International Crane Foundation

Icf center for conservation leadership - icf's headquarters includes a global center for conservation leadership, providing training and programs in: conservation science and management; wetland and grassland restoration and ecology; captive Crane management and care; environmental education; and conservation communications. Icf's International and regional programs integrate leadership training and mentoring into each project, focusing on developing leaders in the communities that share waters and landscapes with cranes. Icf's center for conservation leadership identifies, trains, mentors and supports conservation leadership among a broad spectrum of people, from promising young scientists and conservationists to the land owners and decision makers who influence Crane survival in key places, empowering colleagues with knowledge, skills, and experience to lead effective conservation programs in communities around the world.

North america - north america is home to two Crane species, including the world's rarest cranes - endangered whooping cranes and the most abundant cranes - sandhill cranes. Whooping cranes face critical threats on their wintering grounds in and around aransas national wildlife refuge in Texas, and along their long migratory flyway to their breeding grounds in wood buffalo, canada. Foundation programs focus on conserving the aransas- wood buffalo whooping Crane flock; establishing a separate flock of whooping cranes through reintroductions in the eastern united states; captive Crane population management and research; and education and outreach to reduce threats to whooping cranes throughout their natural and reintroduced range. The Foundation's north america program also includes longterm sandhill Crane research aimed at developing cross-cutting strategies for Crane management on agricultural landscapes.

Sub-saharan africa - sub-saharan africa is home to six Crane species, including four highly threatened resident species: endangered grey crowned cranes and vulnerable black crowned, wattled, blue cranes, and wintering demoiselle and eurasian cranes. The International Crane Foundation is active in many countries across africa, focused on understanding and resolving threats to cranes. Grey and black crowned cranes are in serious decline due to capture for illegal domestication and trade, and loss of vital breeding wetlands. Wattled cranes are most threatened by large dams and water diversions and associated wetland degradation. The Foundation's diverse conservation programs focus on restoring large floodplains for cranes, biodiversity, and the ecosystem services they provide; fostering community-based conservation of cranes and wetlands; securing cranes in agricultural landscapes; reducing the impact of illegal trade, powerlines, and energy development on cranes; and long-term monitoring and conservation planning. These efforts in africa have created global models for sustainable water management, community-based natural resource conservation, and sustainable livelihoods.

East asia - east asia is home to eight Crane species (the most of any region), including five threatened Crane species - critically endangered siberian cranes, endangered red crowned cranes, and vulnerable hooded, white-naped and black-necked cranes. Intense land and water development pressures due to rapid economic growth threaten wetlands of vital importance to Crane survival in this region. This conservation program builds on the strong cultural ties to cranes in east asia to engage people and policy makers in conservation of protected areas and their surrounding landscapes. The program also addresses the global impact china's development and resource use will have on Crane areas around the world. Conservation programs in east asia include securing cranes and their key wetlands in the amur/heilong river basin; sustaining viable wintering grounds for cranes in southeastern china; conserving black-necked cranes and their key wetlands in western china; national outreach in china; Crane conservation in the korean dmz; and Crane flyway conservation across east asia.

South and southeast asia - south and southeast asia are home to the threatened sarus Crane and support wintering populations of black-necked, demoiselle, and eurasian cranes. Strong cultural and spiritual ties to sarus cranes in the hindu and buddhist religions of this region provide unique opportunities to engage people in the conservation of these intensely settled landscapes using the revered sarus Crane as a flagship species. The Foundation leads two key conservation programs in the region. For more than thirty years, the Foundation has engaged in conservation of the mekong delta region of vietnam and cambodia, including establishing tram chim national park (the largest wetland protected area in vietnam), training a network of wetland scientists and managers that spans the region, and creating a global model for community-based wetland conservation at phu my, vietnam. In the ayeyarwady delta of myanmar, our goal is to ensure long-term survival of sarus cranes and other biodiversity by demonstrating that natural floating rice can support sustainable livelihoods, rich biodiversity, and a healthier environment for cranes and people as an alternative to intensive, ecologically-damaging rice production. The Foundation provides farmer training to improve floating rice production, help them generate new income streams by creating a brand of wildlife-friendly "sarus rice, and monitor biodiversity and livelihood benefits.