is a registered charity set up to undertake detailed population studies
of bird life in the Isle of Man over a five
year period starting in April 1998. The results of these studies will
be published in the form of a 'Breeding Birds Atlas' and a 'Wintering
Birds Atlas'. These studies will produce high quality information
on the status of Manx bird populations and the information in the published
atlas's will be suitable for use within environmental, scientific or
other research.
is an independent Manx Registered Non Profit Making Company, and a Manx
Registered Charity. It depends upon sponsorship and support from private
organisations, public bodies and from individuals.
STATEMENTS OF SUPPORT RECEIVED TO DATE
British Trust for Ornithology :- Dr. Richard Gregory
BSc D. Phil., Head of Census Unit
" Having given due consideration to the plan
and methods outlined in the Business plan for the ,
I can confirm that it accords with best practice in conservation science.
Specifically, the methodology for the summer and winter fieldwork
closely follow the BTO's own atlas projects and are well suited to
the task in hand. The programme of work is ambitious but achievable
given appropriate support. I would wholeheartedly support the aims
and methods of the ."
Comment on the work of mba from Dr David Gibbons
Head, Conservation Science, RSPB Chairman, European Birds Census Council
I have been involved with the
from its outset and visited the project team in November 1999 to discuss
progress. There
is little doubt that this project is fast becoming a world leader among
bird monitoring and survey work of this kind.
The methods that have been developed are very sophisticated and have built
on the knowledge of similar surveys undertaken in, for example, Britain
and Ireland, the Netherlands and Southern Africa. The Atlas is both quantitative
- that is knowledge of bird abundance in different parts of the Island
is collected, rather than just presence or absence - and year-round. Few
atlases have attempted to do this.
A variety of quantitative methods have been developed for species with
different levels of abundance, and that used to survey common species
will help advance techniques of monitoring biological populations further
afield; indeed the project is being used as a test-bed for developing
novel census techniques by some of the world’s experts in this area.
The size of the Isle of Man, along with the dedication and enthusiasm
of the team running the project allows information to be collected at
a very fine resolution. This means that the data will be invaluable
for land-use planning on the Island, both at the local scale and more
generally; no other atlases have collected data at such a fine scale.
Although
much of the data for the Atlas are collected by a team of professionals,
information from volunteers is used and even those who are uncertain of
bird species identification can contribute by submitting records of birds
seen in their garden.
The project thus involves many more people than just the project team
it is involving the whole Manx community. Importantly, the Atlas team
is involved within the Primary and Secondary Schools of the Island, giving
talks on local birdlife, linking into the National Curriculum. The
has become a true
community project.
The
shows what a small
team of people with drive and commitment can do. I congratulate them all.
Isle of Man Department of Education :- Stuart Loaring,
Co-ordinating Adviser - Primary Education
" I am pleased to confirm that the Department
of Education is happy to endorse the project and would welcome the
opportunity to be able to incorporate the work of the charity in the
schools. It would make a positive contribution to attainment targets
in science, mathematics, geography and information technology, as
well as raising the pupil's awareness of their Manx heritage, culture
and wild-life.
We would therefore be happy to support the work of the project manager
and the scientific officer in establishing an educational programme,
and in enabling them to visit schools on a regular basis in order
to keep pupils abreast of developments in the survey, and to raise
their awareness of issues such as conservation, migration and the
diversity and population of the Island's birdlife."
Isle of Man Department of Transport :-
" The Department of Transport is pleased to be
able to offer its support to the work of Manx Bird Atlas. The level
of information which this research will provide can only be of benefit
to the Island both now and for the future. The Department will be
using the data gathered to assist it in ensuring it can discharge
its responsibilities in a way which takes full account of the need
to preserve and enhance our Island's birdlife."
