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2005 archive

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News flash archive - 2005

January 2005

Marsh Harriers Circus aeruginosus

Protecting Important Bird Areas in Lebanon

As part of A Rocha Lebanon's continuing research they are planning with SPNL, the national BirdLife partner, to launch a major research initiative in 2005 to identify potential Important Bird Areas (IBAs) in Lebanon. IBAs are areas of crucial importance for the conservation of birds and other wildlife which have proved to be an effective tool in protecting nature. As part of this research programme there is an opportunity for volunteers to join the team for a two week period in the spring and autumn to monitor sites for birds. At the moment up to six people are needed - competent in the field identification of soaring raptors and storks and other Mediterranean birds - from 3-15 April. The cost for residential volunteers is US $280 which includes all accommodation, food and local transport. If you are interested please e-mail lebanon@arocha.org

A Rocha centres are booking up

Guests at A Rocha centres often take part in the seasonal activities - here the A Rocha UK team are making their Christmas cards in the centre at Southall.

As the year begins, bookings at A Rocha centres around the world start to increase. If you plan to visit, particularly during peak migration or fieldwork seasons, think about booking early to avoid disappointment! We have residential centres in Portugal, France, Kenya, the UK and Canada. See the Stay at our centres page.

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February 2005

A Rocha France appoint their first National Director

Paul Jeanson was appointed National Director of A Rocha France in January. Paul, a former Paris-Dakar rally driver, has been involved in international conservation for many years, but says, "It's going to be a wild ride, working with A Rocha!"

Winter birds in Portugal

Long-tailed Tit Aegithalos caudatus

Marcial Felgueiras, Director of A Rocha Portugal, reports that several species are wintering for the first time in their study area. It is suspected that major fires inland during the last two summers (resulting in the loss of 80% of the native woodland and scrub on the Serra de Monchique) have forced some birds nearer to the coast.

Do you love cooking?

The hungry Canada team!

A Rocha Canada are looking for a volunteer cook to work at their field study centre (located near White Rock, British Columbia) 5 days a week (room and board negotiable). The ideal candidate would be willing to start in May 2005 and commit to at least 4 months. If interested, please contact canada@arocha.org or see our Volunteering leaflet, with many other opportunities for 2005.

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March 2005

Two months later

Vinoth Ramachandra

People in the streets of Chennai, eating gifts of food, a few days after the tsunami struck

Dr Vinoth Ramachandra - a member of the A Rocha International Council of Reference - lives in Sri Lanka and travels widely throughout SE Asia. Read his reflections on the question so often asked since 26 December - "Where was God?"

Dave Bookless, Director of A Rocha UK, was in NE India with his family when the tsunami struck. Later that week they were in Chennai, on their way to visit A Rocha India in Bangalore. Read his reflections too.

Beirut bombing

The A Rocha Lebanon project continues with normal life, which Team Leaders Chris and Susanna liken to a roller coaster ride! "The ups include a recent large grant so we are all set to start the Important Bird Area project with our partner organisation, the Society for the Protection of Nature in Lebanon. This is a long-term research and conservation programme designed to both identify and protect new IBAs. A very big down was the recent bombing in Beirut, claiming the life of the former prime minister. As I write this the country is in deep shock and mourning."

Singaporean film-makers join the team

Daniel and Mel (standing at back) at the A Rocha stand at the 3rd World Conservation Congress

European Roller at nestbox in the Vallee des Baux

Mel Ong and Daniel Tay are a husband and wife team who will be visiting several A Rocha centres in the coming months to make publicity videos. They'll spend the spring in France, Portugal and the UK, filming seasonal fieldwork activities such as the nocturnal ringing of waders in the Algarve and the European Roller Coracias garrulus research in the Vallée des Baux. Funds permitting, they'll also work with the teams in South Africa, Kenya and Canada.

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April 2005

European parliament votes yes on financing Natura 2000

A Rocha welcomes the decision taken by the European Parliament on 11 March to vote in favour of a report on financing Natura 2000. Natura 2000 is the European Union’s (EU) network of protected areas, established to ensure the future survival of the EU’s most important habitats and species by achieving favourable conservation status. The successful implementation and management of Natura 2000 sites is a key part of the EU’s work to meet its target of halting the loss of biodiversity by 2010. This report from the European Parliament is a critical step in the process as it requests the EU to provide significant financing to manage the Natura 2000 network and conserve biodiversity. We’re grateful to Janice Weatherley, the EU Policy Officer in Brussels (seconded by A Rocha International to IUCN) for all her input. More on iucn.org

Big days for birders

If you are a North American birdwatcher, why not take part in one of our ‘Big days’ this spring? You could have a great day out and, with sponsorship from friends, raise funds for A Rocha’s projects. A Rocha USA will have their big day on 30 April: for more information, see the US events page.

