Umbrella Association of German Avifaunists

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Dachverband Deutscher Avifaunisten ( DDA ) is a non-profit association of all national or regional ornithological associations in the Federal Republic of Germany . In 2003, the umbrella association of German Avifaunists represented around 8,000–9,000 field ornithologists and bird watchers. According to its homepage, the DDA 2020 represents 10,000 field ornithologists and bird watchers and has 53 member associations.

history

The association was founded in 1970 on the initiative of members of the German Ornithological Society (DO-G) in order to improve the exchange of information between the numerous regional research and observer groups and to generate more interest in research on birds, their distribution and changes in the population. In the DO-G, the development of field ornithology with the establishment of working groups, associations or even loose working groups by field ornithologists and bird watchers to systematically organize their interests and the upcoming work had not found any real support in the 1960s. When criticism of this lack of support arose, the DO-G founded the 1968, chaired by Einhard Bezzel , an avifaunistic commission to work out a proposal on how the field ornithologists could get a platform within the DO-G. On January 11, 1970, the DDA was founded in the Hotel Klingelhöffer in Alsfeld . According to the statutes, the goals of the DDA are "the promotion of field ornithology and avifaunistics on a scientific basis as a purpose that is to be achieved by promoting the cooperation of avifaunistic associations and institutions in Germany and with similar associations abroad, through joint programs, through the publication of a Journal on ornithological literature and through the establishment of a central documentation and information service ”. When it was founded in 1970, the DDA consisted of 15 ornithological organizations. Only individual organizations can belong to the DDA as members with voting rights. Supporting members can be both individuals and legal entities , i.e. independent organizations.

Focus of work

The DDA sees itself as an association and representation of the regional ornithological associations in Germany. The main focus of work is the organization of the nationwide recording of various bird species. Particular mention should be made of our own recording programs for common and rare breeding bird species and the water bird counts. The association collaborated on the European Breeding Birds Atlas and, together with NABU , compiled the list of " Important Bird Areas " (IBA). The DDA has a significant share in the data basis for the creation of the Red Lists of breeding birds in Germany. The association plays a leading role in the creation of the Atlas of German Breeding Birds (ADEBAR). In the last few years there have been surveys of individual bird species that change every year. In recent years, for example, the stocks of red kites , great crested grebes , house sparrows and common swifts have been determined together with NABU and the State Association for Bird Protection in Bavaria .

Shortly after the founding of the German section of the International Council for Bird Conservation, the DDA belongs to. Today's names BirdLife International and German Council for Bird Protection (DRV). The DDA co-founded the European Bird Census Council (EBCC).

Headquarters for water bird research and wetland protection in Germany

The DDA founded the central office for water bird research and wetland protection in Germany with the stations Wesel , Münster and Potsdam . This center for water bird research and wetland protection in Germany organizes the international water bird counts, the goose counts and the Limicolon counts throughout Germany.

financing

In 1970 the DO-G gave start-up funding of DM 2000. The basic funding of the DDA is provided by the membership fees of the member organizations. The DDA collects a small amount of donations and generates income through the sale of publications. DDA projects must be financed by third-party funds. In 1992, for example, the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU) commissioned the DDA to produce the German report on the state of the RAMSAR areas , the wetlands reported by Germany, of international importance , to create. The Naturschutzbund Deutschland (NABU) has been promoting the monitoring of common bird species since the early 1990s . The idea of founding an institute for field ornithology from the DDA has not yet been implemented.

Prize for field ornithology

Since 1981, the DDA awards the prize for Field Ornithology for outstanding achievements and publications in the field of Ornithology in Germany. Scientific work in the areas of phenology, breeding biology, bird migration, ecology or settlement density are awarded. Work related to species protection is seen as particularly worthy of prizes. The work must be written in German. The prize is not awarded annually.

Publications

In the series of the DDA , the results of activities will be published. The first publication was the atlas of the brood distribution of West German bird species, mapping 1975 self-published. The association used to publish the ornithological script review. Since 2007, the DDA has been publishing the magazine Vögel in Deutschland together with the Federal Agency for Nature Conservation (BfN) and the state working group for bird protection centers (LAG VSW) . Since 2010, the DDA has published the journal Seltene Vögel in Deutschland once a year . The DDA is co-editor of the magazine Die Vogelwelt . The bird world was previously looked after by the DDA as publisher. However, ownership of the magazine passed to Aula-Verlag . As co-editor, the DDA can propose a new editor. The editor was formerly from Karl Schulze-Hagen and is currently Martin Flade .

literature

  • Stefan Fischer: The umbrella association of German avifaunists: an indispensable partner in European bird protection Der Falke 50, 2003, pp. 261–263
  • Klaus Witt: Dachverband Deutscher Avifaunisten: A History of Field Ornithologists and Bird Watchers in Germany Der Falke 50, 2003, pp. 264–268

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. a b c Stefan Fischer: The umbrella association of German avifaunists: an indispensable partner in European bird protection Der Falke 50, 2003, pp. 261–263
  2. Figures according to the DDA homepage
  3. a b c d e f g Klaus Witt: Dachverband Deutscher Avifaunisten: A history of field ornithologists and bird watchers in Germany Der Falke 50, 2003, pp. 264–268