UzSPB's STUDENT BIRDWATCHING CLUBS

In 2007 IBA program in Uzbekistan started development of student birdwatching clubs in different regions of Uzbekistan. At the moment in Uzbekistan following active clubs exists:

• UzSPB's Student Club "Phasianus" based at National University of Uzbekistan;
• UzSPB's Student Club "Ivolga" based at Bukhara State University;
• UzSPB's Student Club "Flamingo" based at Samarkand State University;
• UzSPB's Student Club "Otus" based at Karakalpak State University;
• UzSPB's Student Club based at Kokand teacher's training University.

Location of Student Clubs

At the moment, the growing network of UzSPB's Birdwatching clubs already numbers more than 60 active students. All of them are members of UzSPB. Students already play an important role in IBA monitoring, take part in fieldwork and undertake educational activities to pass on their knowledge to schoolchildren.

New computers for the student clubs

In November and December, 2008 meetings of student birdwatching clubs took place. At the meetings students acquainted with Statutes about UzSPB's student birdwatching clubs and UzSPB's branches. UzSPB handed over to clubs computers granted by Government of Germany and CIM program.

Monitoring carried out by specially trained students

The most interesting and effective period of student birdwatching clubs work was in 2008 when student activities were supported by the Rufford Small Grants Foundation (RSG). More than 50 students from 4 clubs took part in realization of the project "Important Bird Area conservation: Monitoring carried out by specially trained biology students in Uzbekistan". Students of Bird watching clubs carry out basic regular monitoring of one IBA nearby local universities. In course of the project 11 IBAs have been monitored, this relates to 23% of all IBAs in Uzbekistan. For 5 IBAs at least 1 criterion has been added.

UzSPB Birdwatching club network Conference

First UzSPB Birdwatching club network Conference has taken place in March in Samarkand State University. This large-scale event brought together more than thirty participants, students and their consultants of 4 UzSPB Birdwatching clubs, professors, UzSPB and ACBK staff. Students and Club advisors presented more than 30 talks and presentations. Talks were given in 4 sessions:

1. Reports on IBA monitoring through Rufford funding
2. Talks on individual scientific work
3. Talks of UzSPB and Bird watching Club advisors

Bird of the Year Campaigns

During three years IBA project and UzSPB together with Student clubs carry out educational and informational campaigns "Bird of the Year". At the Bird of the Year Day in April and at the Day of Autumn bird counts in October every Bird watching Club organizes presentations about project activities at their universities, which help to find more enthusiasts and interested students for the Clubs. In this year International day of autumn bird counts was most widely celebrated in Uzbekistan. In counts took part members of student birdwatchers clubs form Tashkent, Samarkand, Bukhara, Fergana regions and Karakalpakstan.

All Clubs were opened and work actively thank to initiative of students and their teachers. We are glad to support your ideas! Join to UzSPB's student birdwatching clubs network!