BirdLife International Africa Partnership E-bulletin

Together for and people July - September 2005

BirdLife International Africa Partnership Secretariat, PO Box 3502, 00100 GPO Nairobi, Kenya T: +254-20-8562246 / F: +254-20-8562259 / E: [email protected] / W: www.birdlife.org

*** CAP SPECIAL *** Panel discussion

This edition of the BirdLife Africa CAP 2005 opened with a panel discussion, chaired Partnership E-bulletin is fully dedicated to by Paul Matiku from NatureKenya (see photo). the BirdLife Council for the Africa The question to answer was: ‘what have we Partnership (CAP) meeting 2005 hosted saved?’ by CBCS, the Cameroon Biodiversity Conservation Society, in Kribi, Cameroon. This meeting took place from 25-29 July 2005 and was attended by 63 people from 24 countries. The meeting was chaired by Achilles Byaruhanga of NatureUganda and opened by Dr. Madi Ali, the General Secretary in the Ministry of Forestry and Wildlife (MINFOF) of Cameroon. The theme of the meeting was “People- centered Conservation”. Read all about it in this e-bulletin! The editors

The answer was: a lot, but not enough. Yes; it is assumed that more than 18 (globally) ** NEWS FLASH ** would have gone extinct without BirdLife See also the press release from CAP 2005: intervention; and yes, it is true that local http://www.birdlife.org/news/pr/2005/07/ communities are now supporting conservation africa_mdgs.html across Africa, e.g. 10,000 hectares of Oku Forest in Cameroon is being saved through PFM; and yes, IBAs are now informing policy decisions across the continent. But on the other hand: conservation has slipped down the global agenda, and is completely missing from the G8 declaration; climate change will exacerbate existing habitat loss; the BirdLife network only covers 18 out of the 58 countries and islands in Africa; and last but not least: we are not too good at promoting ourselves, which impacts on our fundraising capabilities… Thus, the conclusion was: we are Group photo of the participants who attended the CAP 05 doing well, but we need to get more resources into meeting. Also in the photo are representatives from the African conservation; and we need to build on our Cameroon Government. successes. We are ‘Africa’s best kept secret’ so we need to go out there and tell our story! BirdLife International Africa Partnership – E-bulletin

Together for birds and people

GEF project meeting On the Sunday prior to the CAP meeting itself, a project meeting, convened by Paulinus Ngeh from the BirdLife Africa West Africa office, kicked off the PDF-B phase of the new GEF-UNDP funded project ‘Enhancing local capacities for sustainable biodiversity action in Africa’. UNDP Regional representative for Southern Africa Nik Sekhran facilitated the meeting which was attended by the project managers from Burundi, Botswana, Rwanda, Liberia and Nigeria. Philipp Van Waechter attended the meeting on behalf of UNOPS. During the meeting, a clear plan of action The CAP 2005 opening ceremony was graced by officials from was developed in order to make the the Cameroon Government who are seen here with the CAP implementation of this PDF-B as smooth as Chair and Dr Mike Rands, the BirdLife International CEO possible. For more information, please contact the BirdLife International regional Project Manager: BirdLife in Cameroon [email protected] On the first day of CAP, Mike Rands, BirdLife’s CEO, presented the past, present and vision for Data Zone BirdLife International’s programme in Cameroon. BirdLife has a long presence in the country, dating back to the 1980s. In 1995, BirdLife started Worldbirds working with CBCS (then COC). The organization Debbie Pain, RSPB’s Head of International has since grown rapidly and is now implementing a Research, gave a presentation on the Worldbirds growing portfolio of projects ranging from initiative (see also our previous e-bulletin). This biodiversity conservation to empowerment of initiative aims to collect data from birders all-over marginalized communities. According to Mike the world in order to make them available to Rands, it is envisioned that the BirdLife Secretariat conservation organisations and the public. It will will “provide the requisite technical, management capture data previously unavailable, will provide support, capacity building, networking and countries with a simple list-based monitoring international linkages to empower and develop scheme and will encourage the collection of new CBCS to fully represent, take forward and oversee data in a more systematic and repeatable way. For BirdLife’s operations and projects in Cameroon.” more details, see www.worldbirds.org or contact [email protected] at the Secretariat.

