The Second Cycle of the Capacity Building Program for Protected Area Staff in 2008
in the Kostanay Region of the Republic of Kazakhstan

Workshop participants at the Ak Tyrna Information Resource Center in Karamendy village

Within the framework of the Capacity Building Program (2006-2008), the employees of the reserve and resource centre have already been trained in:

• conducting  monitoring of waterbirds and field studies on ecological monitoring

• international methods of development of Management Plans for protected areas

• work with GIS maps and databases, (all GIS maps and materials from the project have been delivered upon completion)

• methods of preparation of applications  for reception of budgetary funds on realization of Management Plans

• environmental awareness raising

• skills in trainer work

• creation of alternative livelihoods and infrastructures for ecotourism (guest houses, etc.)

The most responsible stage in realization of the program is training the inspectors of the reserve, these ones, on which the conservation of biodiversity of the project sites and protection of rare species depends directly.

A kit of training materials: training presentation, containing descriptions, photos and drawings of 46 rare and threatened waterbird species with sound accompaniment - calls of these birds; the presentations: on project activity, on global significance of WL sites, modules and annexes (V. Inyutina, A. Beliy, A. Salemgareyev, A. Timoshenko, V. Kovshari), was prepared by project consultants for conducting the training. A module for a trainer and an informational case – an identification book for inspectors (for development of identification skills) was designed using visual aids and interactive practical training and exercises. The training included active discussion, thematic quizzes, testing for revising the received knowledge. The most literate participants were given presents and prizes, as an element of stimulating attention to the workshop subject matter.

Workshop participants discuss the training materials

Great success of the training was achieved due to close cooperation of the project with young scientists and employees of the reserve. After completion of the project, the youth, who obtained training work skills, will be able to continue educational mission, improving and expanding employees’ skills.

The inspectors of the Naurzum Reserve, Sarykopa Reservation, the deputy director, the employees of the scientific unit of the reserve, "Naurzum BIO NET" NGO leaders, "Ak Tyrna" Information Resource Center, and consultants of the UNEP/GEF SCWP participated in the training.

The workshop began not in a traditional way: with demonstration of a film about the project activity. This subject was continued by A. Yesseneeva, assistant of the project manager, who presented to the participants the "Main results of activity under International UNEP/GEF "Siberian Crane Wetland Project".

Project consultant A. Salemgareev presented on the global significance of the wetlands of Kostanay region, located on the flyways of hundreds of thousands of waterbirds, being key important bird areas.

The workshop program was subdivided into four sessions; each including a theoretical and practical part.

The presentations of the consultants and trainers of the project, A. Salemgareeva and A. Timoshenko, on "Learning and qualitative identification of specially protected bird species of wetland project sites of  the Kostanay region” were accompanied by recorded calls of birds, which made a special impression on the workshop participants. The session was designed in a two-way form, the participants had questions, and the trainers gave full answers to them. The audience got interested in the inspectors’ stories about sightings of rare birds on the project sites.

All of the practical tasks in the working groups were followed by discussion and debate.

During the second session, the consultant and ornithologist A. Timoshenko presented to the participants of the workshop the methods of study and accounting of birds, and also a new bird species for the project site, which he discovered – a small owl (Athene noctua), which will be included in the list of avifauna of the Naurzum Reserve.

The theory was applied in practice. An interactive team game on quantitative identification of birds during monitoring with application of modern methods of accounting was organized at the end of the session. The participants were divided into four groups for this competition. The team which identified the maximum number of birds on a particular slide won.
 
The basis of the third session was identification of birds. An interactive team game on quantitative identification of rare and threatened bird species was conducted upon completion of a theoretical presentation. Upon completion of each contest, the team leaders presented their answers. A winning team was defined according to the totals of the three tasks.

In the second quarter 2008, the experts and consultants of the project will start a cycle of workshops for inspectors of societies of huntsmen and fishermen, the reserve staff, NGO leaders and active groups at the project sites.

For more information on this program please contact:
 
Vera Inyutina, Project Manager
Astana city, Kazakhstan
tel./fax.: 8-317-2-34-01-45
vera.inyutina@mail.ru
http://www.scwpkaz.kepter.kz/

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Last update: 14 April 2008

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