The Trevor Poyser Species Conservation Fund: call for applications
The Trevor Poyser Species Conservation Fund is now open for applications until the 1st December 2021. The fund supports research projects that lead to clear conservation benefits for a Globally Threatened species that occurs within the OSME region – the list of eligible species can be found here.
One grant will be made up to the value of £5000, and projects must meet all of the fund criteria. Applications will only be considered if they are submitted using the standard application form and are received by midnight (GMT) on the 1st December. The successful applicant will be informed by the 31st December 2021.
Our first grant was awarded in 2020 to Doğa Derneği (the BirdLife partner in Turkey) for a project titled “Improving the conservation status of the biggest Egyptian Vulture Neophron percnopterus population in Turkey.”
Şafak Arslan (project leader): “Thanks to the Trevor Poyser grant, we surveyed one of the most important Egyptian Vulture populations in Turkey and located 90 breeding pairs and monitored nesting success. We had close contact with shepherds and local people in the area and carried out Egyptian vulture awareness work. The fund has made a very tangible contribution to our Egyptian vulture conservation efforts in the region.”
And earlier this year the fund supported a project on the globally Vulnerable Syrian Serin Serinus syriacus by the Association for Bird Conservation in Lebanon (ABCL).
Soumar Dakdouk (project coordinator): “ABCL benefited greatly from the Trevor Poyser Species Conservation Fund whereby we conducted a national population count census, a much needed study to be able to identify the status of the local population. The team is building on the threats identified during the field visits that would feed into the development of the National Species Action Plan that is currently being constructed. Contact has been made to all the bird’s distribution range from Jordan to Egypt and we are sharing information and planning a regional Syrian Serin Network to facilitate the flow of information and coordination of conservation efforts.”
If you have any questions regarding the Trevor Poyser Species Conservation Fund then please email chairman@osme.org and crf@osme.org
We look forward to receiving your applications.
(Photo credits: Egyptian Vulture by Paul Sterry; Syrian Serin by Fouad Itani; Trevor Poyser by Richard Porter)