Guy Shorrock/RSPB Gola Forest, Sierra Leone Zoom In | Hi-Res

News in Brief

27-08-2009

Stories in this News in Brief: Sierra Leone re-affirms intention to declare Gola forest a National Park; BirdLife Support for postgrad work in conservation; EOS monitors migratory birds; IOC call for registration

Sierra Leone re-affirms intention to declare Gola forest a National Park – BirdLife recently received a letter from H.E. President Ernest Bai Koroma of Sierra Leone confirming his intention to declare the Gola forest a National Park. “I would like to re-assure you of my government’s commitment to implementing the Sierra Leone Biodiversity Action Programme in collaboration with your organisation, not only to mitigate the effects of global warming, but also to preserve our rich fauna and flora, and cultural heritage for generations to come”, wrote H.E. President Ernest Bai Koroma of Sierra Leone. “I am hopeful that the Gola Forest National Park Bill will be introduced in Parliament in the coming weeks”. The Gola Forest National Park will form part of a new Trans-boundary Peace Park recently announced jointly by the Presidents of Sierra Leone and Liberia. The Trans-boundary Peace Park will protect one of the largest remaining blocks of intact forest in the Upper Guinea Area of West Africa.

BirdLife Support for postgrad work in conservation - BirdLife International through a sub-regional project funded by the Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF) wishes to support ongoing or soon–to-be commenced post-graduate studies of promising young scientists/ornithologists In Africa, especially based in the Upper Guinea Forest area of West Africa. The project entitled: ‘Sustaining and Securing Capacity for biodiversity conservation in the Upper Guinea Forest Area of West Africa’ is being implemented by BirdLife Network NGOs in Ghana, Cote d’Ivoire, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea through the BirdLife Sub-regional Office in Accra, Ghana. Application Forms and Criteria for the grant can be found here.

EOS monitors migratory birds - The Estonian Ornithological Society (BirdLife in Estonia) recently launched its monitoring project in Cape Põõsaspea, the main bottleneck site for arctic waders, geese and ducks in Europe. Up to now 620,000 waterbirds have already crossed the monitoring point, many of them being Common Scoter Melanitta nigra. For many species the migration will peak in the second half of September and first half of October when most divers arctic ducks and geese pass Cape Põõsaspea. Among them there will be Long-tailed Duck Clangula hyemalis, Scaup Aythya marila and Velvet Scoter Melanitta fusca. If you want to find out more about this project, click here.

IOC call for registration - The 25th International Ornithological Congress will be held from August 22 – 28, 2010, in Campos do Jordão, São Paulo, Brazil. This will be the first International Ornithological Congress to be held in Latin America. SAVE Brasil (BirdLife in Brazil) is providing support and will be hosting a symposium entitled “Ornithology, conservation action and policy: bridging the gaps”. Early registration and abstract submission are open until 15 October 2009. Register now at www.i-o-c.org