Arizona Game and Fish Department, Bald Eagle Conservation Grant

A. Eligible Applicants: Anyone

B. Cost Sharing or Matching: Yes 1:1

The Bald Eagle Nestwatch Program is conducted under the Southwestern Bald Eagle Management Committee MOU involving Federal, State and local governments, tribes and public utilities. The goal of this partnership effort is to monitor and protect all at-risk bald eagle nesting territories in Arizona. This program has been ongoing for 35 years and is credited with the comeback of the “Desert nesting” bald eagle in Arizona. The Bald Eagle was removed from the list of threatened and endangered species in 2007. The Arizona Game and Fish Department coordinates volunteers/interns and funding from a host of cooperators to carry out this activity statewide. Statewide reports track progress to meeting BLM objectives and Bald Eagle Management objectives in the Conservation Agreement and Strategy for the Southwestern Bald Eagle.

Project Objective:

This project will maintain a successful partnership between Federal, State and County government agencies, tribes, utility companies, and NGOs (American Eagle Foundation) in order to continue to improve the nest productivity and conservation status of the bald eagle in Arizona. Arizona BLM a partnership with the Southwest Bald Eagle Management Committee (SWBEMC) by providing assistance to the continuation of the Bald Eagle Nestwatch Program. The SWBEMC operates under an MOU and is a partnership with Federal, State and County government agencies, tribes, utility companies, and NGOs to manage bald eagles in Arizona. The bald eagle was recently removed from the list of threatened or endangered species but remains a Bureau Sensitive Species. Breeding bald eagles are sensitive to human disturbance. The Bald Eagle Nestwatch Program has been successful in increasing nesting success. This project is vital to ensure the bald eagle population in Arizona continues to thrive and avoid once again being added to the list of threatened or endangered species. The objective of this project is to further the conservation of bald eagles through public education so that eagles will continue to successfully breed and expand their population in Arizona.