Earthwatch Scientist Wins British Ecological Society Award
Grant will support the creation of an East Africa Ecological Society
Earthwatch Institute, Maynard, MA, 17 January 2007- Earthwatch is pleased to announce that Dr. Nicholas Oguge, field director for Earthwatch's regional initiative in Samburu, Kenya, was awarded a grant by the British Ecological Society (BES). The grant of £10,000 pounds will be used to bring ecologists from Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania together to discuss the options for an East Africa Ecological Society.
"There is need for a forum where ecologists with diverse backgrounds and careers are able to get together and brainstorm on topical issues such as biodiversity, desertification, invasive species, and climate change," said Oguge. "An ecological society would provide such a forum and leadership for bringing key ecological paradigms into national policy, governance, and sustainable development."
The grant will support a conference, to be held at the National Museums of Kenya on May 3-4, 2007, which will assist in establishing a network of ecologists in East Africa. The society will develop strategies to improve integration of the best ecological knowledge into policy and management. It will also support strategic ecological needs and provide a venue in which ecologists can collaborate with professionals from other disciplines in solving or addressing shared problems in East Africa.
"A well established society will be able to promote a thoughtful public today and educate future generations to use the best ecological knowledge when making individual and communal choices and decisions about ecological sustainability in the region," said Oguge.
As part of Earthwatch's regional initiative, Oguge is working with local communities and partners, such as Lewa Wildlife Conservancy, to actively promote the conservation and well-being of wildlife, wild habitats, and human populations in the Samburu region. In collaboration with local partners, Earthwatch has developed a suite of research projects that address the concerns of local stakeholders, from landowners to conservation professionals.
The grant was part of BES's Building Capacity for Ecology Fund, a fund of £500,000 to support and encourage new ecological networks or societies in areas around the world. East Africa was one of nine regions that were awarded funds in 2006, totaling £201,847. The other eight regions are Cameroon, Gabon, Macedonia, Nigeria, Romania, Ukraine, The Democratic Republic of Congo, and the Czech Republic.
For more about Earthwatch's Samburu regional initiative, go to http://www.earthwatch.org/conservation/samburu.html
Earthwatch Institute is a global volunteer organization that supports scientific field research by offering members of the public unique opportunities to work alongside leading field scientists and researchers. Earthwatch's mission is to engage people worldwide in scientific field research and education to promote the understanding and action necessary for a sustainable environment. The year 2006 marks Earthwatch's 35th anniversary.
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