The Oman Earthwatch Programme
The Diwan of Royal Court have invited Earthwatch to contribute to "the advancement of national field research" in the Sultanate of Oman; working under the National Field Research Centre for Environmental Conservation (NFRCEC). The Oman Earthwatch Programme is a close collaboration with governmental, academic and education communities in Oman and aims to:
- Develop four environmental research projects
- Provide opportunities for the training of Omani scientists
- Develop a cadre of research and development specialists and educators in Oman to lead long-term research and engagement
- Share results from the fieldwork with the education community
- Provide a forum for science, research and policy communities to meet
Credit Nat Spring
The Research Projects
Four research projects are being developed. The first two projects build on existing work carried out by the Office of Conservation of the Environment (OCE) on Jebel Samhan (Arabian leopard) and in Wadi Sareen (Arabian tahr). The final projects are being confirmed through consultation with Omani stakeholders and will likely have focus on mountain woodlands, through a collaboration with Sultan Qaboos University, and Masirah Island's marine ecology. The research projects and areas local to the projects will form a delivery basis for many of the aims of the Programme.
The Project Teams
Each research project comprises Omani and international scientists working together with Field Assistants from the areas local to the projects and support from Omani Rangers.
The UK Programme Team
The Oman Earthwatch Programme is directed by Dr Roderic Dutton, with support from Caroline Rodgers on Programme Management. The UK Programme team at Earthwatch comprises: Dr James Burton for Research; Phil Dickinson for Learning; Caroline Rodgers for Education & Engagement and Steve Bishop for Field Management support. Dr Alan Roe and Dr Anthony Beck contribute Social Science, and GIS and Data Management expertise to the Programme respectively.