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We are corporate members of the World Pheasant
Association and Feedback Madagascar.
We supported this project through secondment of
a staff member to search for this globally threatened
species in January 2006. This formed part of a co-ordinated
survey of wintering sites of the species. We also
co-authored the report on this project.
The World Pheasant Association (WPA) work globally
to protect the diversity of gamebirds and is strongly
involved in the remote Palas Valley region of Pakistan.
This area was devastated by the recent earthquake
in the region. WPA is one of very few NGO’s
working in the region and their unique position enabled
MKA Ecology to work with them in September 2006 to
deliver blankets to the area. We donated resources
to collect, pack, weigh and deliver 1700 blankets
to Pakistan, as part of the relief effort for the
people of the Palas Valley.
Closer to home, staff of MKA Ecology have re-started
the South Cambridgeshire RSPB Wildlife Explorers
club (Fowlmere Bullfinches). A programme of events
and field trips designed to give the children (and
their parents) a wide experience of British wildlife
is running successfully and membership numbers over
60 children. MKA Ecology’s office facilities
and staff time are used in the planning of events
and the production of materials for the members.
We also work with the local primary school, having
set up a bird-feeding station there and supply all
bird food. Staff spend occasional mornings taking
groups of children into the school grounds and nearby
countryside to look for, and identify, birds and
other wildlife. We provide our field equipment, such
as binoculars, telescopes and magnifying boxes, together
with field guides, to help foster knowledge of wildlife
for local children.
For the last seven years, staff at MKA Ecology
initiated, organised and ran a charity football
competition at the British Birdwatching Fair (BBF)
(www.birdfair.org.uk),
Rutland Water. Sponsored by Wildsounds (www.wildsounds.com),
the competition involves conservation bodies and
NGO’s and has raised over £4000 for
international conservation initiatives.
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