USAID is an independent federal government agency that receives overall foreign policy guidance from the Secretary of State. Our Work supports long-term and equitable economic growth and advances U.S. foreign policy objectives by supporting:

• economic growth, agriculture and trade,
• global health; and,
• democracy, conflict prevention and humanitarian assistance.

USAID provides economic and humanitarian assistance in more than 100 countries to provide a better future for all.

"Healthy People in a Healthy World - Through Prevention" The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) , as the sentinel for the health of people in the United States and throughout the world, strives to protect people's health and safety, provide reliable health information, and improve health through strong partnerships. CDC seeks to accomplish its mission by working with partners throughout the nation and the world to

• monitor health,
• detect and investigate health problems,
• conduct research to enhance prevention,
• develop and advocate sound public health policies,
• implement prevention strategies,
• promote healthy behaviors,
• foster safe and healthful environments,
• provide leadership and training.

The Wildlife Conservation Society saves wildlife and wild lands through careful science, international conservation, education, and the management of the world's largest system of urban wildlife parks. These activities change attitudes toward nature and help people imagine wildlife and humans living in sustainable interaction on both a local and a global scale. WCS is committed to this work because we believe it essential to the integrity of life on Earth.

UCLA - the University of California, Los Angeles -is a public research university with an enrollment of 25,432 undergraduates, 11,179 graduates and a teaching faculty of 4,016, located in Westwood Village in Los Angeles, about 5 miles from the Pacific Ocean.

The Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA) covers 235 species of birds and 119 countries. Parties to the Agreement are called upon to engage in a wide range of conservation actions which are described in a comprehensive Action Plan. This detailed plan addresses such key issues as: species and habitat conservation, management of human activities, research and monitoring, education and information, and implementation.

BirdLife International is a global Partnership of conservation organisations that strives to conserve birds, their habitats and global biodiversity, working with people towards sustainability in the use of natural resources. By focusing on birds, and the sites and habitats on which they depend, the BirdLife Partnership is working to improve the quality of life for birds, for other wildlife (biodiversity), and for people.

The Center for Tropical Research was founded by Dr. Thomas B. Smith in 1997 as a research unit at San Francisco State University (SFSU). In January 2002, CTR moved from SFSU to the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) to become a formal organizational research unit of the Institute of the Environment (IoE). The unifying goal of the senior scientists, postdoctoral researchers, and graduate students at the Center for Tropical Research (CTR) is to understand the biotic processes that underlie and maintain the diversity of life in tropical rainforests and to advance conservation efforts that protect endangered species and habitats.

The mission of the Charles Darwin Foundation (CDF) is to provide knowledge and assistance through scientific research and complementary action to ensure the conservation of the environment and biodiversity in the Galapagos Archipelago. The CDF promotes a future for Galapagos based on solid principles of ecosystem management. This requires cultivating a holistic understanding of the complex and dynamic Galapagos ecosystem. People are a vital part of this ecosystem and building long-term options for the inhabitants of Galapagos is critical for the effective management of the islands.

CIRAD has a mandate to contribute to rural development in tropical and subtropical countries through research, experimentation, training operations in France and overseas, and scientific and technical information, primarily in the fields of agriculture, forestry and agrifoods. This mandate has broadened to include environmental issues and natural resource management, and also involves CIRAD in drawing up public development aid policy.

The Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (also known as CMS or Bonn Convention) aims to conserve terrestrial, marine and avian migratory species throughout their range. It is an intergovernmental treaty, concluded under the aegis of the United Nations Environment Programme, concerned with the conservation of wildlife and habitats on a global scale. Since the Convention's entry into force, its membership has grown steadily to include, as of January 1, 2007, 101 Parties from Africa, Central and South America, Asia, Europe and Oceania.

The Department of Defense's Global Emerging Infections Surveillance and Response System (DOD-GEIS) is designed to strengthen the prevention of, surveillance of, and response to infectious diseases that:

• are a threat to military personnel and families,
• reduce medical readiness, or,
• present a risk to U.S. national security.

The purpose of DOD-GEIS is to increase the Department of Defense's emphasis on prevention of infectious diseases, to strengthen and coordinate its surveillance and response efforts, and to create a centralized coordination and communication hub to help organize DOD resources and link with U.S. and international efforts.