Regional initiatives Science, Policy and Information Dr Stuart Buchart, BirdLife’s Global Species Regional Initiatives 2005 Programme Coordinator, explained to CAP what The CAP input papers provided an overview of the Science, Policy and Information (SPI) recently completed, ongoing and planned ‘regional department at the BirdLife global office does for initiatives’. This overview demonstrates that the the Africa (and the global) Partnership. This varies progress made in terms of developing and from developing indicators for monitoring, species implementing regional (multi-country) projects and sites (IBA) programmes, and key datasets, to across the African region. Where a few years ago refining BirdLife’s policy & advocacy processes, the BirdLife Africa Partnership was involved in forging productive collaborations, and one major regional project, in 2005 eleven projects communicating BirdLife’s messages. For more are being implemented which include more than data, please contact [email protected] one country. Some of them were presented in more and/or the SPI Director [email protected]. detail during the CAP meeting (see below). For more details and/or the whole list of projects, Do you have some hot news? Let us know so we contact [email protected] and/or can prepare a ** News Alert ** for the [email protected] BirdLife website www.birdlife.org!

2 July – September 2005 BirdLife International Africa Partnership – E-bulletin

Together for birds and people

Species Arinaitwe, the regional IBA Programme Manager for Africa, gave a presentation on its contents, after which Achilles Byaruhanga, the Chair of CAP, The BirdLife Africa Species Working Group officially handed over the strategy to the Director (ASWG) oversees the implementation of the Africa and CEO of BirdLife International, Dr Mike Rands Species Programme. The Species Action Plan (see photo below). (SAP) project is the key activity of the ASWG, with the Darwin-funded follow-up project now concentrating on enabling the Partners and Species Interest Groups to implement the SAPs. During CAP 2005, the recently-appointed ASWG Coordinator Paul Kariuki Ndang’ang’a gave a presentation of the progress and plans of this project. Recommendations from an ASWG convened meeting on 26 July 2005 include the need to: (1) encourage the Africa Partnership to prioritize implementation of Species Action Plans and production of more SAPs (where necessary) in their work; (2) encourage the Africa Partnership to seek opportunities for passing on the training already obtained from the two SAP projects to many of their staff and partners; (3) support Copies of the strategy were disseminated during formation and sustainability of Species Interest the meeting and more copies have been sent to the Groups that take a lead in conserving key species; Partners afterwards. Unknown to the Secretariat at and (4) treat species work as the ‘core business’ of the time of the launch, the Jensen Foundation in the BirdLife Africa Partnership. During the species Denmark has awarded the BirdLife Africa session at CAP, the challenges of implementing Partnership a grant to develop an IBA ‘toolkit’ SAPs and how to overcome them were discussed. which will complement this regional conservation The ‘Species Champion’ approach of monitoring strategy and will facilitate its implementation. critically endangered species was introduced and [email protected] can be contacted for its appropriateness for African species and within more information or copies. the Partnership was discussed thoroughly. It was also seen to be likely to bring in many opportunities for species conservation. Please Monitoring IBAs contact [email protected] for more information on the species programme. IBA monitoring through Remote Sensing Both detailed and basic monitoring of IBAs are already taking place within the network. But IBA [Photo left: the species NOT monitoring within the region is set to become even seen during CAP] more robust through developing a system using remote sensing. A regional project ‘Monitoring IBAs in Africa using remote sensing’ was presented at CAP by Debbie Pain (RSPB). It is a joint project between the Birdlife Africa Sites Partnership, the Birdlife Global Secretariat, the RSPB and the Global Vegetation Monitoring Unit Launch of RIBACS of the European Commission. The project aims to On Tuesday 26 July, the Regional Important Bird look at the feasibility of using remote sensing for Area Conservation Strategy (RIBACS) 2005-2015 monitoring vegetation cover in African IBAs, to was launched. This strategy has three major aims: develop a protocol for monitoring African IBAs to promote standardized approaches in IBA using remote sensing and to investigate the conservation; to promote home-grown and relationships between bird distribution and culturally appropriate methodologies and solutions, reflectance measured by remote sensing (see also and to provide a common focus/sense of purpose previous e-bulletin). For more details, contact for the BirdLife Africa Partnership. Julius [email protected].

