Ecological Modeling and Monitoring to Inform Avian Conservation in the Intermountain West - Phase II

The Intermountain West Joint Venture (IWJV) is among the largest and most ecologically diverse habitat Joint Venture in North America, encompassing all or significant portions of 11 western states. In a landscape as large and complex as the Intermountain West, unfocused strategies make it difficult to determine where conservation investments will have the most significant impact and whether conservation investments at local scales have an aggregated effect on conservation goals at the regional and continental scale. Embracing a strategic approach to the success of the IWJV is imperative given the scarce availability of resources and the immense scale of conservation needs throughout the region. Science is critical to this strategic approach.