BRADES, Montserrat, April 27th 2011 - Staff of the Department of Environment have received training to use new surveillance techniques in their bird monitoring programme.

According to a release from the department, they were able to upgrade their bird monitoring protocol to take advantage of new techniques and technologies, with the financial and technical assistance of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds.

"The exercise was spearheaded by Dr Steffen Oppel, Senior Conservation Scientist with the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, who trained staff of the Department of Environment and a UK conservation volunteer to use the new survey techniques and computerize and undertake preliminary analysis of data.

"Additionally, the team:

• Marked the survey points on the ground,
• Mapped and evaluated existing monitoring points and recommended the inclusion of additional points to more accurately record the presence of birds in various forest types, and
• Used the new technique to conduct the 2011 bird count.

"The exercise ended with a workshop which reviewed the activities previously undertaken and focused on the analysis of data that would produce information to assist Department of Environment staff in the conservation of birds," the statement read.

Montserrat is home to 12 restricted range bird species of global importance including the endemic Montserrat Oriole. There are a number of environmental impacts, such as volcanic eruptions, hurricanes and invasive species that may negatively affect Montserrat's bird populations. Therefore, improved monitoring and data analysis would better equip conservation managers to take action in a timely manner.

Director of Environment Gerard Gray says "the Department of Environment and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds have enjoyed a long and fruitful relationship for over a decade. Areas of collaboration include, among other things: capacity building, conservation of biodiversity, invasive species management and field survey techniques."

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