3 July – September 2005 BirdLife International Africa Partnership – E-bulletin

Together for birds and people

IBA monitoring using the regional monitoring Please keep us updated on your SSG growth and framework send your data to [email protected] From the country reports and discussions held during the CAP meeting, it emerges that monitoring IBAs is being mainstreamed into Partners’ conservation work across the network. Available details indicate that monitoring (detailed and basic) is taking place at more than 275 IBA sites across the region. This represents 22.4% of all IBAs in the region. For copies of the regional monitoring protocol (or other info), please contact [email protected]

IBA monitoring during your waterbird census An annual waterfowl census has been taking place within the region to monitor and detect trends in the status of the world’s waterbird populations. A dancing troupe derived from the Ngovayang Forest IBA Site This undertaking has also been useful in Support Group entertained the CAP participants monitoring wetland IBA sites and identifying priorities for intervention, conservation action and News from the network research. This coordinated monitoring has been made possible through concerted efforts of Wetlands International, the Wild Wildfowl Trust The Africa Partnership: what have we saved? (UK), the Dutch Government; BirdLife Partners Highlights from the country reports 2005 and supporting Partners, local government departments, engagement of local communities as [Please note that what is presented below is a random well as other stakeholders. Monitoring of these selection of highlights, derived from CAP 2005 country reports. Obviously much more is happening across the wetlands continues to be a priority for the BirdLife network than can be presented here! Please contact the Africa IBA Programme. We would therefore be Secretariat and/or the respective Partners themselves in happy to know when and where you are doing the case you wish to hear more about what’s going on…] waterfowl census (frequency and focal sites). Please send your reports/census schedule to Botswana [email protected] and/or BirdLife Botswana (BLB) reported heavy [email protected] investment in focal species research work, including the Slaty Egret and the Kori Bustard, while an extensive demographic study was carried People out of the 20 most threatened birds in Botswana. Information emanating from these surveys will be crucial in establishing the of the Site Support Group (SSG) work country’s avifauna and will feed into policy The CAP 2005 meeting provided an excellent recommendations to protect these species. BLB forum for feedback from the network on SSG data, participated in the waterfowl counts at most of the with almost the entire network present. There are wetland IBAs and successfully lobbied the now 145 SSGs in the Africa network! This was the Botswana government to declare the Lake Ngami surprising result of a questionnaire to gather and IBA as a no-hunting area. capture up to date information on SSG issues that The RSPB brought a box full of second hand was designed and administered to the participants. binoculars for BirdLife Botswana. The donation Before this meeting, the number of known SSGs in will be very useful in BLB’s efforts to promote the network stood at 90. The increase is in line with bird watching amongst the local communities and the Africa Programme, which targets to have the to mobilize people to support bird conservation. current network of SSGs increase by 50% by 2008. Another success for BLB was that during the The CAP meeting also provided an opportunity to business meeting at the end of the week, CAP officially launch a Site Support Group manual for endorsed the recommendation to allow BLB to the Africa Region, which, once published, will be start the process for upgrade to Partner-Designate ready for circulation later in the year. status.

