The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is coordinating efforts along the Gulf Coast to safeguard wildlife such as shorebirds, waterfowl, marsh birds, sea birds and sea turtles from the effects of oil.  Working with state, federal and non-government partners, the Service is identifying the most pressing habitat needs of these at-risk species, recommending strategic habitat conservation activities to address those needs, and helping to implement projects along the coast from Florida to Texas.

Based on the current distribution and impacts of oil along the Gulf’s marshes and coastline and the millions of waterfowl and shorebirds that will soon migrate through or will spend the winter in this area, Service biologists are working to restore and bolster wetland habitats and food sources in nearby, uncontaminated areas in Louisiana, the Chenier Plain of east Texas, and the lower portion of the Mississippi Alluvial Valley.

These efforts are designed to restore and protect habitat for resident species along the Gulf Coast, as well as to address concerns about the coming fall migration of some 5 million waterfowl and other migratory birds that will arrive in or pass through the Gulf Coast region throughout the fall and winter months.  By quickly initiating these habitat conservation projects, the Service and its partners hope to minimize the chance that migrating or wintering birds will come into contact with contaminated coastal habitats.  Also, because food resources for migrating birds have been reduced, degraded or lost due to the oil spill, the Service and its partners’ efforts will help ensure the availability of adequate food to compensate for these losses.

“We know that clean-up and recovery from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill will be a long-term process, but we cannot wait to begin assessing and dealing with the impacts to our natural resources,” said Dan Ashe, Acting Director of the Fish and Wildlife Service.  “For migratory bird conservation, the Joint Ventures are the forum of multiple partners, including scientists and wildlife managers, leading our inclusive, strategic, and adaptive response to the ever-changing situation in the Gulf.”

Migratory bird habitat restoration will help support many other species, including mammals, fish, and reptiles.  The Service is working with a wide network of partners to specifically address the needs of these other species.  The agency is working with partners to establish Landscape Conservation Cooperatives that will eventually provide this same level of science and planning for all wildlife species.

More information about the NRCS Migratory Bird Habitat Initiative is at http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/news/nrcs_migratory_birds.html.