If you live in Canada, please put 23 May in your diary and check out the Canadian bidwatching page. A Rocha Canada suggest, “Pick a few blocks around your house or a nearby park and plan to participate annually. This way you’ll learn your local habitats and hotspots, observe changes over time, and become attuned year-round to your local birds.”

Congratulations to Colin and Roni

Our Kenyan Director, Colin Jackson, marries Roni Brereton-Stiles on 15 April in Cape Town, South Africa. Roni is a botanist, originally from Durban, and has been working with WWF on a community conservation project in Namibia. We’re looking forward to her joining the A Rocha Kenya team at Watamu after the honeymoon.

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May 2005

UK elections and Minet Country Park

Dave talking to the Bishop of London on the BBC news on 18 April.

In the run-up to the UK General Election on 5 May, the BBC is running a nightly ‘My Britain’ feature, where various people talk about their election issues. The Bishop of London, Richard Chartres, chose to make the environment his theme and was filmed walking around the Minet Country Park in West London with A Rocha UK Director, Dave Bookless. The Bishop described the park - which came into being through the joint efforts of A Rocha UK and the local council - as “the most wonderful oasis” and commented, “A scheme like this brings the community together and it’s also good for the planet. I’d like to see politicians taking more of a lead in encouraging such partnerships”.

Migration hotspots in Canada and Lebanon

Al and Dorothy monitoring raptors in the Pembina Valley

Soon there will be a second A Rocha Canada Field Study Centre - in Pembina Valley, Manitoba. A Raptor Awareness Day in the valley last month was attended by more than 150 people. Meanwhile, Al and Dorothy Schritt continue an A Rocha sponsored thirty-day raptor survey in the valley. Some days they’ve seen over a thousand Red-tailed Hawks Buteo jamaicensis.

Try giving yourself 20 seconds to estimate the number of White Storks in this photo. The correct answer is below.

A Rocha Lebanon also monitored big movements of migrants during two weeks in April, with help from Dutch and British volunteers. In a five-hour period on 9 April they counted 1,500 White Storks Ciconia ciconia and 1,500 Lesser Spotted Eagles Aquila pomarina heading north with twelve other raptor species. The team carried out counts at six locations and the information gained will be used to help identify and protect the most important sites in the country.

Millennium Ecosystem Assessment findings

A Rocha is intensely concerned about the unprecedented and extremely serious loss of biodiversity worldwide and has therefore been delighted to work alongside the MEA and provide support wherever possible.

Two A Rocha International Trustees have made significant contributions to the MEA. One of them, Dr Simon Stuart, Director of the Biodiversity Assessment Unit shared between IUCN and Conservation International, states:

“The MEA provides the strongest scientific evidence to date that human lifestyles are resulting in a serious deterioration of the world's ecosystems, with potentially devastating consequences to hundreds of thousands of species, and to people, especially in developing countries. Ultimately, addressing these problems means addressing human behaviour, and the response to the MEA must therefore seek to involve faith communities. A Rocha is a key potential participant in mobilising Christians to join the work to conserve and restore the good things that God has made.”

For more, see our Press Release in the Food for Thought section http://en.arocha.org/thought/index.html, or visit the MEA web site at maweb.org

Stork photo: two hundred and forty-five.

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June 2005

Mwamba Field Studies Centre

Mwamba - the A Rocha Kenya Centre - is nearly ours!

The Mwamba Bird Observatory and Field Study Centre is an invaluable resource to the work of A Rocha Kenya. Over half of the funds required to purchase the centre have been secured, however a remaining 113,000 GBP is required by 30 June 2005 to successfully complete the purchase. Please contact international@arocha.org if you could assist towards this fundraising challenge.

Spadefoots and sparrows

One of the pools where Pelobates syriacus occurs.

This spring an amphibian expedition was led by A Rocha France in partnership with A Rocha Lebanon and Lebanese universities. Eight researchers intensively surveyed South East Lebanon to update the national amphibian list and a new species of toad for the country was recorded: Eastern Spadefoot Pelobates syriacus. Its huge tadpoles were found at two localities, including the neighbourhood of the Aammiq Wetland which A Rocha Lebanon has been working to protect.

The Pale Rock Sparrow Carpospiza brachydactyla is a poorly known species of conservation concern which is found only in the Middle East. It breeds in the Bekaa Valley and research undertaken by A Rocha Lebanon into its breeding habitat preferences was published recently in Ibis (2005) 147, pages 324-333.

Encouraging creation care in South Africa

Giraffes in Bisley Valley Nature Reserve

A Rocha South Africa has introduced quarterly “prayer walks” as part of their nature interpretation programme for churches in KwaZulu-Natal. In May they led a walk in Bisley Valley Nature Reserve and for an hour and half the group kept silence, except for periodic readings and reflections from Psalm 104. The theme was the basic need of every living creature for its own place - socially, ecologically and spiritually. A rare close-up sighting of two newborn Giraffe calves and a warning stare and strut from the herd's powerful Alpha-male reminded everyone of the need to know and accept our place in the creation.

