our tax dollars via the Canada-Iraq Marshlands

who would have thought ... probably a worth cause, and without a doubt it was a better choice of funding than had we been 'one of the collition' in iraq.

Iraqis open the book on wildlife conservation
25-01-2007 / Birdlife International

Wildlife conservation in Iraq has been given a significant boost with the release of a guide to Iraq’s birds – the first field-guide of its kind for the nation.

BirdLife International and Nature Iraq, a newly-formed conservation non-governmental organisation (NGO) in Iraq, have published ‘Field Guide to the Birds of Iraq’ in Arabic.

Covering the 387 bird species that have been recorded in Iraq, this is the first comprehensive, fully-illustrated field-guide to an Arabic-speaking country.

“For Iraq – a nation that has lost so much of its wildlife in the last twenty years, this book opens the door for the growing conservation movement in this country.” said Dr Ali Douabul of Nature Iraq. “Local language field guides are crucial tools for conservation. They encourage people to realise, appreciate and get involved in bird conservation, which, because birds are good indicators of the environment, has potential benefits for all of our wildlife.”

The book is due to be presented to the Iraqi President, Jalal Talabani, in the next few weeks.

The release of the ‘Birds of Iraq’ field-guide adds weight to the conservation movement that has started to emerge in the country. Since the fall of Saddam Hussein’s government in 2003, the Mesopotamian Marshes – thought to be the site of the biblical Garden of Eden and home to 28 of Iraq’s Important Bird Areas - have been the focus of a major international programme to help restore their ecological and social-cultural heritage.

“For Iraq – a nation that has lost so much of its wildlife in the last twenty years, this book opens the door for the growing conservation movement in this country.” —Dr Ali Douabul, Nature Iraq

Under the regime of the previous government, almost 90% of the Marshes were destroyed through drainage. With reduced numbers of fish and the failing of crops, many people were forced to flee to neighbouring Iran and Jordan. Since this time however some 40% of the land has been re-flooded and wildlife – with it food for Iraq’s people - is returning.

“These are some of the most wildlife-rich sites in the Middle East, but often all we hear about is the conflict.” said Richard Porter, BirdLife International’s Middle-East Advisor and co-author of the guide. Mr Porter has in recent years led a team from BirdLife International that has trained biologists from Nature Iraq in skills to survey and monitor Iraq’s marshes for the wildlife that live there.

“It’s recognised across the world that biodiversity can enhance quality of life in a region. By publishing this field-guide with Nature Iraq, we are improving the ease with which people can become involved in conservation in the region; a positive step which has potential economic benefits for the nation as a whole.” Mr Porter commented.

The field-guide was made possible through funding from the Canadian Government via the Canada-Iraq Marshlands Initiative, the World Bank and the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, the Ornithological Society of the Middle East (OSME) and AviFauna.