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| Database of P&W Projects and Practitioners |
| Block 1 - Project Details |
Project Title:
The Great Himalayan Bird Count, Uttarakhand | | | | Project Type | | Research: | | | Mitigation: | | | Increase Tolerance: | | | | | Description: | Good news once again, after the grand success of our “Great Himalayan Bird Count, Winter of 2008 in November” last year, where more than 70 birdwatchers, students & conservationists participated from all parts of our country including one overseas participant, we now gladly announce the dates for our 2nd national level conservation initiative for our feathered friends:
“The Great Himalayan Bird Count, Winter of 2009” which is planned on the 36 most popular trekking trails situated in the river-valleys of Tons; Yamuna; Bhagirithi; Bhilingna; Ganga; Mandakini and Alaknanda in Garhwal including Asan & Jhilmil Jheel Conservation Reserves.
The proposed dates for the Bird Count are: 7th to 10th of November, 2009
The bird count will start and finish at Dehradun
We propose 15 Groups undertaking 36 different treks of +/- 10 kms each between 7th and 10h November 2009 (Each Group size will be a maximum of five birders plus 2-3 urban school students) plus local village youths, forest-line staff and govt. school students from villages will join the trails at the count destinations itself.
We are involving & encouraging young school children participation; because we at ARCH strongly feel that young minds should start thinking of Conservation as an academic and career pursuit instead of just another creative past-time.
This event will be organized with the support of Government of Uttarakhand.
There will be a Orientation and Debriefing Workshop at Dehradun on the 7th and 10th of November 2009 respectively.
The 7th and 10th are also the dates for to-&-fro journey to the count destinations.
Most of the groups will be undertaking two trails during the Count but one or two groups will be undertaking 3-4 trails in the Count.
It is an encounter-rate baseline data generation and conservation awareness activity involving urban and rural youth.
Participants will also enjoy an amazing Bird Photo and Bird Books Exhibition on the 7th November 2009 at the Orientation Workshop Venue.
Each group will accommodate some local youths and young school children from the area and will provide required orientation & motivation to take-up bird watching as a revenue generation skill by becoming future birding guides in their village area.
Each group is encouraged to conduct a small half-hour workshop with the local village elders to generate list of vernacular names of the bird species found in different river valleys. They are also expected to document any references occurring in oral folk.
This is not a commercial activity, so we expect the participants to share the cost of lodging, Boarding & travel expenses at actuals during the count. The Participation contribution for Four days of modest travel, boarding and lodging would come to around Rs 3,000/- only. (Pl. Note: Some trails like Dayara Bugyal, Reeh (Ghuttu) and Nauri would cost more for purely logistic reasons).
Each participant will get a participation kit consisting of an event T-Shirt, Cap, Car Stickers, event sling pen and a participation certificate plus a hard copy of the published report and a farmable size group photograph taken during the orientation workshop.
During the count modest but comfortable lodging & boarding will be arranged at the FRH, PWD Inspection Bungalows and Village accommodation at some of the trails during the count.
Friends, as most of the trails require some endurance and trekking skills but we also have some very comfortable participation destinations for the elderly birdwatchers.
Friends now you know the dates, so plan your schedules accordingly and kindly let us know of your intention (with your trekking & birding experience of Himalayan bird specie) to participate in this wonderful himalayan birding opportunity at the earliest.
Friends we encourage foreign participation and the fees is US $ 50 per participation
Each Group size is restricted to 7-9 birders only, so please hurry...
On hearing from you we’ll furnish you the Count Trails and Registration Details at the outset.
Garhwal is a divine place to visit for a truly amazing himalayan birding (it would be mostly Lifers for many of you) & a memorable mountain trekking experience.
“Happy Birding and May you have many rare sightings and new records”
Regards
Prateek Panwar
Founder Trustee
Action & Research for Conservation in Himalayas
MDDA Duplex Villa # 3, Sahastradhara Road,
Opp. Petrol Pump, Dehradun, Uttarakhand 248001 INDIA
Tel# 9412054216
(0135)2114649
Email: arch.himalayas@yahoo.co.in
arch.birdcount@yahoo.in
IMPORTANT: Participants will be governed by the provisions of the Indian Forest Act, 1927 & Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 in addition to the other laws of the land.
Please Note: As an effort to bring our organization on sustainable economic footing we also design & execute special mountain birding n trekking camps and wildlife safaris in Rajaji National Park on request for young minds and corporates. Support our cause by visiting our area for a himalayan birding, wildlife and trekking experience.
| | Further Details: | Please Note: As an effort to bring our organization on sustainable economic footing we also design & execute special mountain birding n trekking camps and wildlife safaris in Rajaji National Park on request for young minds and corporates. Support our cause by visiting our area for a himalayan birding, wildlife and trekking experience.
IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER:
Last Date to Submit Participation Application: 30th August 2009
Last Date to Submit Registration Fee: 10th September 2009
Last Date to submit Balance Participation Fee: 30th September 2009
Last Date to submit Late Participation Fee: 30TH October 2009
Arrival at Dehradun: 7th of Nov 2009 latest by 0900 hrs for the Orientation.
Actual Count Days: 8th and 9th of Nov 2009
Debriefing Workshop at Dehradun: Starting at 1430 hrs. on the 10th of Nov 2009.
Recommended Field Guides for this count exercise:
• “A Field Guide to the Birds of India”
Authored by: Krys Kazmierczak
Illustrated by: Ber Van Perlo
• “Pocket Guide to the Birds of the Indian Subcontinent”
Authored by: Richard Grimmett, Carol Inskipp & Tim Inskipp
Published by: Oxford University Press.