Ornithologist urgently needed in Provence

Due to a last-minute cancellation A Rocha France are seeking a volunteer to work from early June to August/ September on the Roller Coracias garrulus. The research topic is “Quality assessment of foraging habitats” and involves biking tours looking for Rollers to check where, how, and what prey they are hunting. A two-year data set is available. Field experience in birding and good health is required. Data analysis skills would be appreciated. For more information contact france@arocha.org

New! Czech and Spanish languages on the website

Spanish and Czech speaking visitors can now read about A Rocha in their own language. A Rocha began work in the Czech Republic in 2000 and in Peru in 2004.

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July 2005

International Annual Review now on-line!

If you’d like a succinct overview of A Rocha’s activities around the world in 2004 – or a glimpse of some of our priorities for the coming year - click here to see our new-look all-colour 8-page annual review (in Adobe PDF format)

Big storm-petrel catches in Portugal

Between 1st and 24th June the team at Cruzinha (with help from Earthwatch volunteers and others) were out on the coast on 16 nights, catching European Storm-petrels Hydrobates pelagicus in mist nets, as part of a long-term research programme. This has been one of the most successful years ever, with 427 storm-petrels caught already, of which 15 were controls: 11 had been ringed in the UK, 3 in Norway and 1 in France – the first French storm-petrel controlled by the project.

Ringing Storm-petrels

Protecting A Rocha’s diversity

Biodiversity is important to A Rocha – and so is our cultural diversity. Sixty A Rocha leaders representing all our national organisations will be meeting together from 10-16 July. The aim of the forum is to draw on the experience of all those present as we consider ways of growing that will protect our cross-cultural identity. Vinoth Ramachandra from Sri Lanka will be helping us gain a Biblical perspective on cross-cultural issues and various team members will lead workshops on conservation, communications, partnerships and financial sustainability.

Riverine rehabilitation in South Africa

The Msunduzi River

A Rocha South Africa's Living Waterways Project has officially begun. The riverbanks, overgrown with many invasive species of trees and shrubs, were recently cleared. A Rocha is rehabilitating the banks to make them part of a larger inner-city conservancy in which we will partner with local government, business and community organisations, and local residents. Schools along the banks are already involved in clearance and native-tree planting days. The project has created a part-time job for Nkosinathi Chonco, newly appointed to the South Africa Team.

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August 2005

Fighting poverty in Ghana

A new grant from IUCN will enable A Rocha Ghana to continue their work with several communities near Mole National Park in the north of the country, to relieve their extreme poverty. The project aims to enable the villagers both to improve their health and nutrition (by the sustainable use of natural resources such as tree products, bee-keeping, dry-land crops and bushmeat) and to conserve and restore their natural environment.

Ader’s Duiker clings to survival on the Kenya coast

The A Rocha Kenya field study centre recently hosted MSc research students from the University of Plymouth, and Paignton Zoo, for 6 weeks. Their main focus was the near-endemic and Globally Endangered Ader’s Duiker Cephalophus adersi, and its habitat requirements. Though it was suspected of being locally extinct, with local guide Willy Kombe they finally saw one in the Arabuko-Sokoke Forest on 22 June – the first confirmed sighting for a long time.

A Rocha at the British Birdwatching Fair

This year the Birdfair is supporting Gurney's Pittas and their forest home in SE Asia.

If you’ll be at the fair (19-21 August) at Rutland Water, then we hope you’ll call by the A Rocha stand in Marquee 2. Or you could arrive in time to join us at the Sunday morning service from 9.35-10.20am in the Events Marquee (gates open at 9am). The service will be led this year by Alison Morgan, assisted by various A Rocha team members from around the world. Bird Fair web site

Autumn migration survey - helpers needed

Would you like to see eagles, storks and many other soaring birds as they fly south down the avian highway that is the Bekaa Valley, Lebanon? Would you like to help the A Rocha Lebanon team in their search for Important Bird Areas during the peak autumn migration weeks?

We need competent birders to assist in this important work from 26 September to 7 October.

Provisional cost (includes full board and accommodation, local transport, pick up and drop off at Beirut airport) US$ 350.

If you are interested, please e-mail arocha@cyberia.net.lb

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September 2005

Smoke from the Portugal fires are visible from space. Credit: ESA

Pygmy Cormorant at Aammiq

Volunteers pruning trees at the Canada centre

Fires in Portugal

Extensive forest fires have returned to Portugal for the third consecutive summer, with over 140,000 hectares of forest and scrubland having been burned, mostly in central and northern regions. The vicinity of the A Rocha Centre, Cruzinha, has not been directly affected this time, although a vast smog, blown south, covered the region on one day in late August. Nationally there has been tragic loss of human life and property, and the impact on the landscapes and their wildlife has been devastating. A Rocha Portugal has been continuing its studies this year on how more frequent forest fires might affect the vegetation and rare plant communities of the nearby Monchique Mountains in the future.

