Botswana - BirdLife Botswana (BLB)

Mission of the organisation

To conserve Botswana birds and important bird habitats, by creating awareness, carrying out research and promoting beneficial relationships between birds and people. This is achieved through:

• protecting bird species, sites, habitats and creating opportunities for local communities (particularly youth and women) living near bird areas to earn a meaningful income, and
• increasing interest and awareness among Botswana citizens, especially the youth, in birds.

Key Activities

• Research and monitoring of, and species-specific conservation actions, for globally threatened birds in Botswana
• Monitoring of ‘common birds’, through a Bird Population Monitoring Programme
• Promotion of Important Bird Areas and lobbying for their increased protection
• Working with private companies to ensure reduced impacts of their actions on birds, biodiversity and protected areas, while also seeking their active participation in the conservation of priority threatened species
• Promotion of bird tourism, particularly at Important Bird Areas, as a means to create an incentive for citizens to take interest in the conservation of Botswana’s birds and habitats.
• Environmental education, largely targeting schools and the general public
• Membership activities, aiming to increase the appreciation of birds in Botswana