US FOREST SERVICE: WINGS ACROSS THE AMERICAS

THE FOREST SERVICE AND
US HABITAT JOINT VENTURES

What is a Joint Venture?

A Joint Venture is a self-directed partnership of agencies, organizations, corporations, tribes, or individuals that has formally accepted the responsibility of implementing national or international bird conservation plans within a specific geographic area or for a specific taxonomic group, and has received general acceptance in the bird conservation community for such responsibility.

What do Joint Ventures do?

Working both collectively and independently, Joint Venture partners conduct activities in support of bird conservation goals cooperatively developed by the partnership. These activities include

biological planning, conservation design, and prioritization,
project development and implementation,
monitoring, evaluation, and applied research activities,
communications and outreach, and
fund-raising for projects and activities.

How are Joint Ventures staffed?

A Joint Venture should be staffed by a full-time Joint Venture coordinator and other staff as may be necessary to carry out the mission of the Joint Venture. Technical capabilities, which may include biological staff, GIS support, access to research scientists, etc., are required to ensure that the Joint Venture is guided by sound science. A technical committee(s) will usually be organized to assist the management board in biological planning, conservation design, and evaluation issues. Other committees, steering groups, focus groups, geographic or taxonomic groups, or other structures should be developed and are encouraged where they will assist the management board in accomplishing the mission of the Joint Venture.

What role can the Forest Service have in a Joint Venture?

Forest Service has played a significant role in the development and implementation of several Joint Ventures. Forest Service has provided start up funds, provided staff to represent Forest Service on Management Boards and on technical committees, served as a partner on numerous habitat management partnership projects, and provided leadership in the development of Joint Venture Implementation Plans and integrated bird management plans. The Joint Venture program is over 20 years old and has evolved from a waterfowl focus to an integrated bird approach. With this change has come a greater role for the Forest Service. Forest Service representatives are sought by a number of Joint Ventures to assist in eco-regional scale conservation strategy development, provide leadership in areas such as carbon sequestration and the development of ecosystem markets, and assist in developing international linkages for migratory bird conservation.

The following is a list of current US Habitat Joint Ventures and a brief description of Forest Service participation as provided by the Joint Venture Coordinator. Please note that some Joint Ventures are expressing a need for Forest Service participation.

Please click on the links for the various Joint Venture web sites…and to contact the Joint Venture Coordinator. A telephone number is also provided for your convenience.

ATLANTIC COAST JOINT VENTURE
(ME, NH, VT, MA, RI, CT, NY, PA, NJ, DE, MD, WV, VA, NC, SC, GA and FL)

Andrew Milliken, Joint Venture Coordinator Tel: (413) 253-8269 andrew_milliken@fws.gov

Forest Service is represented on the Management Board by Elizabeth LeMaster (Francis Marion NF) and the Piedmont Bird Conservation Region (BCR) Coordinator is Gary Peters (Francis Marion NF). Forest Service has been generous in providing funding/support for BCR planning in at least 4 BCRs. Region 8 has historically been extremely supportive. ACJV is looking to a March 2007 meeting in Puerto Rico with focus on Caribbean/Latin American connections and would like to see Forest Service support for this meeting.

CENTRAL HARDWOODS JOINT VENTURE
(Central KY & TN, northern AL & AR, southwest MO)

Jane Fitzgerald, Joint Venture Coordinator Tel: (314) 918-8505 jfitzgerald@abc.org

Forest Service has been very active in and supportive of the CHJV since it’s inception in 2000. Contributions have been at least $115,000 to support the Coordinator’s position. Bill Lisowsky, Forest Supervisor at Land Between the Lakes is the current Forest Service Management Board representative. Technical Committee representation includes staff from Land Between the Lakes, Shawnee, Mark Twain (Jody Eberly) and (Steve Duzan) Ozark NFs. Frank Thompson, Project Leader for the Forest Service North Central Experiment Station is also working with the Joint Venture on a BCR-wide forest bird modeling project, and in discussion on a savannah-woodland bird assessment as well as some Cerulean warbler related research.

CENTRAL VALLEY JOINT VENTURE
(CA)

Robert Shaffer, Joint Venture Coordinator Tel: (916) 414-6459 robert_shaffer@fws.gov

There is no current Forest Service participation on the Management Board or committees, primarily because of focus on the valley floor. It is expected that Joint Venture activities will be expanded towards the mountains and Forest Service participation will be sought. Contact has been made with Bernie Weingard, RF – R5 regarding potential future involvement.

GULF COAST JOINT VENTURE
(Coastal TX, LA, MS, AL)

Barry Wilson, Joint Venture Coordinator Tel: (337) 266-8815 barry_wilson@usgs.gov

There is no past or current Forest Service participation in this Joint Venture. There are Forest Service land holdings within the Joint Venture boundary, located in the DeSoto NF in coastal MS. The Forest Service has not been involved in funding or in partnership activities to date. Given the recent changes in the focus of this Joint Venture…from exclusively waterfowl to incorporation of other bird plans (Waterbird, Landbird, Shorebirds)….there is opportunity for Forest Service participation.

INTERMOUNTAIN WEST JOINT VENTURE
(EasternWA and OR, northwestern and east-central CA, ID, NV, northern AZ, UT, western and southeastern WY, southwest MT, western NM and CO)

Sam Lawry, Joint Venture Coordinator Tel: (801) 558-3529 sam@iwjv.org

Forest Service has been a long term partner in the IWJV, providing cost-sharing as part of a BLM, Forest Service, FWS, BuRec Cooperative Agreement for the Coordinator’s position; providing regular Management Board representation, participating in numerous projects and partnership activities and serving on Technical Committees.

