(EPAA) in Sharjah Launches the 18th Sharjah International Conservation Forum

Under the generous patronage of His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, the Environment and Protected Areas Authority (EPAA) is pleased to announce the 18th Sharjah International Conservation Forum for Arabian Biodiversity ( previously known as the International Conservation Workshop for Arabia’s Biodiversity), will be held at the Breeding Centre for Endangered Arabian Wildlife in Sharjah from the 6th to the 9th of February, 2017.

The four-day Forum will be attended by a number of international and regional experts with the objective of collaborating to assess the current status of endangered species on the Arabian Peninsula, biodiversity conservation, and capacity building.

This year, the diverse programme of events will be underpinned by four overlapping themes. These will include:

Taxonomy

The Taxonomic Theme will focus on a Regional Red List assessment of the trees and Aloes of the Arabian Peninsula, with the aim of producing up-to-date accounts of distribution and status as well as major threats and conservation recommendations.

Protected Areas

The Protected Areas Theme will work from the Management Effectiveness Tracking Tools (METT) assessments carried out for a selected number of protected areas in 2008,  providing the most up-to-date and comprehensive list of protected areas for the Peninsula.

Veterinary Care

 The veterinary theme will focus on nutritional and endoparasite management in ruminants.

A Vulture Multi Species Action Plan

A vulture multi-species action plan will also be held under the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS) Raptors Memorandum of Understanding on the Conservation of Migratory Birds of Prey in Africa and Eurasia.

Commenting on the forum, Her Excellency Hana Saif Al Suwaidi, Chairperson of the Environment and Protected Area Authority in Sharjah, said: We are delighted to be launching the International Conservation Forum for Arabian Biodiversity. Now in its eighteenth year, the programme has emerged as an intrinsic component of Sharjah’s continued efforts to conserve natural resources and raise environmental awareness. The Forum facilitates an open exchange of expertise and promotes a deeper understanding in relation to the conservation of natural resources unique to the region. It creates a conversation around sustainable development which ultimately drives progress.”

Last year’s workshop saw considerable positive change and advancement in the development of the protected area network in Sharjah. A regional IUCN Red List assessment of all the terrestrial mammals (excluding bats) was conducted, identifying threatened and critically endangered mammals.

“The Forum is pioneering in its efforts, and the progress made last year is testament to this. Attendees assessed the status of all marine mammals, including whales, dolphins and dugong, of the Arabian Region, a process which had never been completed before. As a result of this, conservation measures were recommended and put in place,” HE Hana Saif Al Suwaidi added.

The programme promises to be highly interactive and participants are kindly requested to submit any recent publications or relevant reports related to their field.