The Society for the Conservation and Study of Caribbean Birds (SCSCB) is pleased to announce that it is will be hosting a 4-day workshop, Promoting Caribbean Wetland Conservation: A Training Workshop for Monitoring, Education, and Conservation, 22-25 February 2010, in Negril, Jamaica. As part of our new regional bird monitoring program Caribbean Birdwatch and in collaboration with Wetlands International (WI), the overall goal is to promote waterbird and wetland conservation based on sound science by encouraging wetland monitoring. In particular we plan to establish a Caribbean Waterbird Census (CWC), joining WI’s global waterbird monitoring programme—the International Waterbird Census (IWC). The IWC, first established in Europe in 1967, and later expanded to include Asia (Asian Waterbird Census), Middle East and North Africa (African Waterbird Census); and South America (Neotropical Waterbird Census, NWC), has proven to be an important conservation tool. Over 100 countries participated in the International Waterbird Census in the 1990s and over 30 million waterbirds were counted in participating countries each year.

The CWC will provide a simple standard methodology (adapted from the NWC) to monitor all waterbird populations and their habitats throughout the region, focusing especially on key habitats such as Ramsar sites and Important Bird Areas - IBAs. With the CWC, it will be possible to:

• monitor changes in waterbird numbers and distribution,
• improve knowledge of little-known waterbird species and wetland sites,
• identify and monitor sites that qualify as Wetlands of International Importance under the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands,
• provide information on the conservation status of waterbird species, and
• increase awareness of the importance of waterbirds and their wetland habitats at local, national and international levels.

The information generated by the CWC can be used by habitat managers to improve wetland management as well as at a national level for system planning and zoning. It can also be rolled up to measure national and regional population trends and support international conventions such as the Ramsar Convention and the SPAW Protocol of the Cartagena Convention.

The objectives of the 4-day workshop are to: 1) increase capacity for implementation of the Caribbean Waterbird Census (CWC) and related monitoring, education and management activities, 2) Distribute materials (including a manual for trainers) to support the implementation of the CWC, and 3) Promote the implementation of the Ramsar Convention and the SPAW Protocol. 

The course will include the following topics: 1) overview on the Caribbean Waterbird Census (structure, implementation, and methodology), the Ramsar Convention and SPAW Protocol,2) field training in counting waterbirds and monitoring wetland habitats (we will visit a variety of habitats, including the Black River Upper Morass Ramsar site, and nearby Negril Royal Palm Reserve), 3) how to store and analyze monitoring data, 4) how to prepare reports for decision-makers and publication, and 5) project development, including proposal writing training. (The focus of the 4-day workshop with international and Jamaican participants will be on the Caribbean Waterbird Census; a separate Wetlands Education Training Workshop covering outreach and education techniques will be offered to local educators and natural resource persons in Jamaica on Feb. 25-26).

The workshop is open to interested persons/organizations from all Caribbean islands. It will be conducted in English, therefore applicants should be able to communicate reasonably well in that language. Preference will be given to persons who are a) working with government agencies or NGOs in Caribbean countries with globally important wetlands such as Ramsar sites and/or Important Bird Areas (IBAs), and b) interested in getting involved with the CWC as national coordinators or site coordinators. Travel and subsistence funding will be provided for selected participants. Participants who can contribute all or part of their costs will also be welcome.

The workshop will be funded by the Organization of American States, Western Hemisphere Migratory Species Initiative (WHMSI; website:  http://www.whmsi.net/). Other partners and collaborators include US Fish and Wildlife Service, Wetlands International, Ramsar, SPAW-RAC, Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology, BirdLife International, Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, Waterbird Conservation Council, USDA International Institute of Tropical Forestry, Negril Environmental Protection Trust, the Bahamas National Trust, and others.

To apply please fill out the application form. Please also forward this announcement and form on to others that may be interested. Send the completed form and any enquiries to Ann Sutton with a copy to Lisa Sorenson by 15 December 2009. Please note that spaces are limited, therefore it is not possible to guarantee that all applicants will be invited to the workshop.

We hope to hear back from many of you about this exciting opportunity and program!

For more information on SCSCB’s regional bird monitoring program and to read about the Nassau 2009 Monitoring workshop, click here and visit our ConserveOnline workspace.
Wetlands International - International Waterbird Census
Ramsar Convention
SPAW Protocol