The Foundation
A Conservation Legacy
The North American Waterfowl Management Plan (NAWMP or "the Plan") has guided continental waterfowl conservation for 38 years. Over that time, the Plan has been successful because of the strong and lasting commitment of its partners. The NAWMP has set a global precedent for wildlife conservation through its strong international collaboration. Federal, provincial/territorial, state and local governments and non-governmental organizations in Mexico, Canada and the United States have all cooperated to implement effective conservation strategies and share knowledge and resources across jurisdictions to achieve common objectives for waterfowl and people of North America.
Built to Adapt
Evolving With the Science
The NAWMP remains as vibrant and relevant today as it was when it began in 1986, largely because the organizations and individuals engaged in its implementation have embraced cycles of reviews and updates to ensure it adapts to evolving science, values and priorities in the NAWMP partnership and beyond. Previous updates have focused on expanding the scope of habitat objectives and bringing Mexico into the NAWMP (1994); expanding partnerships and focusing on landscape-scale conservation (1998); and strengthening the biological foundation of its science (2004).
A Turning Point
The 2012 Re-visioning
In 2012, far-reaching consultations with partners resulted in a major re-visioning of the NAWMP to address current and future challenges. The 2012 Revision greatly strengthened the NAWMP's foundation by formalizing fundamental, interrelated goals for populations, habitat and people. Importantly, the NAWMP acknowledged that future success hinged on increasing and diversifying Plan supporters. Essentially, the NAWMP explicitly recognized that successful conservation depends on the value people place on the natural world. Hence, the NAWMP must seek to strengthen and increase the connections people have with nature.
NAWMP partners responded by engaging in social sciences, seeking to understand the values and desires of both current and prospective supporters. Progress toward that understanding, along with a renewed commitment to the application of social sciences, was the focus of the 2018 Update.
Where We Are Now
The 2024 Update
Today, the commitment to advancing the Plan's three fundamental goals remains strong, with NAWMP partners continuing to embrace social sciences to increase the numbers of both supporters and partners. The 2024 NAWMP Update aims to enhance the rate and scale of conservation by highlighting the multiple benefits that waterfowl habitats provide to people. Ultimately, people conserve what they value, and if the Plan is to strengthen and grow supporters, it must continue to demonstrate the multiple benefits of its conservation work, while retaining its focus on waterfowl conservation. Expanding the Plan partnership will increase the rate of conservation to what is needed to meet the challenges that continue to degrade waterfowl habitat across the continent.
The 2024 Update is the responsibility of the North American Waterfowl Management Plan Committee (hereafter Plan Committee), the most senior body in the NAWMP's continental governance structure. After providing a recommended structure and guiding principles for a revitalized Update in May 2022, the Plan Committee delegated responsibility to an ad hoc continental group, the 2024 Update Steering Committee (USC), which was established in January 2023. Three working groups were established under the USC which aligned with the NAWMP's three core goals: Waterfowl Populations, Habitat and People. The membership of the USC and the working groups reflected, as much as possible, NAWMP geography and the diversity of the NAWMP partnership.
the process
Governance and Process
These working groups were asked to examine current NAWMP activities and develop recommendations to assist the NAWMP in addressing current and future issues and opportunities. As part of their reviews, the Populations and Habitat Working Groups conducted surveys of NAWMP Habitat Joint Ventures (JVs) on key questions about their respective responsibility areas, while the People Working Group took advantage of a recent survey of JV human dimensions activities to support its deliberations.
In addition to the working group activities, DJ Case and Associates undertook two comprehensive surveys, focused on perceptions of the Plan among NAWMP partners and among waterfowl management professionals. These surveys paralleled studies undertaken for the 2018 Update that helped form a long-term assessment of attitudes toward the NAWMP among key stakeholders.
Each working group has prepared technical reports that are the basis for the 2024 Update. The technical reports were combined into a single report (Howerter et al. 2024; hereafter referred to as the 2024 Update Technical Report).
Voices That Shaped It
Partnership and Review
Throughout the 2024 Update's development, several meetings were held with key NAWMP committees, including the NAWMP Integration Steering Committee and the Human Dimensions and Public Engagement Team. Sessions were also held with key external audiences, including Flyway Councils and Technical Committees, the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies Waterfowl Working Group, the 9th North American Duck Symposium, the Canadian Wildlife Directors Committee and the JV coordinators. We're grateful for the feedback we received through these interactions.
A small writing team, consisting of some members of the USC, was established to develop draft documents that were reviewed internally among the working groups, the USC and the Plan Committee in advance of review by the NAWMP partnership. In addition to discussions with key stakeholders, a more formal, open comment period was available for interested parties.
After final review and acceptance by the Plan Committee, the document was submitted to the governments of Mexico, Canada and the United States for formal acceptance before its release.
