1. Updating Site Summaries
When creating new, or updating existing site summaries please consider the following:

• Site Description: The site description is not likely to require updating unless major changes have occurred to habitats or new developments (e.g., construction) have significantly altered the site.
  
  
• Birds: This section simply needs to be updated with any current information that might suggest a substantial change to the populations and/or diversities of birds using the site (e.g., McFadden Great Blue Heronry population decline).
  
  
• Conservation Issues:
  
  
  • Details of ongoing and planned stewardship and monitoring activities within IBAs should be provided (e.g., Coastal Waterbird and Beached Bird Surveys, Ecological Reserve Wardens, WiTS), including web-links where appropriate.
    
    
  • Information pertaining to conservation threats (especially new and projected threats), management activities, any changes in land-use status, protection status or conservation importance designation should be noted.

2. Site Visits
Each IBA site should be visited at least once a year at a seasonally appropriate time. BC Nature has developed a draft monitoring form for Caretaker’s to test out in IBAs across the province. Note that using this form is optional at this time. During site visits, Caretakers should make note of the presence or absence of birds (especially species for which the site was designated – which are highlighted in bold text in the site summaries), changes in the habitat, land use or status, and current/potential conservation threats.

3. Annual Reports
If a site is only visited once per year, please forward a summary of your site visit to the IBA Coordinator following your visit. If a site is visited more than once per year, observations should be summarized in a brief annual report, which should be forwarded to the IBA Coordinator at the end of the year. If you use the new monitoring form, you may wish to simply send us your completed form(s) with any additional comments or summaries. If you are not currently using the monitoring form, please consider answering the following questions in your annual report:

1. How are the IBA qualifying birds doing (that is, the birds listed in the site summary)?
2. Have any new conservation threats arisen since the site was designated? What is the status of existing threats?
3. Has the habitat changed in any significant way since the site was designated?
4. Are any other monitoring, stewardship or conservation related activities occurring in the IBA (e.g., nest boxes, plantings, management planning)? If so, can BC Nature assist with these activities in any way?
5. Have you been involved in any outreach or awareness activities related to your IBA? If not, would you be interested in doing some? Can BC Nature assist in any way?
6. How many hours did you (and your partners) spend on Caretaker related duties this year (e.g., travelling, monitoring, reporting, outreach, conservation, etc)? This information helps us leverage funding to assist with the IBA program.

If possible, please send reports electronically to Krista Englund at kenglund at alumni.sfu.ca. Alternatively, reports can be mailed to the BC Nature office at c/o Parks Heritage Centre, 1620 Mount Seymour Rd., North Vancouver, BC V7G 2R9. Note that if a written report cannot be completed, a verbal report over the telephone to a program coordinator would be appreciated.

4. Outreach
Caretakers are encouraged to conduct outreach in their communities in order to raise awareness of their local IBA(s). In order to facilitate Caretakers, BC Nature has prepared an IBA PowerPoint presentation that explains the international, national and provincial aspects of this global bird conservation program. The presentation contains template slides so that Caretakers or local groups can customise the presentation for their local IBA and community. Caretakers and partner groups are encouraged to take advantage of this presentation and accompanying pamphlet to do some outreach in their local community. The IBA Program is not well known in British Columbia and it is vital that regional planners and municipalities become aware of the ecological importance of IBA sites. Please contact the IBA coordinator to request a copy of the customizable PowerPoint presentation or brochures.