A good breeding season in the Bekaa Valley

This has been a good year for breeding waterbirds at the Aammiq Wetland, Lebanon. The Night Heron Nycticorax nycticorax colony held at least fifty pairs and Coot Fulica atra, Moorhen Gallinula chloropus and Little Grebe Podiceps ruficolli also did well. Another bit of excitement was provided by a Pygmy Cormorant Phalacrocorax pygmeus which stayed for a few weeks – maybe this Near Threatened species will come back next year with a mate!

Want to volunteer in Canada?

Volunteers are needed for the autumn at A Rocha Canada’s Field Study Centre in British Columbia to help with education and conservation projects, including bird surveys, restoration ecology and habitat mapping. They are also in need of gardeners, general maintenance and building maintenance workers. Volunteers contribute $25 Canadian per day which includes room and board. If interested contact canada@arocha.org

Hope for the Planet Conference

A Rocha UK have planned a conference for church leaders, in London, on 24 November. Speakers will include Prof Sir Ghillean Prance, Dr Elaine Storkey, Prof Alister McGrath and Sir John Houghton. For more information: http://en.arocha.org/ukmembers/index17.html

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October 2005

UK Hope for the Planet Conference

Book now for our 24 November conference in London. Seminars, led by people with real practical experience, will cover such topics as “Why community matters”, “Poverty and the environment”, “What can we do in our churches and homes?”, “What can we do about climate change?”. If you know church leaders not yet convinced of their responsibility to respond to the environmental crisis, please encourage them to attend - or bring them with you! We hope attendees will return home to challenge their communities to bring about change, in large and small ways, wherever they live. For more information – Hope for the Planet page.

Living Valley: a new project for landowners

Provence is famous for the beauty of its landscapes and its varied flora and fauna, but some areas are deteriorating and conservation action is needed. After two years of successful individual partnerships, the A Rocha France team, based in the Vallée des Baux, Provence, have formalised a new project to help landowners in the valley to protect their best wildlife sites and restore impoverished habitats. The Living Valley programme involves a property wildlife assessment by A Rocha scientists and the development of an ecological management plan in close consultation with the landowners and their tenants. For more information contact france@arocha.org

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November 2005

A Rocha wins Hope for Europe award

Foi d'ecolo - by Peter Harris

The Hope for Europe award for 2005 was presented to A Rocha, in Portugal, in October. The annual award recognizes a project or a ministry, in Europe, which “embodies the proclamation and demonstration of the message of hope, while maintaining core values of partnership, networking, transformation, and integrity (in finances, relationships, and ministry).”

A Rocha story now in French

Under the Bright Wings – the story of the first ten years of A Rocha, is being published in Paris this month by Editions Farel. The French title is Foi d'Ecolo, which roughly translates as The Faith of an Eco-freak!

Les Tourades, the A Rocha France study centre

Wardens wanted by A Rocha France

The French team are looking for volunteers who would enjoy running the study centre, near Arles, from mid-February to mid-April 2006. Please contact france@arocha.org if you are interested.

Canada Conference 19 November

Garry Oak Seedling, Swan Lake, Victoria, BC

Keeping the Garden – A Creation Care Conference will be held in Victoria, B.C., on Saturday 19 November. The conference will feature keynote speaker Dr Loren Wilkinson of Regent College, together with presentations and workshops by A Rocha team members and others. For a brochure see the Canada events section.

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December 2005

Mwamba Bird Observatory and Field Study Centre

Mwamba is paid for!

Mwamba, the A Rocha field study centre on the Kenyan coast, near Watamu, has been purchased. The owner, who formerly rented the property to A Rocha, informed us in April 2004 that he wanted to sell it. He kindly gave us time to raise the funds and we were able to find half by the end of last year. The rest needed to be paid by the end of September 2005. Several recent donations have enabled us to reach our target, so A Rocha Kenya can now begin to refurbish and adapt the property to better suit its use as a Field Study Centre. We’re very grateful to all those who helped with the purchase. For more about the centre see the Mwamba page.

A Rocha Conservation Science Review 2003-2005 cover

New A Rocha Conservation Science Review

A Rocha's first international Conservation Science Review (2003-2005) has just been published. If you want to know about our work to protect elephants in Ghana and India; our single species bird studies in France, Portugal and Kenya; Canada's work in preserving Garry Oak ecosystems; the Lebanon team's research into the hydrogeology of the Aammiq Wetland or any of our other science and conservation programmes around the world, you can download it here.