Two Workshops of the TSU for the Coordination of IWC, the Utilization of Data, and the Conservation of Wetland Ecosystems in North Africa

Article submitted by Tour du Valat

Tunis, 2-6 October 2015 - The project "International Waterbird Census in the Mediterranean” (IWC Med), developed through the initiative of the North African countries and supported by the French Ministry of Ecology, Sustainable Development and Energy and the MAVA Foundation for Nature, has enabled organization of a workshop held in Tunis from 3 to 6 October 2015. Organized by the Association "Les Amis des Oiseaux” (Tunisia) and the Technical Support Unit of the African Initiative of AEWA for North Africa (TSU/Tour du Valat – French National Hunting and Wildlife Agency), the workshop brought together the heads of waterbird census national networks from Libya, Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco.

The first objective was to finalize the common regional database for future exchanges between different users. Participants were also able to work on joint publications covering issues of distribution, abundance and trends of waterbird populations at regional level. Specialists from the TSU in the management of databases and Geographic Information System (GIS) have also trained participants in the use of the online database MedWaterbirds.net (employed to add, modify, import and extract data). The participants have also learned how to use the QGIS to process census data from the internet platform and create cartographic representations to make it more accessible to decision-makers. A provisional program prepared for the second phase of the project foresees a required extension to include other countries of the Mediterranean Basin. Three future areas of development were discussed, each one being the subject of a concept note, with co-funding still to be secured. North African participants of the workshop expressed their enthusiasm and their willingness to maintain the established network and the annual pace of its workshops.

The workshop succeeded the meeting held on 2 October 2015 on the project "Monitoring of waterbirds in North Africa for the conservation of wetlands" funded by CEPF (Critical Ecosystem Partnership Funds) and hosted by Tour du Valat. It primarily intended to strengthen the monitoring activities of waterbirds and wetlands on two test-sites in the four North-African countries mentioned above, with a strong willingness to increase awareness and ensure involvement of various local stakeholders in the management and conservation of wetlands. The meeting made clear that two technical aspects still need to be strengthened before the end of the program scheduled for June 2016: the proposal of biological evidence for site management and the capacity of local NGOs to secure funding in order to sustain the project. This day of collaboration has helped to better distribute available means to effectively make progress on both aspects.

Last updated on 15 October 2015