Shoebill-Watch Uganda aims at restoring some of the habitats of birds through programmes like afforestation and re-afforestation, wetland restoration, creating awareness and many others Take a kid birding/ Young Stewardship ProgramĬhildren are the future conservation leaders and therefore need to be aware about their surroundings at an early age. These and many others can affect birdlife directly and indirectly through increased species’ mortality, loss of habitat and reduced reproductive rates. Globally, man is the biggest cause of habitat loss through activities like deforestation, wetland reclamation, bush burning, introduction of invasive alien species, over exploitation of resources etc.
Shoebill-Watch Uganda trains local people in identification of birds, monitoring their populations and habitats. There are a number of activities here, an example is the community drives to clean up bird habitats, designing of awareness materials like articles, newsletters, posters, presentations. Involving local communities in conservation projects creates awareness, culminates a sense of belonging and resources’ ownership for the community and eventually these protect the Shoebill, other birds and their habitats as well as the environment at large. Local communities are the stewards of natural resources. Shoebill-Watch Uganda comes in to supplement these efforts by creating awareness on conservation of birds as well as providing opportunities for volunteering and internships. There are a number of drives that have been done towards bridging this gap an example is the Uganda Women Birders Club, an initiative to increase the number of women in bird watching. For us to achieve a wholistic conservation, we need all people involved in the drives despite their gender or age. Conservation just like any other science in Uganda is dominated by men leaving out women.