SEABIRD CONSERVATION PROGRAMME
Sue Tonin attended the South African Polar Research Infrastructure (SAPRI) LTO-Land (Long-Term Observations-Land) User Fora Meeting, where plans for the upcoming Marion Island relief voyage were discussed. Sue and Robyn Adams also progressed Mouse-Free Marion’s (MFM’s) planning and preparations for the upcoming relief voyage. The US$10 million donation to the Mouse-Free Marion Project appears to have triggered a small flurry of additional donations, for which we are most grateful. Romario Valentine, a KZN schoolboy, has resumed fundraising for the project (see: https://www.backabuddy.co.za/campaign/romarios-seabirds-conservation).
LANDSCAPE CONSERVATION PROGRAMME
BirdLife South Africa (BLSA) has successfully secured an Eskom contract to continue its conservation work at the Ingula Nature Reserve in the eastern Free State, along with several other key initiatives. Signed this week, the agreement will provide crucial funding to support these projects over the next five years.
SPECIES CONSERVATION PROGRAMME
Lorinda Hart submitted a journal article titled “European Avian Risk Assessment as a Screening Tool for Hazardous Agrochemicals in South Africa” to the international journal Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management for peer review.
EMPOWERING PEOPLE PROGRAMME
Ntuthuko Mathe facilitated a carbon finance workshop with the Nqabelweni Farmers’ Association in the Ntsikeni Herding for Health project to familiarise members with carbon finance concepts, clarify community roles and responsibilities, explain revenue distribution processes, and confirm the signatories to the carbon agreement.
REGIONAL CONSERVATION PROGRAMME
Jessica Wilmot and Charlotte Boyd welcomed Ian Barber (Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB)) on his final work trip to visit BLSA and thanked him for all his support over the years.
SCIENCE & INNOVATION PROGRAMME
Various spatial datasets of the national distribution of specific bird guilds were produced to be used as a baseline for targeted conservation planning.
POLICY & ADVOCACY PROGRAMME
The draft fourth edition of Assessing and Monitoring the Impact of Wind-Energy Facilities on Birds in Southern Africa was shared with stakeholders for comment.
HEAD OF CONSERVATION
The proposed 2026 targets and actions in the BLSA Annual Strategic Framework were reviewed and approved, and appraisal forms were finalised for the year.
MEMBERSHIP PROGRAMME
Shireen Gould and Janine Goosen presented the Bird of the Year 2026, the Black Harrier, to the Magalies Junior Honorary Rangers on Saturday. The group learned interesting facts about this remarkable raptor and its conservation status. The session included several interactive activities, such as writing short newspaper articles based on topics about the bird, creating posters highlighting an interesting fact about the species, and a fun sensory activity where participants were blindfolded and had to “find their prey” while blocking out surrounding noise.
BUSINESS DIVISION
BLSA is very grateful for the exceptionally generous R550 000 donation we will receive from BirdLife eThekwini KZN, and which will be allocated to a number of our important bird conservation projects. We have spent time during this past week finalising matters related to the Flock to St Helena Island trip, including refunding the Group 3 guests. We are now in the early stages of planning two visits to St Helena in early 2027. The two April Zimanga Photo Safaris are fully booked!