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BP CONSERVATION PROGRAMME PROMOTES INNOVATIVE STUDENT RESEARCH

The BP Conservation Programme (BPCP), a partnership between BirdLife International, Fauna & Flora International, Conservation International, the Wildlife Conservation Society, and BP, is evaluating a new round of conservation award applications for 2005. A total of US$600,000 will be awarded in March to approximately 30 student-led teams undertaking innovative biodiversity conservation projects in some of the most threatened areas of the world. Projects vary greatly in scope, from single-species conservation to protection of large landscapes. Almost 400 applications were received this year--a positive beginning as the BPCP approaches its 15th anniversary.

To date, the BPCP has supported 250 projects in 71 countries throughout Asia, the Pacific, Africa, Europe, Latin America, and the Caribbean. Many teams focus on problems that rarely receive funding or attention, and the BPCP is unique in offering young conservationists--many of whom are still undergraduates--hands-on field experience as well as the opportunity to design and carry out all stages of the project. Moreover, the BPCP offers an intense two-week training session for a representative from each team, covering topics such as GIS and GPS, field survey techniques, public relations, and project planning.

The BPCP is having great impacts across the globe. Within Argentina, for example, three distinctive projects not only are achieving conservation goals, but also are building the capacity of team members and educating local communities. In the northeastern Catamarca province, for example, the "Soul of the Andes" project captured the first photographs in Argentina of the Andean mountain cat (Oreailurus jacobita), adding to a surprisingly sparse amount of scientific information about the species' range and biology. The team has spent a significant amount of time visiting with local communities to synthesize their knowledge of the cat, and in turn to communicate the importance and ecology of the area's animal predators.

In the pristine Parana River Delta just north of Buenos Aires, a team focusing on conservation of the vulnerable Marsh Deer (Blastocerus dichotomus) has obtained convincing evidence that marshes within the delta actually "float" during times of flooding, carrying with them vegetation, small trees, and any deer that happen to be on top. Deer appear to use the islands as a safe haven during flooding. This information is critical as the team develops a conservation management plan for the deer and its habitat. The team also is increasing awareness about the deer by distributing literature and meeting with wildlife authorities to develop a new strategy to reinforce local poaching restrictions.

The Urugua-í Green Corridor Project, operating in the Misiones Province, is working to maintain a wildlife corridor connecting the Urugua-í and Foerster Provincial Parks. Efforts include maintaining a native tree nursery and establishing agro-forestry plots that demonstrate how agricultural production can be more sustainable and help the environment at the same time. The team is also mapping land use in the two parks, surveying birds and mammals, and leading conservation education workshops for the local community. In addition, BPCP funds have allowed the team to construct a biological research station on their working farm.

Looking forward, the BPCP anticipates further supporting and enriching the careers and experience of young conservationists from around the globe, as well as enhancing the conservation capacity of local institutions and communities. For example, BPCP's alumni network, launched in 2004, allows former winners to stay up-to-date on BPCP activities and to apply for short-term training grants. The BPCP is also offering travel grants for past winners to attend SCB's 2005 annual meeting. An expanded future depends on a successful past, and the 2004 teams have raised the bar yet again for the next round of applicants. Through the dedication and hard work of young conservationists, the BPCP looks forward to remaining an innovative leader among biodiversity conservation programs.

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