IAF eBulletin for May 2021

Important note to delegates, to club representatives and to translators: please don't forget to forward this eBulletin to your club members and all the falconer you know, especially the many language versions, even if it is by a "share" on social media - you will magnify the falconer's voice!

This eBulletin is available in other languages thanks to volunteer translators, If you would like to take part, email muehle@iaf.org . If your language does not appear, we upload  late translations onto the Facebook page

Obituary: Nick Williams

It is with deep regret and sadness that we  inform our members and supporters of the death of Nick Williams.

Nick was a passionate conservationist specialising in raptors. He was a friend to IAF, spoke at many of our events and always encouraged falconers' involvement in raptor conservation, from Mongolia to Ireland. He enjoyed falconry and attended several of IAF's international meets. During his time working in the UK with the Department of Environment, he fought hard to retain lark-hawking licences at a time they were under attack. He was a chair of the Resolution Committee in the Peregrine Falcon Populations conference in Poland 1996, where the idea of creating the Raptors MoU was adopted, and since then we were in constant cooperation. From his time with the Raptors MoU while he worked from the CMS offices in Abu Dhabi, we got to know him quite well, a passionate conservationist, a specialist in birds of prey and a gentleman.

He joined CMS in 2011, and successfully led the MoU till 2020.  He initiated and coordinated the Saker Falcon Task Force, and guided the development of the Saker Global Action Plan.  The number of Signatories and Cooperating Partners to the MOU more than doubled under his tenure.   

Nick was a true conservationist and an absolute gentleman RIP.

Live now: Important new online farmer and hunter survey

The Interreg North Sea Region PARTRIDGE project is running a trans-national online farmers’, land managers' and hunter’s' survey to better understand attitudes towards Agri-Environmental Schemes. The key aim is to use the results of this survey to inform and influence future Agri-Environmental Schemes (AES) across the six partner countries in the project – England, Scotland, Belgium, Denmark, Germany, and the Netherlands. 

To help achieve their target of 1000 responses per country, the project is requesting that we all take a simple survey, at https://northsearegion.eu/partridge/ . The view of anyone who farms or hunts on their own land and would be able to have an AES if they were available is of interest, whether already are in an environmental scheme or not.

The survey takes approximately 15 minutes and is based mostly on multiple-choice answers.
At the end you can register for a free raffle to win one of three exciting PARTRIDGE prizes.

This is a fascinating project and you are encouraged to follow it on the website and in social media and to get involved in the conservation of this iconic falconry quarry species.

2021 Council of Delegates Meeting

While there can be no certainty, we are very much counting on being able to visit Abu Dhabi in September for our IAF Council of Delegates Meeting, for the conferences, and for ADIHEX. Click here for recommendations from the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre

At the moment each country has its own travel restrictions, so return flights and quarantine rules should be well researched before making reservations. An agenda is being prepared for a hybrid meeting, an actual meeting, live in a conference room, but with a high-quality Zoom option for anyone still unable to attend physically. 

2021 is an election year. The Vice-president for Asia, Dr. Keiya Nakajima, and the Vice-president for Europe, Africa South of the Sahara & Oceania, Janusz Sielicki, must stand down on the 31st December, after having completed two full terms in office.  

H.E. President Majed Al Mansouri will, on 31st December, have completed his first three-year term of office. According to the IAF Constitution, he is eligible to stand for a second term and is happy to do so.

Delegates and club representatives of IAF Member and Associate Member organizations may nominate candidates for any of the three offices. Voting will take place at the 2021 Council of delegates Meeting, for them to take office on 1st January 2022. An email will go to all voting clubs indicating the deadlines involved.

One with Nature: World of Hunting and Nature Exhibition

Until the pandemic struck, the venue for IAF's 2021 annual meeting was to have been at the One with Nature: World of Hunting and Nature Exhibition, as guests of the Hungarian falconers, our member organization Magyar Solymász Egyesület, and CIC. However, uncertainties over Covid restrictions meant that plans changed and our 2021 meeting will now be in Abu Dhabi

It is still hoped that IAF will be able to have a stand at One with Nature in Budapest and plans are currently being made for us to take part in the exhibition as best we can.

Series of Zoom lectures

The IAF has organized an ongoing series of zoom presentations, ‘Sharing the Knowledge’, which is proving to be increasingly popular, with attendees from around the world.

The series began with a wonderful presentation by falconer/bibliophile, Karl-Heinz Gersman, and has been built upon by fascinating and informative presentations by US hood maker, Steve Tait, Irish Hawking Club director, Don Ryan, and a superb talk about the development of falconry in the New World, by Kent Carnie. 

Mike Calvin spoke on falconry in Australia and his experiences with rehabilitation whilst IAF VP, Keiya Nakajima, spoke on falconry and conservation in Japan. The final speaker in the series was IAF VP Janusz Sielicki who gave an excellent presentation on the history of falconry in Poland. A second series with new speakers is planned for the autumn. Please join us if you can —- you’ll be most welcome.

Within the context of the "Sharing the Knowledge" Presentations, the GTLA (IAF Latin America WG) Education Commission organized a set of six presentations in Spanish by female falconers. 

Alicia di Cola spoke on falconry techniques used for rehabilitation with case studies focusing on black chested buzzard eagles. Nancy Navarro held a presentation on hunting sandgrouse with peregrine falcons. Luciana Cantale presented on her personal life experiences in falconry. Nancy Solleveld held a presentation on Aspergillosis from a falconers point of view with a specific focus on environmental factors present in different environments. Raquel Covarrubias presented on training and techniques used in the UAE. Marisol Pacchiano gave a presentation on her own life experiences as a female falconer.

The GTLA Education Commission is planning to organize a further series of presentations in the latter half of 2021 - keep an eye out for details about this exciting upcoming series of talks which shall be announced via eBulletin and social media.

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