The region is home to a vast array of bird species and other wildlife, including 11 of ̽»¨¾«Ñ¡â€™s flagship species as well as six ̽»¨¾«Ñ¡ priority species. These species use the Gulf at some point during their life cycles, for breeding, overwintering or as a migratory stopover. These species represent at least 300 other species and the ecosystem on which they depend.
̽»¨¾«Ñ¡ is committed to restoring the Gulf of Mexico by focusing on priority habitats for these and other species, from Texas to Florida and out to the open ocean. The challenges facing the wildlife and human communities in the Gulf have been, and will continue to be, significant. For that reason, ̽»¨¾«Ñ¡ is working to monitor the health of birds and the places they need in the aftermath of the BP Deepwater Horizon oil disaster.
Through sound science, policy leadership, and habitat conservation and restoration, ̽»¨¾«Ñ¡ and our partners are protecting and revitalizing ecosystems battered by natural and human-made disasters, and advancing measures to protect birds in the face of overdevelopment, extreme weather events, sea-level rise, and other climate change impacts. Now, with unprecedented funding available for Gulf restoration and a greater need for effective conservation, we’re implementing four strategies to protect, enhance, and rebuild bird habitat:
Comprehensive Gulf Restoration Plan
To make our coastal communities stronger and to protect habitat vital for birds and other wildlife, ̽»¨¾«Ñ¡ is recommending an investment of more than $1.7 billion dollars across the 5 Gulf states and regionally to fund a suite of 30 projects that are crucial to help the region’s birds recover.
̽»¨¾«Ñ¡ scientists identified over 8 million acres of suitable habitat for priority bird species across the Gulf that should be prioritized for restoration and conservation. These habitats include barrier and bay islands, headland beaches, intertidal bars and flats, and saltwater marshes and range from south Texas to the Florida panhandle.
Clean Water Act fines from the BP oil spill will restore coastal habitat, protecting birds and people across the Gulf Coast.
Meet some of the leaders driving Gulf restoration in Louisiana and Mississippi.
Twenty years later, restoration and recovery continue in this vulnerable coastal city.
In a departure from science-driven, nonpartisan coastal protection, Gov. Landry cancelled the Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion.
We can better protect birds on beaches by addressing human disturbance and habitat loss simultaneously.
From disaster to recovery, how the Deepwater Horizon explosion has affected the Gulf Coast for the last 15 years.
This case study demonstrates the connections between our environment and economy, fifteen years after the BP oil spill.
After five years in which almost no chicks survived, more of the shorebirds are fledging since Alabama ̽»¨¾«Ñ¡ and volunteers adopted some simple but effective measures to help them.
The state’s latest project will restore the swamp’s role as a haven for birds and a defense against flooding.
A century ago, ̽»¨¾«Ñ¡ Texas made a commitment to protecting birds along the Texas coast. They started here.
By redirecting Mississippi River sediment, the Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion will combat the state’s land-loss crisis.
A new online explorer reveals the importance of the Texas Coast for birds across the hemisphere.
Connecting the Gulf of Mexico to the Boreal Forest
Without action, a century of bird conservation could wash away with these small islands on the Texas coast.
̽»¨¾«Ñ¡ leads a new collaborative effort to design more effective coastal stewardship and management plans for the Gulf of Mexico.
A new set of landmark projects will restore the damage the oil spill caused to birds and their habitats across the Gulf Coast.
As birds in the Gulf are still recovering, the Sunshine State faces a threat of expanded offshore drilling.
After 50 years of recovery, this iconic bird is a symbol of Gulf Coast resilience.
Birds in Alabama and Louisiana will benefit from a new $158 million investment to restore wetlands.
Let us send you the latest in bird and conservation news.