4 July – September 2005 BirdLife International Africa Partnership – E-bulletin

Together for birds and people

BLB was represented in Cameroon by Harold Hester, Pete Hancock and Kabelo Senyatso. E- Cameroon – CBCS hosts CAP 2005 mail: [email protected] Lobbying for the opportunity to host CAP meetings is usually a spirited campaign and those who were present at CAP 2004 in South Africa will vividly remember the ‘biddings’ for CAP 2005. However, hosting this event itself is quite involving, as CBCS will attest to. Still, CBCS did a most amazing job and all who were present will agree that this was a very well organized meeting (which was also reflected in the evaluation questionnaires). Even more impressive was the fact that despite shouldering the difficult task of hosting this meeting, CBCS also presented a case study on the empowerment and livelihoods improvement of the Bagyeli communities at Ngovayang Forest RSPB’s Paul Buckley handing over the box with bins to BLB chairman Harold ‘Happy’ Hester. IBA (the same IBA where the SSG dance group came from) and participated actively in the Burkina Faso plenary meetings and working groups One of the main activities of Naturama in Burkina throughout the week. Kudos to all CBCS staff! Faso is the implementation of the Programme de CBCS was represented by Roger Fotso, Alice Gestion des Ecosystems Naturales (PAGEN) - Parc Lima, Guillaume Dzikouk and Russell Mbah. National Kabore Tambi (PNKT) project whose E-mail: [email protected] major achievement includes among others the restoration of the Park. Species initiatives during the last year include monitoring of the breeding Egypt status of game birds, survey and study on the CAP was an important meeting for Egypt, as the breeding biology of Torgos tracheliotus as well as Council for the Africa Partnership formally other raptor species. Waterfowl counts also approved transfer of the BirdLife Affiliate status continue to take place at 14 wetlands sites, from Sherif Baha El Din to the Nature including various IBAs. ‘People’ activities Conservation Society of Egypt (NCE). An encompass education and awareness raising appropriate recommendation will be made to activities at focal sites, often involving Site Global Council in November 2005. The Nature Support Groups. Naturama was represented at CAP Conservation Society of Egypt was represented by by Georges Oueda who seized the opportunity to Dr. Hala Barakat, the current Honorary President develop strong relation with the delegates from the of NCE. Registration procedures for the NGO have Dutch BirdLife Partner, VBN, who supports the now been completed and the papers have been IBA project at Lake Oursi in Burkina Faso. E-mail: submitted to the Egyptian Authorities. E-mail: [email protected] [email protected] (Sherif Baha El Din) or [email protected] (Hala Bakarat). Burundi Geoffrey Citegetse from the Association Ethiopia Burundaise pour la protection des Oiseaux (ABO) As presented in their country report, EWNHS gave a very interesting presentation, demonstrating continues with the annual waterfowl census and the how ABO is currently involving local communities monitoring of the globally endangered White- in conservation initiatives at Rusizi Nature Reserve winged Flufftail. It has also completed a study on IBA. ABO also carries out waterfowl counts at the the conservation status on Harwood's Francolin. Delta River as well as species research work, At CAP, EWNHS was represented by Ato particularly on the Grauers Rush Warbler. It is also Mengistu Wondafrash who gave a case study involved in the reforestation and demarcation of presentation on one of BirdLife’s most successful Kibira National Park and in IBA monitoring at Site Support Groups: the Berga Bird Lovers. some of the country’s key sites. E-mail: Also during CAP, EWNHS engaged in a cross- [email protected] Partnership partnership with the German BirdLife Partner NABU. At a small ceremony attended by

