From its origin as a project of the Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (SEAFWA), the Northern Bobwhite Conservation Initiative (NBCI) is wrapping up efforts to become an inclusive rangewide initiative, reports the Wildlife Management Institute (WMI). This strategic expansion is intended to broaden and deepen professional resource-management commitment for bobwhite and grassland bird conservation, as well as support from the hunting and general publics.

The NBCI recovery plan is undergoing a complete overhaul, under the direction of its creator and caretaker, the former Southeast Quail Study Group. Revision workshops have been conducted in more than 20 states in recent months, involving a total of some 500 state, federal and private wildlife managers. Workshops for the several remaining states that take advantage of the opportunity to participate will be conducted in the next few weeks. NBCI revision coordinator, Tall Timbers Research Station, will produce a comprehensive, rangewide GIS tool designed to help states with grassland bird-conservation planning from focal areas to entire bird-conservation regions. In addition, improved methodology will provide more practical population-recovery goals and more accurate estimates of habitat-restoration objectives by state and region. Completion of the revamped NBCI is scheduled for late 2009.

After 15 years of successful technical leadership at the regional level, the Southeast Quail Study Group is transforming to a rangewide capacity and engagement. The Group voted unanimously in March to change its name to the "National Bobwhite Technical Committee" (NBTC). Following that symbolic step, formal reorganization will be occurring in the coming months, with the aim of serving all states, regions and partners equally. Ultimately, the NBTC expects to receive endorsement from the Southeast, Midwest and Northeast associations of fish and wildlife agencies, as the unified bobwhite technical group representing all regions.

The former SEAFWA Directors' NBCI Committee, which was created to provide director-level oversight, guidance and support to the fledgling NBCI, was disbanded in May. It is being replaced with a national NBCI Management Board composed largely of NBCI member agencies and other partners. It will meet for the first time in September.

Upon completion of this series of expansions in the coming months, the NBCI and its supporting technical, administrative and oversight infrastructure will be fully inclusive, thus unifying and strengthening the community dedicated to bobwhite restoration and conservation. These strategic reorganization steps already are attracting support from several northeastern and midwestern states that are joining the NBCI for the first time. When combined with the national operational capacity in development at the University of Tennessee, the new NBCI will have the advantage of unprecedented solidarity and capacity to elevate grassland bird conservation at national and regional levels. ?

For more information, contact WMI's Don McKenzie, NBCI's national coordinator, at 501-941-7994.