. But perhaps most importantly, shorebirds require people from all walks of life to work together and build understanding across different languages, cultures, and traditions. The Atlantic Flyway Shorebird Initiative is an unprecedented approach to conservation which ties together important places, key people, and focused strategies to begin to address the most significant threats to shorebird popula- tions. From funders, to hunters, to beach-goers, the plan makes it clear that in order to turn the shorebird story around, everyone needs to be a part of the solution. It’s a steep challenge, but Manomet is excited to show how together, we can create a sustainable future. To learn more about our Shorebird Recovery work please visit us at: www.manomet.org/srp Red Knots and other shorebirds wait for horseshoe crabs to finish spawning as the tide drops. FIGURE 1 FOCAL SPECIES 15 shorebird species appear in 7 distinct geographies as defined in the Atlantic Flyway Shorebird Initiative. American Oystercatcher American Golden-Plover Snowy Plover Wilson’s Plover Marbled Godwit Ruddy Turnstone Red Knot Sanderling Piping Plover Greater Yellowlegs Lesser Yellowlegs Whimbrel Purple Sandpiper Semipalmated Sandpiper Red-necked Phalarope 6 | Manomet Partnerships for Sustainability • Spring / Summer 2016