Welcome to Nick P Williams as Programme Officer (Raptors)

Nick Williams at a Peregrine falcon site © N WilliamsAbu
Dhabi, 2 November 2011
- – The Interim Coordinating
Unit for the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the Conservation
of Migratory Birds of Prey in Africa and Eurasia welcomed
a new Programme Officer this week as Mr Nick P. Williams
joined the UNEP/CMS Office in Abu Dhabi.

Nick has held a lifelong interest in birds,
particularly raptors. Whilst still at school, he began voluntary
fieldwork with the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds
(RSPB) and other non-governmental conservation organizations.
He has travelled extensively to study raptors in over 50
countries and has gained practical field experience of a
wide range of species. Nick is a qualified bird ringer and
has published a range of scientific research papers, mostly
related to birds.

In 1997, Nick achieved a Master of Science
Degree in Ecology and Management of the Natural Environment
at the University of Bristol, having previously been awarded
an Advanced Diploma in Raptor Biology by the University
of Kent at Canterbury. For 15 years he held the post of
Chief Wildlife Inspector within the Department for Environment,
Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) in the United Kingdom of
Great Britain and Northern Ireland (UK).

Nick is no stranger to the Birds of Prey
MoU. In April 2003, on his own initiative he developed the
original draft proposal that was later adopted as Resolution
3 at the 6th World Conference on Birds of Prey and Owls
held in Budapest, Hungary. Subsequently, Nick supported
the UK-led study to consider the feasibility of an African-Eurasian
agreement on migratory birds of prey under the auspices
of CMS. He presented the results of the study to the 13th
meeting of the CMS Scientific Council and spoke at the final
plenary session of the 8th CMS Conference of the Parties
from which Recommendation 8.12 emerged. His involvement
continued until the Scotland meeting to identify and elaborate
an option for international cooperation on African-Eurasian
migratory raptors under CMS, in 2007. For the last few years
he has been managing projects within the UK's Animal Health
and Veterinary Laboratories Agency.

 

   

Last updated on 16 June 2014