Southwestern Bald Eagle
Management Committee

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Guiding bald eagle conservation in Arizona is the Southwestern Bald Eagle Management Committee (SWBEMC).

Bi-annual and public relations subcommittee meetings provide a forum to work toward a common goal: conservation of the bald eagle.

With the bird occurring on lands managed by different agencies and Native American Tribes, cooperation among all involved is crucial for the species. Members of the SWBEMC are Arizona Game and Fish Department, Maricopa County Parks and Recreation, Salt River Project, Arizona Public Service, U.S. Army Corp of Engineers, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Forest Service, GeoMarine Incorporated, Department of Defense, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation, Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation, Tonto, White Mountain and San Carlos Apache Tribes, Hopi Tribe, Salt River Pima Maricopa Indian Community.

The SWBEMC reacts to the specific needs of the bald eagle. Some of the topics tackled are how development projects might affect eagles, how to mitigate those affects, or how the Endangered Species Act applies to certain situations. Through the SWBEMC, we have learned where the birds are, what their requirements are, and what management challenges exist at each breeding area. The SWBEMC's goal is to continue to work together and use the information acquired to ensure the long-termed conservation of the bald eagle in Arizona. In 2005, the state of Arizona recognized this through the Governor's Pride in Arizona Award for Media Leadership associated with the Arizona Bald Eagle Management Program. The committe also received honorable mention in the Governor's Pride of Arizona Award for Environmental Education because of the Arizona Bald Eagle Nestwatch Program and in Recycling for the Monofilament Recovery Program.