NAWMP Revision 2012

A New Call to Action

The 2012 NAWMP Revision represents a new call to action for the waterfowl conservation community. The integrated vision – ‘People conserving waterfowl and wetlands’ – outlines the need to manage adaptively with clear goals and integrated measurable objectives for populations, habitat and people. To achieve this integrated vision, three goals were identified in the 2012 NAWMP Revision. These goals were subsequently revised in an addendum to the Plan, which outlines revised objectives for waterfowl populations, waterfowl habitat, and those who enjoy and actively support waterfowl and wetlands conservation:

Goal 1: Abundant and resilient waterfowl populations to support hunting and other uses without imperiling habitat.

Goal 2: Wetlands and related habitat sufficient to sustain waterfowl populations at desired levels, while providing places to recreate and ecological services that benefit society.

Goal 3: Growing numbers of waterfowl hunters, other conservationists and citizens who enjoy and actively support waterfowl and wetlands habitat conservation.

A Framework for Action

The 2012 NAWMP Action Plan is a companion document to the 2012 NAWMP Revision. Like the NAWMP Revision, the Action Plan reflects broad input from the waterfowl management community. The Action Plan expands on the recommendations in the NAWMP Revision, providing further details, guidance and technical direction for the implementation of recommendations and actions. Actions are expected to evolve with time as the community works towards achieving waterfowl conservation goals.

The 2012 NAWMP Action Plan provides a suite of key action items for each of the recommendations in the NAWMP Revision. The detailed roles of technical committees and administrative bodies in the delivery of the Action Plan are also outlined.

Three recommendations are highlighted as priorities for immediate action:

1) Building support for conservation - The need to communicate the value of waterfowl and wetland conservation to the public has emerged as a top tier issue. Rebuilding traditional support from the waterfowl hunting community is also identified as a priority. These actions will be supported by the Human Dimensions Working Group and Public Engagement Team.

2) Development of new NAWMP objectives for waterfowl populations, habitat and people - The objectives should be clear and measurable; based on the best available science and modeling; and include management actions with associated outcomes, assumptions and uncertainties.

3) Integrated Waterfowl Management - This is a charge to incorporate the full suite of recommendations and existing waterfowl management activities into a coherent and adaptive framework.

For more information on the NAWMP Revision process, and to download a copy of the 2012 NAWMP Revision or the 2012 NAWMP Action Plan, visit: www.nawmprevision.org. To download previous versions of the North American Waterfowl Management Plan visit the Publications page.