CONSERVATION OF THREE IMPERILED GRASSLAN

Throughout the last three years, Pronatura Noreste, A.C. (PNE) has organized and coordinated universities, government and different NGOs in deliberative grassland bird conservation, resulting in the successful development of 'Business Plans' for the conservation of Sprague's pipit (SPPI), Mountain Plover (MOPL) and Long-billed Curlew (LBCU).

Following these plans, PNE implemented priority management and restoration actions in order to maintain the population trend of SPPI and MOPL, including the creation of a Federal Natural Protected Area in Valles Centrales Grassland Priority Conservation Area (GPCA), and a diagnosis of agrochemicals used on grasslands where LBCU winters at El Tokio GPCA, both in the Chihuahuan Desert Grasslands of Mexico.

Now PNE will continue activities in six GPCAs in Mexico: protecting 35,118 acres of grasslands; restoring and managing 73,342 acres, evaluating the populations of Mountain Plovers in Janos, Mapim and El Tokio; developing the Sustainable Production Protocols for Bird-Friendly Beef in the Chihuahuan Desert; promoting their model of sustainable livestock management on 22,196 km2 of GPCAs in Federal Natural Protected Areas, and finally, starting a process of environmental education and outreach with intensive farmers on the way to reconcile farming productivity with the survival of grasslands.