Important Bird Areas (IBAs) - In last month's newsletter you heard about the IBA program. Now, the Institute for Bird Populations and the Audubon-California Society is spearheading the establishment of a Sierra Meadows Important Bird Area Project. Audubon-California has identified this new project as a focus of its conservation efforts in the Sierra Nevada. Some of the says to help: 1. Do you know private landowners with bird-rich meadows and how to contact them? 2. Contact the Forest Service (contact info available at www.r5.fs.fed.us) and express endorsement of the Sierra Meadows IBA option, during the environmental impact statement's public comment period (begins in early May). 3. Funding - so far, $10,000 has been raised, a pledge of $2,000 has been made, a 1:3 NFWF challenge grant has been received. Now an additional $12,000 still needs to be raised. 4. Assist field crews in remote locations , surveying birds with point counts and mistnets. Contact 415/663-2051 or rsiegel@birdpop.org.