Africa in Action

Neil Baker The Madagascar Pond-heron is one of the species for which an International Action Plan is being prepared in 2008. Zoom In

BirdLife’s work in Africa gives high priority to empowering people to manage and benefit from sustainable use of natural resources through livelihoods improvement, and all these are achieved through a four-pronged strategic objective of: Species, Sites, Habitats and People.

BirdLife's Africa Division is involved in and coordinates a number of regional and national  initiatives. A full list as of September 2008 is as follows - please check back soon for updates.

• Flyways Conservation (VBN): Supporting the growth and development of BirdLife Programmes for global flyways conservation, with a special focus on West Africa. Includes small grants to Nigeria, Cameroon, Burkina Faso and Liberia.
• Wings over Wetlands (AEWA sub-contractor hub): Enhancing conservation of the critical network of sites required by Migratory Waterbirds on the African/Eurasian Flyways. Click to download factsheet.
• Soaring Birds (GEF-UNDP): The Conservation of soaring migratory birds in the eastern sector of the Africa-Eurasia flyway system (Rift Valley and Red Sea Flyways) – Ethiopia, Egypt, Sudan, Eritrea, Djibouti, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine, Yemen, Saudi Arabia and Syria.

2. Capacity Building

• Zambia IBAs (NORAD/NOF): Capacity development for biodiversity conservation in Zambia. For more information click here (PDF 109KB).
• Eastern Arc Small Grants (CEPF): Small grants for building research capacity among Tanzanian and Kenyan students. For more information click here (PDF 145KB).
• Wildlife Africa Clubs of Africa: Linking African children to the global conservation community for the benefit of nature and people. Click to download factsheet.
• Reviving Wildlife Club activities in Ghana:
Sao Tome (Taiwan): Enhancing capacity for sustainable biodiversity :
PAOC XII: Building Capacity for conservation in Africa (CEPF):
Dutch Bird Fair Projects- Ghana, Tunisia, Burkina Faso (VBN): Capacity Building and awareness raising for effective and sustainable wetland conservation with special focus on the Common Tern Sterna Hirundo.

3. Biodiversity Monitoring

• Africa IBA Monitoring (EC): Instituting effective monitoring of Protected Areas (Important Bird Areas) as a contribution to reducing the rate of biodiversity loss in Africa. For more information click here (PDF 174KB).
• Remote Sensing (RSPB). Monitoring Africa’s IBAs through Remote Sensing. For more information click here (PDF 144KB).
• Sustainable Biodiversity Monitoring (CEPF): Instituting a standardised Sustainable Biodiversity Monitoring System in the Eastern Arc and Coastal Forests of Tanzania and Kenya. For more information click here (PDF 106KB).
• Spotted Ground Thrush (CEPF, Conservation Safaris): Conservation and monitoring of the Spotted Ground Thrush in the coastal forests of Kenya and Tanzania. For more information click here (PDF 96KB).

• Improving Livelihoods_(Swedbio): Improving the livelihoods of local communities in Africa by promoting sustainable use of renewable natural resources through increased participation in biodiversity policy making and implementation. For more information click here (PDF 850 KB).
• Ngovayang - Cameroon (Comic Relief):  Empowerment and livelihoods improvement of the Bagyéli communities at Ngovayang Forest, Cameroon, South Province.
• Berga - Ethiopia (Finnida, BENGO): Community-based wetland management for sustainable livelihoods and biodiversity conservation (Finnida/BirdLife Finland), and Revolving Fund (BENGO/NABU).
• Policy making and Improving Livelihoods - (AECID): Kenya, South Africa and Ethiopia. For more information click here (PDF 127KB).

5. Publications

• IBA Toolkit_(Jensen): Publishing a toolkit for the conservation of IBAs in Africa.
• Conservation in the face of climate change

8. Research and conservation of species

• Sao Tome_(VBN): Conservation of the birds of Sao Tome and Principe: directions for BirdLife involvement.
• Madagascar Pond- Heron SAP (UNEP/CMS): Developing a Single Species Action Plan for the Madagascar Pond Heron Ardeola idea.
• White Winged Flufftail SAP (UNEP/CMS): Developing a Single Species Action Plan for the White-winged Flufftail Sarothrura ayresi.
• Preventing Extinctions (BirdLife and the British Birdwatching Fair): The Preventing Extinctions Initiative.
• Africa Raptor Status Review (Leslie Brown Memorial Fund): Status Review for African Raptors; Prioritization for Conservation Action.
• Picathartes - Sierra Leone (Disney, Club 300): Improving the conservation status of the White-necked Picathartes Picathartes gymnocephalus in Sierra Leone. For more information click here (PDF 96KB).
• Barn Swallows - Ghana
• Djibout Francolin (Disney)
• Transboundary Peace Park between Sierra Leone and Liberia (DFID)

9. IBA conservation

• Gabes - Tunisia (VBN): IBA conservation in Gabes region-Tunisia.
• Madagascar Institutional Development and Wetland Protection: (Jensen and Macarthur Foundation).
• Threatened Ecosystem Emergency Response Advocacy (TERA): Horn of Africa.

10. Project coordination and management

• Eastern Arc Coordination Unit (CEPF): Project Monitoring and Sustainability in the Eastern Arc and Coastal Forests Hotspot. (Kenya and Tanzania); implemented in collaboration with ICIPE, WWF and TFCG. For more information click here (PDF 148KB).