The Scientific Committee has a participatory focus involving key institutions in management, research and conservation of lesser kestrels. Its function is to apply scientific criteria to the decisions being made with respect to the preparatory actions and support to the planned conservation actions. It is of great value to have a Scientific Committee as an advisory body throughout the duration of the LIFE project, where specialists with recognised experience on different aspects of lesser kestrel biology can offer their criteria from different perspectives: conservation, technical and scientific.
Presided over by the General Directorate of the Environment, as partner coordinator of the project, it will work in close coordination with the Management Committee. In it will participate as representatives, experts from all the beneficiary partners as well as members invited from scientific and conservation institutions which are the most relevant to the lesser kestrel. The Scientific Committee will be composed of the following representatives:
- Scientific bodies: Higher Council of Scientific Research (CSIP) (Biological Station of Doñana), IREC and the University of Extremadura.
- Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, Food and the Environment and representatives of other autonomous communities.
- Regional conservation associations: ADENEX, AMUS and ANSER.
- National and/or international conservation associations: SEO/BirdLife and GREFA.
- Partners of the project that participate in actions in the project that will be reviewed in the Committee’s meeting.
- Representatives of other projects related to the conservation of the lesser kestrel.
- Individuals recognised for their experience in the development of activities in the conservation of the species.
- Technicians from the Government of Extremadura whose scope of work encompasses themes that will be addressed.
- The general functions of the Scientific Committee will be the following:
- Provide the scientific criteria for decision-making related to the actions, especially those on the methodology of work.
- Propose adjustments in the methodologies and alternatives in the implementation of the actions, always considering the planning organised in the Project and aiming to improve the effectiveness of the conservation measures for the species.
- Analyse and evaluate the results obtained from each action and the global evolution of the project for meeting its objectives.
- Share, in their respective professional spheres, the results and milestones of the Project.
There will be three meetings of the Scientific Committee: at the start, in the middle and a final one coinciding with the International Congress (E2). As well as the physical meetings, an email group will be set up for the exchange of information and resolution on doubts.
The Scientific Committee will produce a final report which will bring together the conclusions of the work undertaken.
In addition, the project will hire a scientific adviser for the whole project from the University of Extremadura, given the wide experience it has on the lesser kestrel, which will facilitate the expert’s continual advisory support and presence.
Responsible for implementation: General Directorate of the Environment, DEMA, Terra Naturalis and Intromac.