Alan Christensen (R6) previously served on the Management Board. Danielle Chi (R4) will be serving as the future Forest Service representative to the Board.

LOWER MISSISSIPPI VALLEY JOINT VENTURE
(Western KY, TN, and MS, eastern OK, northeastern TX, northern LA and AR)

Charles Baxter, Joint Venture Coordinator Tel: (601) 629-6600 charles_baxter@fws.gov

Forest Service has had good representation from the early days on the LMVJV, which has focused, for the most part, on the Mississippi Alluvial Valley portion of the Joint Venture. Currently, Larry Hedrick, Ouachita National Forest is the Forest Service representative. For the West Gulf Coastal Plain (part of the LMJV), Bill Bartush is the representative. With the development of an eco-regional scale conservation strategy for the West Gulf Coastal Plain, this Joint Venture would like to encourage active and multiple Forest Service representation.

The LMVJV is currently working on a two year project with the USGS National Science Support Program to research the use of the Forest Service Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) program for ecoregional scale planning and monitoring.

NORTHERN GREAT PLAINS JOINT VENTURE
(Southeastern MT, southwestern ND, western SD, extreme northeastern WY, extreme northwestern NE)

Ken Sambor, Joint Venture Coordinator Tel: (701) 328-6326 ksambor@state.nd.us

Forest Service has been involved from the inception of this NGPJV, participating in the development of the Concept Plan and Implementation of the Joint Venture and as a funding partner from the beginning. Active Forest Service participation is sought by the Management Board and Technical Committee as this Joint Venture continues to develop.

PACIFIC COAST JOINT VENTURE
(Coastal areas of WA, OR, AK, and northern CA and HI)

Carey Smith, Joint Venture Coordinator Tel: (360) 604-2562 carey_smith@fws.gov

Dr. CJ Ralph, Pacific Southwest Research Station is chair of the CA State Steering Committee. Robert Alvarado and Bill Otani are active members in the Oregon and Washington State Steering Committees. Susan Piper, Olympic NF attends the Washington meetings. In AK, Dan Logan, Chugach NF is the Forest Service representative on the State Steering Committee.

PLAYA LAKES JOINT VENTURE
(EasternNM, southeastern CO, panhandle of TX, and western OK, KS, and NE)

Mike Carter, Joint Venture Coordinator Tel: (303) 926-0777 mike.carter@pljv.org

Forest Service Joint Venture membership has changed from R3 to R2. Melanie Woolever has been nominated to the PLJV Management Board and will be confirmed at the PLJV meeting in June 2006. Technical teams have not been restaffed and this Joint Venture is seeking Forest Service participation for its technical teams.

PRAIRIE POTHOLE JOINT VENTURE
(NorthernMT, northern and southeastern ND, eastern SD, western MN, northwestern IA)

Brad Andres (Acting Joint Venture Coordinator) Tel: (303) 236-4412 brad_andres@fws.gov

The PPJV focuses on prairie pothole wetlands and surrounding uplands. There is no Forest Service participation on the Management Board or Technical Committee. There is little Forest Service land in the Joint Venture boundary, with the exception of the Cheyenne National Grassland. There have been grassland related migratory bird projects in conjunction with the Cheyenne National Grassland. More active participation from Forest Service with regard to grassland issues, carbon sequestration and ecosystem marketing, as well as international connections with migratory birds would be beneficial.

RAINWATER BASIN JOINT VENTURE
(Central NE)

Steve Moran, Joint Venture Coordinator Tel: (308) 382-8112 steve_moran@fws.gov

Rainwater Basin JV is focused on 17 counties in Central Nebraska. There are no Forest Service landholdings in or near the Joint Venture. There is no Forest Service participation in the Joint Venture.

SAN FRANCISCO BAY JOINT VENTURE
(CA: San FranciscoBay and surrounding counties)

Beth Huning, Joint Venture Coordinator Tel: (415) 883-3854 bhuning@sfbayjv.org

San Francisco Bay Joint Venture does not have Forest Service participation on the Management Board nor on its technical committees. Forest Service – International Programs is working through the Copper River Migratory Bird Initiative (CRIMBI) to involve SFBJV in its shorebird migration activities, including a 2007 webcast.

SONORAN JOINT VENTURE
(Southern CA, Southern AZ, Sonora, MX)

Robert Mesta, Joint Venture Coordinator Tel: (520) 882-0047 robert_mesta@fws.gov

The Forest Service is an active partner in the Sonoran Joint Venture. Whetten Reed – International Programs - is the Forest Service representative on the Management Board and Susan Kozacek, Deputy Forest Supervisor, Coronado NF is a regular participant on the Technical Committee. Other Coronado NF biologists also participate on the Technical Committee on an as needed basis. There are several crossborder projects and collaborations.

UPPER MISSISSIPPI RIVER JOINT VENTURE
(Eastern MN and IA, counties in KS, NE, and IA bordering the Missouri River, all of MI, IL, IN, OH, WI and northern MO)

Barb Pardo, Joint Venture Coordinator Tel: (612) 713-5433 barbara_pardo@fws.gov

Norm Weiland, R9, currently represents Forest Service on the Management Board. This Joint Venture is seeking willing Forest Service scientists to participate on the Technical Committee.

2006 US Forest Service International Programs
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