Dear all,

As a closing note on this look at some of the important events in
ethnoornithology for 2007 I believe it is important to recognise the
individuals and groups involved in the Nairobi conference.

Thanks go to the Netherlands government for providing essential
funding, to Birdlife International and Nature Kenya for providing
stimulus, support and the staff essential for the preparation of this
conference and also to the National Museums of Kenya (NMK), which
provided the Invertebrate Zoology Training lab as a venue and the many
staff that contributed, in a wide variety of ways, to the smooth
running of the conference.

Mr. Ronald Mulwa, Head of Ornithology section, NMK opened proceedings
and welcomed participants and chaired the first session, Dr. Muchai
Muchane, Head of the Zoology Department of NMK gave the opening speech
on behalf of Dr. H. Oyieke, Director, Research, NMK.

The second session involved five case studies by Mr. G. Amutete, Ms.
M. Muiruri, and Dr. H. A. Isack and Mr. R. Gosford and a paper
presentation by Ms Aneesa Kassam from the University of Durham in the UK.

After lunch a workshop session with break-out groups with the theme of
"Ethno-ornithology in Kenya – the way forward" was chaired by Paul
Matiku, and the rapporteur was George Amutete.

This was followed by a closing session chaired by Dr John Fanshawe of
Birdlife International.

Special thanks must also go to all of the other participants in the
conference and to Martha Nzisa, Maryam Imbumi, Lucy Kariuki, Caroline
Njoki and Mercy Njeri for providing essential administrative support,
and for their participation during and encouragement for the meeting.

As noted previously Mercy Njeri has prepared a more complete report
that I'll post when it is finalised.

One important focus throughout the conference was the emphasis on the
development of ethnoornithology in Kenya and beyond in the coming
years. A reference group was established that will drive this process
and it is expected to report on its proposals soon. A further issue
for consideration was preparation and participation in the
Ethnoornithology symposium at the Pan-African Ornithological Congress
in South Africa in September 2008 (more on this later!).

As a final personal note on the Nairobi conference I must comment on
how I was tremendously encouraged to see the variety of interests and
possibilities presented at the conference, and the enthusiasm and the
potential for the future of ethnoornithology in Kenya and east Africa.

Notwithstanding the apparent difficulties (poverty, lack of funding
etc etc) I think that the future for ethnoornithology in east Africa
is bright - there is a strong history of academic research and
on-the-ground conservation management and achievement, there is an
active tourist industry with strong local support and involvement and
Kenya's cultures and languages (two vital components for
ethnoornithology)offer many opportunities for further development and
exploration.

I was also pleased to tell the participants that not only was the
conference the first dedicated to ethnoornithology in Kenya, it was a
world first - one thing we might like to think about is the
preparation and conduct of an inaugural International Congress on
Ethnoornithology - I'd be interested in any thoughts on this idea -
one proposal is that it could be held in say, September or October
2009. It may be that Nairobi would be a good location for such a
conference...any thoughts?

I haven't talked much about this but one thing that will definitely
draw me back to Kenya (I'm planning a week or two immediately after
the PAOC in Cape Town in September 2008) is the birds - over 1100
species across the country and a wonderful variety of habitats and
cultures to learn about!!

I'll have a look back at the other events of importance to us in 2007
in my next posting and then turn my mind to the future and the very
busy 2008 that awaits.

Thats all for now,

Best for the season to you all,

Robert Gosford
ERSG moderator
Australia