The AvianEyes Birding Group (a bird watching group) the only one of its kind in St Vincent, launched its land birds identification card Tuesday. The card features endemic species (species only to be found in specific locations) in Grenada and St Vincent, and is expected to be used as a tool to begin stirring awareness in the types of birds to be found here.
Andrew Wilson, Chairman of the bird watching group said that the card was the first of its kind, providing proper identification and documentation the result of a real need for such material. “It is really significant having a compilation of a category of birds to be presented and to be used for various purposes,” Wilson said. He added that there was potential with tour guides and for the persons in the general public to become more aware of the species around them. “The cards should help build a heightened awareness, and as people get the importance of birds in the environment, they will want to protect the environment,” Amos Glasgow, the group’s Public Relations Officer said. Glasgow said that within recent times, particularly amidst the development that has been taking place, a lot of natural habitats have been lost. “We need to take stock,” he implored, adding that he hoped the cards will not just become a collector’s item, but be put to good use.
The project was a collaborative one involving the Avianeyes bird watching group, the Society for the Conservation and Study of Caribbean Birds, the Sustainable Grenadines Project and the Grenada Forestry Department. “We can only truly conserve if we know the reason we are doing it,” Martin Barriteau of the Sustainable Grenadines Project stated. He noted that most birds in this hemisphere needed the natural environment the Caribbean provides; therefore, there was the need to begin protecting such habitats.
One way to achieve this, according to Barriteau, is to begin creating the awareness of bird conservation. This final product is the completion of a project started years ago when wetland and shoreline birds were documented. Over 1,000 copies (of the card) have been made available for distribution to environmental groups and schools.
source of article:
The Vincentian newspaper
by Dayle Dasilva
27/09/08
www.thevincentian.com
.JPG)
.jpg)
