UzSPB BACKGROUND

The idea of UzSPB creation first appeared during the discussion with Executive director of BirdLife International Michael Rends at the time of our visit to Cambridge in March 2006. By that time Uzbekistan had joined the implementation of the International program "Important bird areas" (IBA). A non-government organization of the ornithological profile should serve as the consolidation of professional ornithologists and birdwatchers, development and activation of ornithology and nature-conservative outlook in Uzbekistan. Moreover, the experience of IBA program realization in CIS countries shows that the strengthening of partnership with BirdLife International opens a broad avenue for the implementation of the international nature-conservative convention.

The initiative was supported by the Chairman of Uzbekistan Zoological society, Academician D.A. Azimov and all local ornithologists and was therefore included into the Resolution of II Workshop of IBA program executors in October 2006 in Tashkent. Then, a year of hard work followed. It was necessary to determine the main lines, goals, objectives, structure and work plans of the new society with the expectation of long-term outlook. The experts in ecology and law department of the State Committee for Nature Protection of Uzbekistan, T.S. Tilyaev and D.N. Rihsieva, provided important help in this process. As a long-expected result, in November 14, 2007, the Department of Justice of Uzbekistan registered a new non-governmental organization, the "Uzbekistan Society for the protection of birds" (UzSPB).

The goals of the UzSPB are the following: conservation and rehabilitation of the gene pool of birds permanently and temporarily inhabiting the territory of Uzbekistan; meeting cultural, education, spiritual and other non-material demands related to aesthetic, cultural and cognitive value of birds.

In December 2007, the UzSPB Executive Committee was elected. It joined scientists - representatives of the Uzbek Academy of Sciences, Uzbekistan Zoological Society, IBA program and other organizations from regions. The leading ornithologist of Uzbekistan, Prof. O.V. Mitropolskiy, was elected as the Chairman of UzSPB Executive Committee. The general meeting discussed and passed the Statute on the Executive Committee and Statute on the UzSPB symbols. In April 6, 2008, UzSPB general meeting took place in the assembly hall of the Institute of Zoology. During the meeting the first membership cards were handed to the UzSPB members.