Alaska is widely recognized as a global center for shorebirds. Ninety percent of the migratory species in the Western Hemisphere have breeding populations in Alaska. The North Pacific hosts one-third of the world's shorebird fauna. Coastal habitats are critical during some phase of their annual cycle, particularly during the nonbreeding period. Many coastal areas are being altered at an alarming rate. Effective conservation requires an understanding of population dynamics and habitat requirements. This is being done in cooperation with numerous local, national, and international shorebird interests. Objectives of this work is to obtain critical life history information, design and test methodologies for regional, national, and international programs, implement priority research and management activities identified in the Alaska Shorebird Conservation Plan and, where applicable, the United States and Canada Shorebird Conservation Plan, and provide management agencies and conservation administrators with information upon which to base informed decisions concerning the welfare of shorebirds and their habitats.
