Conserva Aves takes flight in Mexico, working closely with communities in their living territories
Mexico City, July 3, 2025. The organizations selected through the Conserva Aves call a project aimed at supporting the conservation of birds and their habitats, officially kicked off their activities with a launch workshop held in Mexico City. With a focus on community-led conservation, Conserva Aves aims to promote social inclusion in the protection of critical bird habitats nationwide, while also enhancing resilience to climate change and fostering local sustainable development.
Credit: Ulises Vera
The participating organizations implementing the project in their territories bring to life the commitment made in October 2024 during the United Nations Biodiversity Conference (COP16) in Cali, Colombia. At that event, Birds Canada, the National Audubon Society, and the Mexican Fund for the Conservation of Nature (FMCN) signed a collaboration agreement to protect threatened, endemic, and migratory birds along their routes across the Americas.
Through this collaboration, new Voluntarily Designated Conservation Areas (ADVCs) will be created in priority bird conservation sites, contributing to the global 30×30 target — a key goal of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, which aims to protect 30% of the planet’s lands and oceans by 2030.
The organizations implementing the project applied during the first quarter of 2025, in response to a call directed at legally established local organizations interested in certifying or expanding ADVCs in priority bird conservation sites. A total of 34 proposals were received, from which a dozen were selected based on their alignment with Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs) and their ecological relevance to protect 75,000 hectares.
Credit: Ulises Vera
One of the key components of this initiative is the Equity Fund, which ensures that at least 20% of the subprojects are led by women, youth, and/or Indigenous and Afro-descendant peoples. In this edition, four of the selected projects are part of this fund. This milestone was highlighted during the second day of the workshop, which included the presence and participation of Susan Pereverzoff, Minister Counselor at the Embassy of Canada in Mexico; Patrick Nadeau, CEO and President of Birds Canada; Renée González, Executive Director of FMCN; representatives of the National Commission of Natural Protected Areas (Conanp); and selected initiatives.
Susan Pereverzoff, Minister Counselor at the Embassy of Canada in Mexico, stated: "The Government of Canada is proud to support the Conserva Aves initiative, which includes a comprehensive strategy to address biodiversity loss and climate change through the creation and expansion of Protected Areas for the benefit of birds, biodiversity, and local communities."
Patrick Nadeau, CEO and President of Birds Canada, highlighted: "The habitats you are working to protect host incredible biodiversity. Often, they are also home to migratory birds that we share with you. Just the day before yesterday in Canada, before traveling here, I saw swallows nesting; in a few months, their babies will come right here to spend the winter. Together, all of us in this room are truly carrying out hemispheric conservation, and we can be very proud of that."
From left to right: Cecilia Vides, Regional Coordinator of the Conserva Aves Initiative at the Latin American and Caribbean Network of Environmental Funds (RedLAC); Susan Pereverzoff, Minister Counsellor at the Embassy of Canada in Mexico; Patrick Nadeau, CEO and President of Birds Canada; Emilio Aristegui, Director of the Latin America Conservation Council; Renée González, Executive Director, and Amantina Lavalle, Director of Operations, both from the Mexican Fund for the Conservation of Nature. Credit: Jessica García.
Cecilia Vides, Regional Coordinator of the Conserva Aves Initiative at the Latin American and Caribbean Network of Environmental Funds (RedLAC), expressed: "I am deeply grateful to the organizations that applied and today reaffirm their commitment to Conserva Aves. This workshop is not only the official welcome to the initiative, but also the starting point for joint work in favor of conservation. On behalf of RedLAC, I extend special recognition to the ejidatarios and communal authorities who join us: your active participation is essential to ensure that Conserva Aves in Mexico is truly grounded in the territory and in local communities."
Renée González emphasized: "Conserva Aves puts communities and their territories of life at the center. This initiative promotes the protection of threatened endemic and migratory birds. It contributes to the global 30x30 target through the creation and strengthening of Areas Voluntarily Designated for Conservation in priority sites across the country."
The launch of the workshop marks a new milestone in Mexico’s conservation history, supporting the protection of threatened, endemic, and/or migratory bird species and their habitats. For more information, visit this link.
