Overview

Eagle. Photo: Laurie Smaglick Johnson

The Appalachian Mountains Joint Venture (AMJV) is a self-directed, non-regulatory partnership that consists of over 30 agencies (state and federal) and non-profit organizations. The AMJV partnership is guided by a Management Board, harnessing the collective efforts of all the partners to achieve the common mission of restoring and sustaining native bird populations and their habitats in the Appalachian Mountains. The AMJV partnership originally formed in 2003, and was formally recognized by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service as a habitat joint venture in 2008. The AMJV is dedicated to the conservation of all native bird populations and their habitats, consistent with major national and international bird conservation plans and the North American Bird Conservation Initiative.

The AMJV partnership developed its first planning document, known as the Appalachian Mountains Bird Conservation Initiative Concept Plan, which provided a general outline about the partnership's future role in bird conservation in the region. Upon approval of the concept plan, the partnership decided to pursue joint venture status from the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. This required the partnership to develop a strategic planning document, requiring peer review and approval by various entities and organizations involved in bird conservations (e.g., Flyway Councils, national and international plan coordinators, etc.). The Appalchian Mounains Joint Venture Implementation Plan was submitted to U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service for review on May 31, 2008, and is undergoing extensive review.