INRMW -EcoClubs Students embark on Birds Watching and Banding Expedition
By Keti Arjevanidze
Wednesday, February 6
24 Students of the INRMW- EcoClubs from 8 public schools of Senaki and Khobi municipalities participated in the Birds Watching and Banding exercises, receiving theoretical knowledge and practical skills in observation of migratory birds. The event was dedicated to the World Wetlands Day celebrated, worldwide, by the Ramsar Convention signatory countries.
Georgian youngsters from INRMW- EcoClubs were hosted by Administration of Kolkheti National Park on February 4, 2013. The event was welcomed by Mr. Charles F. Vetter, Economic Officer from the US Embassy in Georgia, Ms. Jill Kelley, Director of the Environment and Energy Office, USAID and Ms. Nata Sultanishvili, the APA representative.
INRMW-Georgia is a USAID four-year program implemented by the GLOWS consortium, led by Florida International University (FIU) and in partnership with CARE International, Winrock International, UNESCO-IHE and CENN.
GLOWS’ Consortium in composition of Representative Office of Florida International University in Georgia (ROFIU-GE) and CARE International exercising Youth Engagement component elaborated the event program in cooperation with the Ministry of Environment Protection of Georgia, the Agency for Protected Areas (APA) and ornithologists from the Ilia State University.
It was the first time in Georgia when students of a public school participated in birds watching and banding exercise. The goal of the field trip was to raise awareness in school children on the wetlands’ values and benefits, as well as, the role of Kolkheti National Park in preserving biodiversity of local and international meaning.
School children enjoyed birds watching from the Paliastomi Lake coastline by telescopes and the most emotional episode of expedition was birds catching and very gentle techniques of birds release from nets for further bending.
