4. IMPLEMENTATION PROCESS Involving local Citizens in Biodiversity Monitoring –Through Bird Population Monitoring Mooketsa K. & Senyatso K., BirdLife Botswana, Botswana 1. INTRODUCTION Birds have many characteristics that make them good environmental indicators, e.g. their abundance, diversity, ease of identification1. BirdLife Botswana’s work has focused on monitoring and conserving globally threatened birds in Botswana. Yet, there may be declines of “common” bird populations without our knowledge. In response to this BirdLife Botswana has been implementing a Bird Population Monitoring Programme (BPM) aimed at developing a wild bird index for Botswana1, 2, 3. BPM seeks to demonstrate that birds can be useful at showing ecosystem changes where they occur. It is part of the global effort to monitor terrestrial birds around the world. Since the BPM establishment in 2009 there have been five counts undertaken by surveyors (See Fig. 1-3 for the BPM growth). (a) (b) Figure 3. Transects distribution (a) as at November 2011 vs target coverage (b). The target coverage represents 50 × 50 km randomly-chosen grid squares (black squares) based on vegetation types (different colours) of Botswana to sample from . Table 1. The comparison of three BPM counts: November 2010, February 2011 and November 2011 Variable November 2010 February 2011 November 2011 No. of individual birds recorded 14,056 27,605 35,148 No. of species recorded 289 352 362 Average number of birds recorded per transect 127 171 170 Average number of species recorded per transect 23 25 2. BPM OBJECTIVES 1. To produce science-based evidence that will: Develop a wild bird index and show bird population trends for Botswana Help set conservation priorities and guide relevant legislation Report on the state/change of Botswana’s biodiversity (including National reports to the Convention on Biological Diversity and DEA’s Environment Information System). 2. To build the capacity of Batswana and increase the level of community participation in wildlife monitoring. 6. Challenges Transfers/relocation of BPM programme regional coordinators, and transect surveyors. Bias of counters near cities and towns; remote areas still insufficiently surveyed. Insufficient support materials e.g. Global Positioning System (GPS) Units, bird guide books, binoculars e.t.c. Low level of bird knowledge (so, bird records in some transects may not truly represent the total number of birds that were present during the individual transect visits). Some incorrect records reporting species outside their known distribution. Some transects are often not repeated. 3. METHODS Point counts are used located at regular intervals along a 2km transect. Birds are counted along this 2 km transect, stopping every 200 m to record all the birds seen or heard for five minutes only. Counts are undertaken twice annually (February and November). 7. RECOMMENDATIONS Host training, recruitment and feedback workshops to discuss challenges and progress. Procure support materials and put them at central places for easy access. Regional coordinators to regularly conduct bird identification training courses for the BPM surveyors. Produce more promotional/motivational materials and source funding for the programme’s sustainability. 4. IMPLEMENTATION PROCESS The BPM programme implementation process involves: 1. A dedicated programme coordinator to: Contact the surveyors to remind them to undertake transects counts. Collate data, analyse and write feedback reports to surveyors. Publicise BPM by writing articles before and after the count and send to media. Produce motivational materials for the surveyors (e.g. t-shirts, posters and bird call CDs). Share update reports with stakeholders through meetings, to solicit guidance on improving the BPM. 2. Regional BPM coordinators to: support the surveyors in their regions. 3. Data management personnel. Red-billed Quelea/Thaga 1. For further reading Sheehan, D. K., Gregory, R. D., Eaton, M. A., Bubb, P. J., & Chenery, A. M. 2010. The Wild Bird Index-Guidance for National and Regional Use. UNEP-WCMC, Cambridge, UK. 2. BPM , also called “Common Bird Monitoring in Botswana: Involving citizens in biodiversity monitoring”. 3. BPM is Implemented in collaboration with the government departments, the Department of Wildlife and National Parks (DWNP) and the Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA). 4. Acknowledgements are due to the BPM regional representatives and the surveyors. Notes 5. RESULTS Nationally, with the data that the surveyors collect, the distribution, diversity, abundance, composition and population trends of birds of Botswana is portrayed. For example, Figure 1-3 shows the BPM growth in terms of the number of surveyors, transects and common birds. FOR MORE INFORMATION Contact: BirdLife Botswana, P O Box 26691, GameCity, Gaborone, Botswana Telefax: 3190540/1 www.birdlifebotswana.org.bw blb@birdlifebotswana.org.bw/education@birdlifebotswana.org.bw Cape Turtle-Dove/Leeba Number Sponsored by the Global Environment Facility Small Grant s Programme (GEF SGP) and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB, BirdLife International Partner in UK) Figure 1. Number of transects and surveyors for the 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012 counts Figure 2. The most common species ordered by the total no. of individual birds recorded