News and Information 
Compiled by Simon Albrecht 
The aim of the section is to inform readers about events in the OSME region. It is not 
intended as a definitive report or write up of the projects concerned. Most of the 
projects are sponsored; such support is appreciated but is not generally given 
acknowledgment here. 
Oman 
Good news for conservation 
The government of Oman recently 
made a substantial donation to the 
Peter Scott Memorial Appeal for 
Conservation. The donation took the 
appeal past the £1 million mark, and 
in early June it stood at nearly £1 .5 
million. 
The Peter Scott Memorial Appeal was 
launched in September 1989, in 
accordance with Sir Peter Scott's 
wishes, to raise money for conservation 
projects including environmental 
education and work on endangered 
species. 
C3man has taken a leading role in 
conservation over the past 16 years, 
with encouragement from Sir Peter 
and assistance from the lUCN Species 
Survival Commission. Conservation 
projects in Oman have enjoyed 
outstanding success. 
The lUCN Species Survival 
Commission, which aims to help stem 
the tide of species extinctions, will 
use the money for further development 
of its work. 
Colloquy on the 
Mediterranean coasts 
The second colloquy on the 
Mediterranean coasts and the 
protection of the environment, 
organised by the Centre Naturopa of 
the Council of Europe, was held in 
Izmir, Turkey, on 19 and 20 October 
1989. The colloquy assembled experts 
from different disciplines and 
concentrated its discussions on the 
opportunites provided by a regional 
planning policy that is concerned about 
tourism's impact on the natural 
environment. The appropriate 
legislative, administrative and 
financial instruments with which to 
modify this growth in tourism were 
examined. The international 
conventions on environmental 
protection also came under scrutiny. 
The proceedings of the colloquy will 
be published by the CoE this year. 
North Cyprus 
New bird society 
We are please to welcome the 
formation, during the summer, of 
the North Cyprus Society for the 
Protection of Birds. The aims of the 
society include the protection and 
preservation of the birds of North 
Cyprus, together with promotion of 
study and the publication of data. 
The Society is particularly concerned 
with hunting pressure: apparently 
20% to 30% of hunters shoot birds of 
prey; and over a million thrushes 
were shot in the last year. The hunting 
laws are inadequate and date from 
1934; the liming of birds is not illegal. 
Membership of the Society is open to 
all. Further details are available from: 
The North. Cyprus Society for the 
Protection of Birds, PO Box 634, Gime, 
North Cyprus. 
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