Audubon Connecticut is pleased to announce the recognition of a forested landscape that spans 15 miles of the Shepaug River as an Important Bird Area (IBA). The designation was celebrated at the Steep Rock Association annual picnic on Saturday, September 10, 2016, when Corrie Folsom-O’Keefe, Audubon Connecticut’s IBA Program Coordinator, presented IBA designation certificates to the land trust partnering organizations.

The Shepaug Forest Block stretches from Lake Waramaug, to Steep Rock Association’s Macricostas, Hidden Valley, and Steep Rock Preserves, to Roxbury Land Trust’s Carter and Mine Hill Preserve, and includes preserves and easements held by the Weantinoqe Heritage Land Trust. This block is a landscape-level Important Bird Area. “It is different from many previously recognized IBAs in its size, nearly 14,000 acres, and in the number of landowners,” says Corrie Folsom-O’Keefe, Audubon Connecticut’s IBA Program Coordinator. “Any landowners that are within the boundary of this landscape are eligible for the benefits of recognizing their properties as part of the IBA, including eligibility for IBA small grants or utilizing the IBA status as a way to bolster other grant applications.

“Working together, we hope to build awareness on the value of this landscape for birds and other wildlife” explains Lori Paradis Brant, Executive Director of Steep Rock Association.

The Shepaug River and its tributaries are a very important area for the Louisiana Waterthrush (a species of continental concern). The IBA also provides important habitat for Northern Goshawk (state concern) and Whip-or-will (continental concern) and includes many habitat types recognized by the State of Connecticut as Critical Habitat. Lastly, the IBA includes Lake Waramaug, which hosts thousands of Common Mergansers each year during spring migration.

“Knowing that our preserves are important to species of continental and state concern will help guide our stewardship efforts,” says Susan Payne, Executive Director of Roxbury Land Trust. “We look forward to learning more about these species and their habitat needs.”

“The designation also helps land trusts identify ecologically valuable properties for permanent protection” notes Catherine Rawson, Executive Director of Weantinoge Heritage Land Trust.

The overall goal of Audubon Connecticut’s IBA program is to identify a network of key areas in the state that support sustainable populations of birds in greatest need of conservation. Once an area is identified, Audubon Connecticut works with landowners, other conservation partners, and the public to increase awareness about birds and the importance of the area to greatest conservation need species, improve habitat in the area, and find funding to support these efforts.

To learn more about the IBA program, select here.