For Immediate Release: June 26, 2001

Contact: , American Bird Conservancy, 202/234-7181 ext. 207

American Bird Conservancy has announced the designation of the first 100 most Globally Important Bird Areas (IBAs) in the United States. From the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge to the Apalachicola National Forest in Florida, these sites embody the ongoing effort to conserve wild birds and their habitats throughout the nation, and the importance of preserving America’s avian heritage for future generations.

The sites are the first of 500 to be included in the forthcoming book, The Bird Conservation Handbook, Globally Important Bird Areas of the U.S., to be published by Holt in 2002. The book will contain detailed site descriptions for each IBA, as well as illustrations of some of the representative birds.

ABC’s IBA program, supported in part by The Nature Conservancy and the Disney Wildlife Conservation Fund, aims to identify and protect a network of key sites to further bird conservation efforts. IBA programs have been initiated throughout the world, including Europe, The Middle East, Africa, Canada, Mexico and Ecuador as well as the United States.

American Bird Conservancy hopes that the designation of the first 100 Global IBAs in the U.S. will further illustrate the importance of bird and habitat conservation across the country and draw attention to the significance these particular areas have for birds and the millions of people who visit them each year to birdwatch – one of America’s most popular hobbies.

A complete list of the 100 IBAs is available on request