CONS.VULNERABLE WOOD THRUSH HABITAT

Historic land use and contemporary farming practices threaten vestiges of mature tropical rainforest on private lands throughout the Caribbean slope of Costa Rica.

As such, the continued loss of mature forest in Costa Rica - the preferred winter habitat for Wood Thrush - has been implicated in the species' ongoing population decline.

Based on the need to protect and restore quality overwintering habitat for Wood Thrush on private lands, we propose a project focused on the protection and restoration of mature forest following Costa Rica's National Strategy of Conservation referred to as 'Know, Preserve, and Use.' We will combine a robust conservation easement program to: protect mature and regenerating forest habitat for Wood Thrush; an ambitious reforestation program to create new Wood Thrush habitat; an agricultural certification program to incentivize private landholder participation in easement programs and Wood Thrush conservation; and educational and outreach activities focused on landowner recruitment, migrant birds as ecosystem services, and bird-friendly communities.