RuffordSG conference Armenia

From 27th until the 30th of september, the Rufford small grants recipients conference was held in Tsaghkhadzor, Armenia. This conference brought together all beneficiaries of a Rufford grant from the Caucasus and wider region of the last years. All participants, including Johannes Jansen representing the BRC, presented the results of their projects and discussed future plans.

It was an excellent opportunity to meet regional peers and get to know their work and goals.

An important outcome of the conference was to create a network of 'border-less conservationists' of the wider Caucasus, to enhance cooperation, communication and exchange in between conservationists. This network will also be used to enforce our common voice towards the outside world, to governments, decision makers and press. Especially for interdisciplinary projects or trans-boundary concerns where we a strong cooperation and opinion is needed, we hope to make a difference.

Thanks to the Young Biologists Association of Armenia for their excellent organization!

Photo by Johannes Jansen.

Photo by Johannes Jansen.

Swarovski increases optic support!

It is our pleasure to have received 3 Swarvovision binoculars and 3 scopes with alu and carbon tripods for the autumn count 2012.

A detailed review of our experience with the Swarovski products will be online on our website as soon as we have entirely tested them. Arthur's review of the Swarovision EL 12x50 from the previous season can still be read here.

Swarovski Optik sponsors

We are proud to announce that Swaroski Optik has responded positively to our request to support our project and they have lend us some of their products. No old and scratched habichts but brand new ATM HD scopes with 25-50 wide zoom and the recently launched Swarovision-EL50s! The three telescope sets and two binoculars were transported by Belgian volunteers and have succesfully arrived yesterday. They will be shared for use by our volunteers and students on our watchpoints, hopefully without evoking fights about who's turn it is. We will evaluate the quality of all the different models provided and will report about them here on our blog. 

Niels seems already convinced

You can have a look at the Swarovision-website for specifications of these new binoculars and enjoy a birding game featuring some BRC-pictures by clicking on the banner below.