BIRD
BUL L ETIN
MIDDLE EAST
ASIA
The Rufous-headed
Robin Larvivora ruficeps
(Endangered) has been spotted for the first
time since 2016. It was observed in the cloud
forests of Malaysia, an entirely new location
for this species. The robin is known to breed
in only two provinces in China, and its
wintering grounds were formerly unknown.
This three-week-long record proves
Malaysian forests are a key wintering habitat.
Foundation
Assad Serhal, Director
of SPNL (BirdLife in
Lebanon), has won the 2018 MIDORI Prize
for Biodiversity for his work reviving the
Hima system, a centuries-old tradition of
community-protected natural areas. At
the ceremony in Beirut, Serhal was also
presented with a Silver Lebanese Order of
Merit medal from the President, in honour of
his outstanding contributions to conservation
in his country.
A proposal has been
submitted for two
coal-fired power stations to be built
within Tomalpin Woodlands, Australia,
a crucial habitat for the Regent
Honeyeater Anthochaera phrygia and
Swift Parrot Lathamus discolor (both
Critically Endangered). BirdLife Australia
has launched a petition calling on
Environment Ministers to permanently
protect this site, which is part of the
Lower Hunter Valley Key Biodiversity Area.
APR-JUN 2019 • BIRDLIFE
PACIFIC
CONSERVATION
ORGANISATIONS:
HIGH IMPACT, LOW
FUNDING?
In a letter to Nature
published in February,
scientists from BirdLife,
the RSPB (BirdLife in the
UK) and the British Trust
for Ornithology (BTO)
called for a re-evaluation
of UK funding models.
This comes in the wake of
statistics that reveal NGOs
have some of the most
highly-cited scientific
papers.
Statistics complied by the
Web of Science show that
for papers published in
the field of ‘environment/
ecology’ during the last
decade, five of the top
six highest-ranking UK
institutions are NGOs or
institutions other than
universities. BirdLife
International ranks 1st, the
RSPB ranks 4th and the
BTO ranks 6th. However,
this importance is not
currently reflected by
the Natural Environment
Research Council (NERC),
the government body that
funds biodiversity research
in the UK. Over the last
five years, only 0.025% of
their £1.86 billion funding
was granted to the BTO,
RSPB and BirdLife.
Currently, the NERC
prioritises research with
high originality. However,
we argue that research by
conservation NGOs often
has a higher benefit to
society, which should be
given more weight in their
decision-making.
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