Methodology:
Owing to the difficult mountain terrains and also to make it a simple and replicable model, only the established and popular trek routes have been benchmarked for carrying out the counts. 15 groups undertaking 36 count-trails over four days have been identified. These count-trails pass through the representative forest types (bird habitats) of the region. Each trail would be traversed by a counting group, which would have at least two experienced birdwatchers besides the local forest staff, urban school students, bird photographers and interested local youth to be groomed as future birding guides of the area. Each group would be required to record all the bird species encountered during the count trails and also the habitat type where they are seen in the pre-supplied datasheets. This would help in generating simple and useful quantified information in the form of encounter rates for each habitat of each trek. Based on the existing maps and information provided by the local field staff the habitats on the trek routes would be delineated prior to the counts and this information would be provided to the groups undertaking the count. This year we will also be trying to provide GPS generated maps with prominent physical features and forest types marked on it.
Besides the bird-count and the required observations, the group would also be expected to interact with the local villagers and document the anecdotal, cultural and religious folklore associated with birds through information provided by them. The formats for recording this information will be supplied with the Bird Count Kit. These interactions would also help in generating awareness towards bird conservation amongst the local people.
PROFILE OF THE ORGANIZERS:
“Action & Research for Conservation in Himalayas – ARCH” is established for beneficial promotion and to save the Endangered animal and plant life-forms and their habitats in the country with special emphasis to its Avifaunal Diversity. India is at the tri junction of three bio-geographical realms. Due to extensive use of chemical manuring, insecticides, pesticides etc, loss of habitat, environmental pollution, use of drugs such as Diclofinac etc with Avifaunal diversity now most threatened in our country. With Himalayan Quail and Pink Headed Duck already feared to be extinct, whereas Jerodn’s Courser, Son-Chirya and Spotted Owlet are at the verge of extinction. It is strongly felt that the endangered flora & fauna, especially the birds cannot be saved without active support & efforts of all sections of society. The involvements of various organizations and individuals the world over would be required jointly with the government efforts to conserve the species diversity. “ARCH” is being formed with its primary objectives of
strengthening species conservation in India. The Objectives are:-
a. To help enhance ecological conservation, particularly air, water and earth mass and the conservation of its flora & fauna.
b. To help conservation initiatives specially focused around the young minds from the rural & urban population of India.
c. To help in building the capacity of the forest, wildlife, and related line staff in various eco systems.
d. To help carry out conservation education and sustainable eco-development measures in and around important eco systems.
e. To help in rejuvenation of suitable habitats for critically endangered species.
f. To Promote Conservation activities of a national and international character.
g. Undertake initiatives to discourage poaching activities.
h. To help Anti-poaching efforts of the State and Central Government with relation to various species of flora and fauna.
i. To help create appropriate atmosphere for safe arrival, stay and back passage of migratory birds.
j. To help in creation of corridors and connectivity for various species of flora & fauna and create atmosphere against artificial barriers, which isolate natural exchange of genes.
k. To help establish / operate or be instrumental in starting rehabilitation center(s) for stray / injured wild animals.
l. To help establish / operate or be instrumental in starting propagation centre(s) for spreading awareness regarding critically endangered wild species.
m. To undertake encounter rate population dynamics surveys on a yearly basis.
n. To initiate awareness programmes in the villages situated on the periphery of Corbett & Rajaji National Parks with a focus on reducing Man-animal Conflict.
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| | | | Start Year: | 2008 | End Year: | 0 | | Date Entered: | 2009.07.16 | Last Modified: | 2009.07.16 | | Source of Data: | Reported by project leader | | Name: | Panwar, Prateek (Mr) | | Department: | Avian Biology & Feild Research | | Institution: | Action & Research for Conservation in Himalayas | | Address: | MDDA Duplex Villa # 3, Sahastradhara Road
Dehradun
Uttarakhand
India
248001
| | Phone: | +91-9412054216 | | Fax: | | | Email: | arch.birdcount@gmail.com | | Web Site: | http:// | | Projects: | | |
| Affiliation and funds | Lead organization: | Action & Research for Conservation in Himalayas, Dehradun | | | Collaborating Organisations: | Uttarakhand Forest | | | Main sponsor: | GTL Group | | | Annual budget: | US$1K-10K, |
| Block 2 - Environmental setting |
| Location: | Continent: | | Region: | Indian Sub-continent | | | Country: | | Location: | Garhwal Himalayas | | Biome: | Tropical Evergreen Forest | | Main habitat type: | | | Size of study area: | 0 km2 | | Protection Status: | None | | Type of land use: | Subsistence agriculture |
Wildlife species targeted (or concerned)
| Common name: | | | Order: | | Family: | | Species binomial: | | | Economic costs of the project | | Evaulated: NO | By this project: NO | Annual value: 0 (US$) | | Details: | | | Perceived threats from wildlife in the area | | | Other: | Avian population dynamics study | | Perceived benefits from wildlife | | Conservation sensitization |
Actions to mitigate conflict or improve tolerance | Compensation schemes: | | | Success score: | NA | | Economic incentives: | Development of ecoturism | | Success score: | NA | | Area protection: | Creation of new areas | | Success score: | NA | | Lethal control: | | | Success score: | NA | | Non-lethal control: | | | Success score: | NA | | Exclusion (e.g. barriers): | | | Success score: | NA | | Reducing livestock losses: | | | Success score: | NA | | Frightening agents: | | | Success score: | NA | | Repellents/adversives: | | | Success score: | NA | | Habitat change: | | | Success score: | NA | | Community education: | Conservation education (school level) | | Success score: | NA | | Increasing awareness: | Local authorities | | Success score: | NA | Any real economic benefits as a result of this project? | Evaluated: NO | By this project: YES | Annual Value: 0 US$ |
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