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October 01, 2002
Europe's Birds Under Pressure
"Thirty-seven of Europe's 73 mountain bird species (>50%) are threatened by over-exploitation, inappropriate farming and forestry practices, and unsustainable tourism activities carried out in mountain areas", said BirdLife International?s Head of European Division, Canan Orhun, in a letter sent to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) informing the organisation of BirdLife's intention to join UNEP's International Year of the Mountains partnership initiative.
"Many of Europe's regionally threatened species including the majestic Lammergeier or Bearded Vulture Gypaetus barbatus and Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos face the threat of regional extinction if the mountain ecosystems they depend on in the Alps and Pyrenees continue to be over-exploited for winter sports and summer tourism developments", said BirdLife European Conservation Manager, Szabolcs Nagy.
Another species at risk is the flamboyant Caucasian Black Grouse Tetrao mlokosiewiczi which is declining due to habitat destruction and persecution in the Caucasus, he said.
BirdLife International partner organisations in Europe have also contributed information to a special web presentation (http://www.birdlife.net/europe/mountains/) which includes detailed data about 558 Important Bird Areas (IBAs) which occur in mountain areas, and Europe's 73 mountain bird species, as well as a selection of photographs and maps.
The web presentation is part of a BirdLife initiative promoting better protection of mountains through the establishment of mountain reserves and the promotion of environmentally sustainable development such as eco-agriculture, eco-forestry and eco-tourism with the involvement of local communities.
BirdLife International, the German Society for Nature Conservation (NABU - BirdLife in Germany), Azerbaijan Centre for the Protection of Birds, and the Georgian Center for the Conservation of Wildlife are also developing a community-based project in the Caucasus mountains to improve the conservation status of Caucasian Black Grouse at 5 sites in Georgia and Azerbaijan, and plan to promote some of these pilot areas amongst responsible eco-tourist operators worldwide to help increase local incomes.
BirdLife International has identified 558 Important Bird Areas in mountainous areas which are critical to conserve in order to save the rich diversity of Europe?s mountain birds?, said Szabolcs Nagy.Ninety-one percent of these mountain sites are subject to one or more threat resulting from unsustainable human activities.
NOTES FOR EDITORS
1. BirdLife International is a global alliance of national conservation organisations working in more than 100 countries who, together, are the leading authority on the status of birds, their habitats and the issues and problems affecting bird life. The BirdLife International Partnership is represented in Europe by 40 organisations working together on The BirdLife International European Programme to conserve birds across the region.
2. The UN General Assembly has proclaimed 2002 as the International Year of Mountains (IYM). The aim of IYM 2002 is to ensure the well-being of mountain and lowland communities by promoting the conservation and sustainable development of mountain regions. See: http://www.mountains2002.org
3. Mountain habitats support significant populations of 73 bird species in Europe with some of these, such as the Black Throated Accentor Prunella atrogularis and the Snow Finch Montifringilla nivalis, exclusively restricted to mountain environments.
4. The Important Bird Areas (IBA) Programme of BirdLife International is a global initiative aimed at identifying and protecting a network of sites critical for the conservation of the world's birds. 16% of Important Bird Areas in Europe are in mountainous areas.
Posted by Surfbirds at October 1, 2002 11:18 PM
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