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations leads international efforts to defeat hunger. Serving both developed and developing countries, FAO acts as a neutral forum where all nations meet as equals to negotiate agreements and debate policy. FAO is also a source of knowledge and information. We help developing countries and countries in transition modernize and improve agriculture, forestry and fisheries practices and ensure good nutrition for all. Since our founding in 1945, we have focused special attention on developing rural areas, home to 70 percent of the world's poor and hungry people. FAO's activities comprise four main areas:

• Putting information within reach.
• Sharing policy expertise.
• Providing a meeting place for nations.
• Bringing knowledge to the field.

Founded in 1910 as the world's first virological research institution, the Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut has focussed its research over the years on foot-and-mouth disease (FMD), Classical Swine Fever, avian pathogens (Classical and Atypical Fowl Plague, Marek's Disease) and on other virus diseases affecting farm animals. Today, the Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut is both an important production site for FMD vaccines and a research institution for animal diseases.

The National Aviary works to inspire respect for nature through an appreciation of birds. The National Aviary is America's only independent indoor nonprofit bird zoo. The Aviary is home to 600+ birds of more than 200 species. Many are threatened or endangered in the wild. From Pacific Parrotlets to Andean Condors, the birds represent nearly every continent, with a particular emphasis on rainforest and wetland habitats. As an environmental organization, the Aviary also plays an active role in meaningful conservation and avian research projects, in programs aimed at saving endangered species through habitat preservation and in scientifically controlled, managed breeding programs.

The Naval Medical Research Center is a premier research organization committed to enhancing, promoting, and applying basic and applied biomedical research in the areas of infectious diseases, biological defense, combat casualty care, bone marrow, and diving and environmental medicine. Our overseas laboratories play an instrumental role in the worldwide monitoring of new emerging infectious diseases such as Avian Influenza and SARS that threaten both deployed forces and the world.

The Percy FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology (affectionately known as the Fitztitute) is located at the University of Cape Town, South Africa, where it is housed within the Zoology Department. Situated at the tip of Africa, the Fitztitute is uniquely positioned to take advantage of the vast untapped biological resources of the continent. Members of the department are committed to developing a greater understanding of these, through the training of scientists and the pursuit of primary research, from evolutionary ecology to conservation biology. The Institute is also home to the Niven Library, which holds what is probably Africa's most comprehensive Ornithology collection and reprints of the Institute's vast publication record.

The mission of the Schubot Exotic Bird Health Center at Texas A&M University is to improve the health of wild and exotic birds by promoting research into the causes, diagnosis and prevention of their diseases. Our work includes studies on infectious and parasitic diseases as well as on nutritional and geriatric problems. Our aim is to improve the health of captive birds held by zoos and aviculturists as well as by individual pet owners. The Schubot Center research programs are specifically selected for their role in protecting birds, enhancing their survival, and preventing their suffering.

Urban sprawl. Oil spills. Over fishing. Loving an area to death. Traffic. Toxins. To most, these seem incompatible with healthy wildlife populations. To the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine Wildlife Health Center (WHC) , these are just a few of the many reasons to bring communities together to target scientific studies to find solutions to balancing the needs of people, wildlife and their environments. The following WHC programs bring scientific excellence, community outreach and collaboration to help solve conservation crises:

• Oiled Wildlife Care Network (OWCN)
• SeaDoc Society
• Southern California Program (SCP)
• Resource Assessment Program
• Wildlife Diversity Project

The Agricultural Research Service (ARS) is the U.S. Department of Agriculture's chief scientific research agency. Our job is finding solutions to agricultural problems that affect Americans every day, from field to table.

As an unbiased, multi-disciplinary science organization that focusses on biology, geography, geology, geospatial information, and water, the USGS is dedicated to the timely, relevant, and impartial study of the landscape, our natural resources, and the natural hazards that threaten us.

The mission of the Veterinary Specialist Group (VSG) is to foster a collaborative multidisciplinary network supporting and promoting the health of wildlife and wildlife management as core components of ecosystem and biodiversity conservation. The VSG is comprised of professionals willing to volunteer their expertise to Species Survival Commission Specialist Groups as well as other organizations and governments in order to address wildlife health problems wherever and whenever feasible.

Wetlands International's mission is to sustain and restore wetlands, their resources and biodiversity for future generations. Wetlands International is the only global NGO dedicated to the conservation and wise use of wetlands. It works globally, regionally and nationally to achieve the conservation and wise use of wetlands, to benefit biodiversity and human well-being.

Located about six miles north of downtown Seattle, Woodland Park Zoo is one of the oldest zoos on the West Coast. It encompasses 92 acres and features more than 1,090 individual animals representing nearly 300 species. The zoo saves animals and their habitats through conservation leadership and engaging experiences, inspiring people to learn, care and act.