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Purpose As there is limited awareness about the global biodiversity importance, the purpose of this project is to strengthen support for bird and biodiversity conservation on BIOT. Context The British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT) or the Chagos Archipelago as it is also known is the largest coral atoll in the world. It is made up of 55 islands covering a huge expanse of the Indian Ocean, approximately 500,000 km2. Due to its remoteness and restricted access, BIOT is possibly the most under-recorded UK Territory from an ornithological context. BIOT is known to hold internationally important seabird populations, yet basic information on breeding phenology, numbers and distribution is still not available. BIOT is the terminal point of the Central Asian Flyway used by migratory birds. Records from the University of Hawai indicate the endangered Nordman's Greenshank, Tringa guttifer, and near threatened Asiatic Dowithcher, Limnodromus semipalmatus, are some of the birds of global conservation concern using the flyway but requires confirmation. Even on Diego Garcia, little is known of the arrival dates or numbers of migratory birds. There are up to 5,000 personnel working on Diego Garcia during peak military activities with little awareness of the global biodiversity importance of the archipelago. There is much interest on Diego Garcia in conservation but little access to information or literature to inform those interested. This interest is inspired by the natural beauty of the area and the ease of which wildlife can be viewed. This paucity in information is being rectified in some way by the Chagos Conservation Trust's production of Fact Sheets that cover a broad spectrum of Natural History topics. Birds are plentiful and obvious in BIOT, particularly on Diego Garcia, and are an obvious starting point for an embryonic, on island movement promoting conservation. Conservation awareness training is being introduced to US military personnel; this training may also be offered in due course to civilian contractors. The Bird Guide will be a strong asset to this training and a useful tool to those on island who want to further their conservation education whilst on the island. The book will become the standard reference work on birds for use by the Environmental Management Team of the Public Works Department on Diego Garcia. This Project is required to raise awareness and build support for bird and biodiversity conservation primarily on Diego Garcia but also in the UK, USA and other Territories. It will contribute to gaps in current ornithological knowledge and facilitate the gathering of bird records from the Territory in order to have the information required to formulate existing or future conservation strategies designed to protect birds and by association, other flora and fauna. This is a new initiative but builds on the Important Bird Area directory compiled on BIOT and the publication, Ecology of the Chagos (Sheppard & Seaward, 1999). It enhances the series of Fact Sheets produced on BIOT by the Chagos Conservation Trust, particularly the four ornithological Sheets covering Seabirds, Introduced Birds, Important Bird Areas and Migrants and Vagrants. Outputs The purpose of this project is to strengthen support for bird and biodiversity conservation on BIOT, primarily on Diego Garcia but also in the UK, USA and on other Territories. It will do this by: - Increasing and consolidating existing knowledge on bird populations
. Where possible site visits will be conducted with personnel from Diego Garcia to survey the status and distribution of birds. In addition, a desk review of existing scientific reports will be undertaken. - Using this information to produce an accessible and easy to use Bird-guide. This will be the first time a consolidated work covering all the birds occurring in BIOT, their distribution and status has been published. Using information collected under output 1 and working with Naturebureau (published Anguilla Bird-guide), a full colour guide (144 pages) with photographs featuring all birds regularly seen in BIOT and its waters will be produced. It will be easy to use and include chapters on the importance of BIOT ecologically in an international context; a brief history of the human occupation of the atolls; the designated Important Bird Areas and Strict Nature Reserves and a chapter dedicated to bird-watching on Diego Garcia.
- Establishing links to the BirdLife WorldBirds database. RSPB will activate a BIOT component of the WorldBirds database so that monitoring records can be centrally stored and easily retrieved. Training will be provided to personnel so they can use the database.
- Raising awareness of the global biodiversity importance. The Bird-Guide will be distributed on Diego Garcia through Cable and Wireless, to raise awareness locally. It will also be available for sale to the UK and USA through Naturebureau. Revenue raised from the sale of the guide will be used to support future conservation work on the islands. A poster will be designed to promote the Bird-guide. It will be sent to popular journals for peer review. The Bird Guide will be advertised during the conservation awareness training undertaken on Diego Garcia and will be featured in the Tropical Times as well as on the local radio and television.
Main Activities - Existing knowledge on bird populations is increased and consolidated
. Site visits undertaken to survey birds
Desk review of existing scientific information and bird records- An accessible and easy to use Bird-guide is produced for BIOT
Chapter content agreed with RSPB
Draft introductory chapters to RSPB
Draft bird species chapter to RSPB
Images sourced
Missing images sourced
Chapters and images submitted to Naturebureau
Design, layout and printing of guide - Links to BirdLife Worldbirds database established
RSPB activates Worldbirds system
Training workshop on use of Worldbirds - Awareness of the global birds and biodiversity importance of BIOT is raised
Production of promotional poster
Launch and dissemination of guides on Diego Garcia
Publication of two reviews
Stakeholders Liaison has taken place between the RSPB and the proposed author and an agreed schedule of work has been mapped out. Contact has been made with photographers who are known to have pictures of birds taken in BIOT to ensure they are content to donate their works for free. The author has met with the present British Representative (2008) (and CO NSF) to ensure that the Project is supported in the area it is directed at, personnel on Diego Garcia. Chapters will be shared for review with scientists from the Chagos Conservation Trust and Chagos Environment Network. Critical Assumptions Risk: Author is giving time voluntarily in amongst a very busy work schedule
Probability: Low
Impact: Project is not delivered according to timescale
Management: Regular reviews of project progress Wider Significance The project will increase the awareness of the internationally important bird populations on BIOT and build support for bird and biodiversity conservation, primarily in Diego Garcia but also in the UK, USA and other Territories. It will contribute to gaps in current ornithological knowledge and facilitate the gathering of bird records from the Territory in order to have the information required to formulate existing or future conservation strategies designed to protect birds and by association, other flora and fauna. The guide will be sold through Cable & Wireless on Diego Garcia and Naturebureau in the UK. Any revenue raised will go towards supporting future conservation activities on the islands. Other Information Funded by FCO/DFID Overseas Territories Environment Programme, 2009, project no BIO601 Multilateral Environmental Agreements The project has been developed to support the RAMSAR Convention on Wetlands of International Importance established for part of Diego Garcia (Ramsar Code UK61002) and the proposed Chagos Banks RAMSAR site (UK61004). It will support the BirdLife Important Bird Areas (IBA) programme, of which to date, ten atolls have been designated IBA status. BIOT has a Chagos Conservation Management Plan (CCMP) (Sheppard & Spalding, 2003) offering guidance to HMG on how to manage environmental affairs within the Territory. Specific to the US presence on Diego Garcia, the Diego Garcia Integrated Natural Resources Management Plan (DG INRMP) has the primary purpose to ensure that natural resources conservation measures and military operations on the installation are integrated and consistent with stewardship and legal requirements (DG INRMP, 2005). Neither work constitutes a formally documented strategy to implement the Environmental Charter; however, both offer significant guidance on environmental management. Specific to this Project the publication would directly fulfil recommendation 6.2.5 of the DG INRMP (Education and Outreach) and by publicising BIOT conservation issues it will promote the Long Term Objectives of the CCMP.
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