In 1999, the Management Board of the Atlantic Coast Joint Venture (ACJV) embraced the vision and framework of the then newly emerging North American Bird Conservation Initiative. As a result, the ACJV expanded its objective of conserving waterfowl and wetlands habitat to all native birds and their associated habitats throughout the Atlantic Flyway. To meet this objective, the ACJV launched the South Atlantic Migratory Bird Initiative (SAMBI) in the Southeastern Coastal Plain Bird Conservation Region. Biologists, land managers, and planners, representing non-governmental organizations, state and federal agencies, and private interests, assembled to begin the process of developing a regionally-based biological plan that integrated the objectives of five major bird conservation initiatives: the North American Waterfowl Management Plan, United States Shorebird Conservation Plan, Waterbird Conservation for the Americas, Partners In Flight, and the Northern Bobwhite Conservation Initiative. Primary objectives were to develop population and habitat goals for priority species for the SAMBI area and each state in the SAMBI area, delineate “all bird” focus areas, develop a long-term framework for bird conservation in the Southeastern Coastal Plain, and develop and seek funding for “all bird” projects. This effort has been tremendously successful, receiving nearly 25 million dollars for seventy projects within the ACJV for “all bird” conservation over the period from March 2000 to July 2005. These projects have benefited a wide variety of other bird species, affected a variety of land owners, and stimulated additional conservation partnerships throughout the South Atlantic Region. The SAMBI Implementation Plan was recently approved by the ACJV Management Board. Because of the success of SAMBI, it serves as a model for other “all bird” conservation planning efforts in North America. State Working Groups are key to the success of SAMBI, and efforts now are to continue implementation, and integrate State Comprehensive Wildlife Comprehensive Plan (Wildlife Action Plans) goals into the framework of this regional bird conservation plan. Keywords: migratory birds, waterfowl, wildlife management NO PAPER WAS SUBMITTED WITH THIS ABSTRACT
