About Armenian Society for
the Protection of Birds
The Armenian Society for the Protection of Birds (ASPB) was established
in 2002. In 2003 Armenia joined the Important Bird Areas (IBA) program of BirdLife
International, which is a global alliance dedicated to bird conservation worldwide. IBA
program is a global initiative which aims to identify and protect a network of sites that
are critical for the long-term survival of all bird species and their habitats. IBAs are
sites selected according to the internationally agreed standard criteria as priority
conservation areas for breeding, migration stop-over and wintering of the world’s
bird species. Over 10000 IBA sites in nearly 200 countries have been already
identified. In Armenia, from north to south a total of 18 IBAs, which support 27
species of global significance (threatened and vulnerable), has been identified by
ASPB. • From that point onward ASPB administers the national IBA program in
Armenia and has been involved in the conservation of birds and the habitats important
for them, working with BirdLife International and its partner organizations in the Caucasus
and Europe on a number of conservation programs. It is the only organization in Armenia
that manages a national program of research and satellite telemetry of endangered Cinereous
and Griffon Vulture and the study and restoration of globally threatened Lesser Kestrel population
in Armenia. • ASPB works independently and in cooperation with local NGO network and scientific
institutions to take on the ground conservation actions. Its supporters include such leading organizations as
Birdlife International, SVS/BirdLife Switzerland, Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF), European
Commission (EC DG Environment), Royal Norwegian Embassy, Wetlands International, Royal Society for the
Protection of Birds (RSPB), Hawk Mountain (US), World Bank (WB), United Nations Development
Programme (UNDP), Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO/UN),
Nature and Biodiversity Conservation Union (NABU Germany), Nando
Peretti Foundation (Italy), the UNDP GEF Small Grants Programme in
Armenia, several UK based charity organizations (Darwin Initiatives,
Rufford Foundation, Natural Research Ltd, Lush Foundation) and
an array of private donors in the Armenian Diaspora. • In 2007
ASPB joined the BirdLife Partnership becoming the affiliate of
BirdLife International in Armenia and now is on
its way to the next stage to become a partner
designate. Moreover, in February 2009, ASPB’s
application to the International Union for Conservation
of Nature (IUCN) was approved and it became the
first IUCN member organization in Armenia. •
At the beginning of its existence, ASPB was
mainly implementing research projects.
Then it expanded the scope of activities
and now has research, conservation
involving grassroots, contribution to
the preparation of Action Plans and
Policies, public outreach and
environmental
education
directions on its agenda. There
are also plans to be involved
in the development of nature
based tourism.
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Armenian Siciety for the Protection of Birds