A joint venture is a self-directed partnership of agencies, organizations, corporations, tribes, or individuals that has formally accepted the responsibility of implementing national or international bird conservation plans within a specific geographic area or for a specific taxonomic group, and has received general acceptance in the bird conservation community for such responsibility. Federal, state, tribal, or private parties may suggest the development of new joint ventures at any time. The initiating agency or organization will coordinate with potential partners to produce a scoping document or concept plan. circulate the document for review and comment by agencies, organizations, and individuals. Based on this review, a decision as to whether or not to form a management board and develop an implementation plan will be made. submit a draft implementation plan to the Division of Bird Habitat Conservation (Division), which will coordinate the review of the plan within the Service, with the appropriate Flyway Councils (Atlantic, Mississippi, Central, and Pacific), with the national or international boards that oversee the various bird conservation initiatives (North American Waterfowl Management Plan, U.S. Shorebird Conservation Plan, North American Waterbird Conservation Plan, and Partners in Flight), and other interested parties. Based on this review, the Division will determine whether or not a recommendation for Service support of the proposed joint venture should be made to the Director. Working both collectively and independently, joint venture partners conduct activities in support of bird conservation goals cooperatively developed by the partnership. These activities include biological planning, conservation design, and prioritization, project development and implementation, monitoring, evaluation, and applied research activities, communications and outreach, and fund-raising for projects and activities.