5 July – September 2005 BirdLife International Africa Partnership – E-bulletin

Together for birds and people the BirdLife CEO Dr Mike Rands, EWNHS like RSPB, NABU, and DOF. Funds have been (represented by Ato Mengistu Wondafrash), secured for the purchase of 95 acres of Nature NABU (represented by Werner Schroeder) and the Reserve in the Kinangop Plateau IBA to save the BirdLife Africa Secretariat (Dr Hazell Shokellu globally threatened Sharpe’s Longclaw. Thompson) signed a tripartite Memorandum of NatureKenya was represented at CAP by Paul Understanding to promote bird and biodiversity Matiku and Solomon Mwangi. E-mail: conservation in Ethiopia (see photo). E-mail: [email protected] [email protected] Nigeria Nigeria hosts one of the most successful ornithological institutes in Africa: the AP Leventis Ornithological Institute in Jos. Current species programmes carried out by NCF in collaboration with this institute include the effect of forest management and fragmentation on three globally threatened bird species of the Obudu plateau: the White-breasted Mountain Babbler, Bannerman’s Weaver and the Green-breasted Bush shrike. This study forms part of a PhD programme and is being supported by the RSPB. Biodiversity survey work continues in the South East on the NCF/WCS Biodiversity Research Programme. NCF is also involved in protecting the water catchments through reforestation in Becheve (Obudu Plateau Ghana IBA). Several nationwide environmental education The Ghana Wildlife Society continues to make a outreach programme targeting schools and conservation impact through, among other things, communities aimed at raising awareness on the implementation of the Afadjato-Agumatsa environmental issues are being implemented. community forest conservation project. The main Attending the meeting from NCF was Kunle focus of the project is buffer zone management. Oyewole. E-mail: [email protected] GWS is also involved in a ‘people-oriented’ project in the Amansuri Conservation Area. Erasmus Rwanda Owusus of GWS gave a presentation at CAP on ACNR, the Association pour la Conservation de la this project and highlighted the ways in which this Nature au Rwanda, continues with the monitoring conservation project promoted local livelihoods, of water birds at Lake Ihema at the Akagera while at the same time the livelihood support National Park under the auspices of the Wetlands through this project proved to be a great incentive Wildlife Trust and Wetlands International. Species for biodiversity conservation. GWS is also work conducted during the last one year involves involved in the development and implementation work on Bradypterus graueri, Laniarius mafumbiri of the White-necked Picathartes Species Action and Chloropeta gracilirostris. Through financial plan and initiates education outreach programmes. support from the BP Conservation Programme, Read more about Erasmus Owusu later in this ACNR is also implementing a biodiversity survey bulletin… E-mail: [email protected] and public awareness project in Nyabarongo and Akanyaru Wetlands. It also implements one of the Kenya Dutch Government-funded (TMF) SSG projects. A review of the Nature Kenya annual report to ACNR was represented at the meeting by Charles CAP indicates that a lot is happening in terms of Ntaganda. E-mail: [email protected] saving species, sites, habitats and improving the livelihoods of the local people. The organization is currently implementing conservation action (Announcement) projects at more than eight sites while detailed and Wetlands International is organising an international basic monitoring is taking place at six and 52 IBA ‘Wetlands, Water and Livelihoods’ workshop, exploring the integration of poverty and environment sites respectively. A significant achievement for issues in wetlands. St Lucia, South Africa, January 30 NatureKenya is the ability to mobilize funds for to February 2, 2006. Please visit www.wetlands.org projects both independently, through the for more information, and contact our office if you Secretariat and also through supporting Partners wish to attend ([email protected]).

6 July – September 2005 BirdLife International Africa Partnership – E-bulletin

Together for birds and people

Seychelles tourism promotion campaign and tapping the Nature Seychelles recently received a significant potential of the bird watching industry to uplift the grant from a European foundation to restore and standards of living of the local people as well as manage a bird sanctuary in Mahé, the capital of the the economy. To achieve this, several ‘birding Seychelles. This new activity will add even more routes’ have been developed. BLSA is forging value to the already impressive portfolio of relationship with other collaborating institutions conservation projects that Nature Seychelles is within and beyond the country. Prof. Gerhard currently implementing, ranging from species Verdoorn represented BLSA at the CAP meeting. translocation (Seychelles warbler & Seychelles E-mail: [email protected] Fody), restoration of degraded sites, eradication of alien species, biodiversity monitoring and research. Who is who? The Seychelles are replete with success stories Mid-CAP, CBCS organised a social evening during ranging from the bouncing back of the Seychelles which music from various African countries was Magpie-Robin and Seychelles White-eye played and the CAP representatives showed their population. The duo has recently been downlisted dancing skills. A quiz about ‘how well do you know the Partners’ caused some cracking of the brains, as from Critically Endangered to Endangered. Most of one had to recognize one’s colleagues from baby these initiatives are made possible through the photos. The winner of the quiz won a beautiful CAP support of more than 23 collaborating partners, dress, but now: who is he/she? Whoever it is, he/she both within and outside the Seychelles. E-mail: definitely turned out to be the best-dressed CAP [email protected] attendant 2005!

