A Threatened Birds Symposia and Workshop was held at the 2005 SCSCB meeting in Guadeloupe. The workshop focused on a number of critical issues related to Threatened Caribbean birds and what the SCSCB response could be. The aim was to start investigating ways of engaging more people, stimulating urgent research, identifying "species champions," reviewing the threatened species list and the conservation actions proposed, and also establishing a monitoring scheme. There was an enthusiasm for the formation of an SCSCB Threatened Bird Working Group (TBWG) which would coordinate and engage the SCSCB membership in monitoring, evaluating and conserving the most threatened of our Caribbean bird species.
Follow up actions:
1. Draft a vision statement and Terms of Reference for the TBWG and share with the SCSCB membership and existing Working Groups to ensure coherence and appropriateness.
2. Set up a Threatened Birds yahoo group, and invite people to participate. Explore other tools to manage new information and discussions on Threatened species within the Caribbean.
3. Follow up, through the yahoo group, on the various recommendations for changes in species threat status, additions to the threatened species list, and changes to the listed conservation actions. Work in close collaboration with the IUCN Red List review process (coordinated by BirdLife International).
4. Follow up, through the yahoo group, and with the named individuals, the concept of species champions or advocates, and whether this is could form a network that both engages SCSCB members and could help monitor the status of threatened species.
5. Build on the dynamism generated to develop an SCSCB Threatened Bird Conservation Program.
6. Liaise closely with the Monitoring Working Group (and potentially others) to develop joint initiatives.
Download the full workshop report (PDF)
For more information contact David Wege