Sierra Leone CSSL, the Conservation Society of Sierra Leone, is leading an innovative approach, the Gola Forest Conservation Concession Concept, to develop a management framework and a Trust Fund for the conservation of biodiversity and sustainable use of the Gola Forest, the country’s largest lowland forest block. The major strength of this concept is the strong support and commitment it has elicited from the local people, the Sierra Leonean government and the international community. CSSL continues to monitor species, sites and habitats and carries out awareness raising programmes on birds and overall conservation. Tanzania CSSL is also involved in advocacy initiatives, one WCST is currently involved in the CEPF Eastern of which is to lobby for the designation of certain Arc Mountains and Coastal Forests conservation IBA sites as Ramsar sites. CSSL was represented at programme in which BirdLife International is a CAP by DD Siaffa and John De Marco, who major stakeholder. It is also managing and jointly gave a presentation on community implementing a number of other conservation and participation in site conservation (a comparative sustainable livelihood projects with support from analysis between Sierra Leone and Cameroon). E- donors including the RSPB, the Danish mail: [email protected] Ornithological Society (DOF), CARE-Norway, IUCN-Netherlands, the UNDP small grants South Africa programme, and GTZ. WCST is also involved in BirdLife South Africa is currently implementing a monitoring water birds at certain IBAs under the range of biodiversity conservation programmes aegis of the African Waterfowl Census. Lota including Cape Parrot and Southern Bald Melamari represented WCST at the CAP meeting. conservation initiatives. It is soon to launch a E-mail: [email protected] programme to study and conserve oxpeckers. BLSA is also involved in an education and Tunisia awareness programme specifically targeting AAO, the Association “Les Amis des Oiseaux”, schools and local communities. To economically applied for an upgrade in network status from empower the people, BLSA, in collaboration with Partner Designate to Full Partner which was other stakeholders, is spearheading a vigorous avi- approved by CAP; an appropriate recommendation

7 July – September 2005 BirdLife International Africa Partnership – E-bulletin

Together for birds and people will be made to the BirdLife Global Council. AAO breakthrough by ZOS has been the publication and continues to implement the EU-funded Sustainable launch of the national IBA Directory (author: Peter Hunting Project and to monitor biodiversity at IBA Leonard). The Zambian IBA book becomes the sites. Species work includes studies and 15th to be published since the IBA programme was conservation action for Houbara Bustard, White launched in Africa (contact ZOS to order a copy). Stork, Eurasian , Lesser Kestrel, and For more information, check the BirdLife website: Eleonara Falcon. Tunisia being located along the http://www.birdlife.org/news/news/2005/09/zambia.html Africa-Eurasian migratory flyway, AAO continues Crispin Sinyama represented ZOS at the CAP to play a key role in its dedicated efforts to meeting in Cameroon. E-mail: [email protected] conserve affected species at and/or wintering sites in the country. AAO was represented by Prof. Ali Zimbabwe El Hili. E-mail: [email protected] BirdLife Zimbabwe is engaged in a range of conservation initiatives. Species of global Uganda conservation concern that received significant NatureUganda is currently implementing over ten attention include the Wattled Crane, Blue projects locally and is also involved in three Swallows and Black Eagles. Two SSGs are being regional projects. NatureUganda aims to raise its set up in the Eastern Highlands to support in the profile through advocacy and wide media coverage conservation of the Blue Swallows. Several site- of conservation issue at the national level. Within based conservation projects are being implemented the IBA monitoring framework, NatureUganda including efforts to purchase and protect two continues to monitor waterbirds at key sites wetlands within the outskirts of Harare. To through the periodical waterfowl counts. It is also embrace the community conservation paradigm, implementing a community-based project at BLZ is working with communities around Echuya and runs community information resource Driefontein Grasslands, which is a stronghold for centres at Nabajjuzi and Katwe IBA sites the endangered Wattled Crane. A beautiful respectively. Achilles Byaruhanga, the CAP 2005 PowerPoint presentation was shown to the CAP Chair, represented NatureUganda at the meeting. attendants about this project. BLZ has also initiated E-mail: [email protected] a schools bird awareness programme which is hoped to develop nuclei and enthusiasm for bird Zambia conservation. BirdLife Zimbabwe was represented The Zambian Ornithological Society ZOS is the by Claire Davies and Chipangura Chirara. E-mail: proud (see photo) [email protected] beneficiary of a Disney Wildlife New applications Conservation Fund Several ‘new’ countries who had applied for Award 2005. The BirdLife Affiliate status presented their ‘case’ at money that comes CAP. These included the Society for the with this award Conservation of Nature of Liberia (SCNL) and (besides the T-shirt) SOS-Forets from Cote D’Ivoire. Both NGOs made will enable ZOS to presentations demonstrating who they are, which turn into action the conservation programmes they are implementing recommendations of a and how they would contribute to the Africa Species Action Plan Partnership. The Malagasy NGO Asity gave an developed to conserve overview of the progress they are making in the Blue Swallow and their nesting sites in Nyika collaborating with the BirdLife International National Park (Zambia/Malawi). Other species of Madagascar Programme BIMP. The newly global conservation concern that have received established Egyptian NGO NCE was also prsented attention in Zambia over the last year include the (see above). For more information, contact globally threatened Lappet-faced Vulture and [email protected] Chaplin’s Barbet. As part of the NOF/NORAD- funded Zambian IBA project, site visits have been 2005 UN World Summit conducted in a number of IBAs. Awareness ** NEWS FLASH ** programmes are being conducted targeting schools World leaders urged to acknowledge links between and local communities as the establishment of ecosystems and poverty http://www.birdlife.org/news/news/2005/09/mdgs.html SSGs in the country is picking up. A major

8 July – September 2005 BirdLife International Africa Partnership – E-bulletin

Together for birds and people

Training opportunities New CAP chair and next meeting

The CAP chairmanship position is held in yearly During the CAP meeting, the new, updated rota. Thus, one of the key tasks of the CAP meeting BirdLife Africa Partnership Training Directory is to elect the chair for the following year. This year (including a ‘Funding for Training Directory’) was Dr. Erasmus Owusu (Executive Director, Ghana disseminated, as part of the Project Development, Wildlife Society) was elected to take over from Proposal Writing and Fundraising ‘Toolkit’ CD. Achilles Byaruhanga (Executive Officer, Nature Hardcopies of the Directory were sent to the Uganda). Ato Mengistu Wondafrash was elected as the new Vice-chair. As a tradition, CAP saw the Partnership afterwards. The Training Directory outgoing chair hand over the mantle in the form of contains a large number of training opportunities a ceremonial CAP cap (see photo). within Africa and beyond, as well as a listing of websites which may be useful to you when you are looking for Masters, PhD and other education programmes. The Funding for Training Directory contains names and details of 75 funding agencies that provide grants for training, surveys, research and related activities. In case you haven’t received this CD and/or the Directory, please ask [email protected] to send you a copy.

*** Funding opportunities ***

BirdFair/RSPB Research Fund for Endangered Birds – A new fund that offers up to USD 2,000 for We would like to take this opportunity to express research on bird species listed as "Critically sincere thanks to Achilles for his sterling Endangered" or "Endangered". Not for international performance and unwavering dedication during his travel. Please contact [email protected] tenure as CAP chair. We congratulate the new CAP chair and wish him well in steering the BirdLife The BP Conservation Programme also has new Africa Partnership agenda in the next one year. guidelines, as well as a new deadline: 16 December. Check the website http://conservation.bp.com and The next CAP meeting will be held in Addis Ababa, let us know if you intend to submit something – we Ethiopia between May and July 2006. can help! Talk to [email protected]

Contribution of articles We welcome contributions to the E-bulletin from the entire network on a wide range of subjects related to bird species, sites, habitats and people. We would be happy to know about conservation-related events at global, regional and national level being organized within the network. For those who would like to contribute short articles to the next issues of the E-bulletin or provide comments, please send them to: [email protected]

(Advert)

The “People-centered” CAP meeting would not have been complete without having contact with the local people. Here Your advert could have been here! participants pay a visit to the Bakoli community neighbouring Contact us if you are sorry it isn’t… the Ngovayang Forest IBA

9 July – September 2005