Southern African Bird Atlas Project 2

South Africa, eSwatini, Lesotho, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Botswana, Mozambique, Malawi

a member of the African Bird Atlas Project

Atlas Committees (RACs)

National Atlas Committee

The National Atlas Committee undertakes the vetting of all national rarities that are submitted to the SABAP2. The committee comprises Garret Skead (chairperson), Trevor Hardaker, Jenny Norman, Richter van Tonder, Jo Balmer, Stephan Terblanche, Duncan McKenzie and Dom Rollinson, with junior mentorship members Zoe Lunau and Aadam Abdullah.

Regional Atlas Committees

Thirteen Regional Atlas Committees (RACs) have been set up for SABAP2, eight in South Africa (including Lesotho), which operate on a provincial level, and one each in Swaziland, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe and Mozambique.

They have two defined roles:

To ensure quality of data for SABAP2

Data quality is important for the project as we want to ensure that the records that finally get used in the production of the atlas are as accurate as possible. The RACs primary responsibility, therefore, involves the vetting (verification) of any out-of-range records that get flagged during the submission process.

The committees are made up of a small team (usually 4-5 people) of selected experts, with a nominated chairperson, who have an intimate knowledge of the region\'s birds and who therefore have the ability to assess and adjudicate any rare or out-of-range sightings that are recorded as part of the atlas.

To coordinate atlasing efforts in each region and to fill gaps in the coverage

Getting the best possible coverage is going to be hugely beneficial to the way in which the data will be interpreted. The better the coverage the better our analyses will be and the better the conservation outcomes of the project.

RACs, in conjunction with bird clubs, will play a pivitol role in trying, as much s possible, to promote the atlas as far and as wide as possible in each province and coordinating activities (e.g. atlas days, workshops) to assist atlasers with field protocols, data submission and identification of gap areas.

Atlas Committees contact details  


Below are the contact details of the relevant chairpersons for the Atlas Committees. Should you have any queries regarding an out-of-range record or would like to discuss an atlasing related issue in your region please contact them directly.

Regional level committees

RegionChairperson(s)Email and Tel. No.
Eastern CapeMr Jeff Curnick)Vetting
Mr Gerrie Horn (Birdlife Eastern Cape)
ec.sabap2[at]gmail.com
ec.sabap2[at]gmail.com Tel. 041 374 0373
Free State and LesothoMr Dawie De Swardt (BirdLife Free State) Vetting
Mr Rick Nuttall (BirdLife Free State) Coordination and training
dawie[at]nasmus.co.za Tel. 051 447 9609
rick.nuttall.bfn[at]gmail.com   Tel. 051 447 9609
Gauteng and North WestMr Stephan Terblanche Vettinggpnw.sabap2[at]gmail.com  
KwaZulu-NatalMr Colin Summersgill (BirdLife Midlands) Coordination and Training kznsabapvetting[at]gmail.com  Tel. 083 782 5113
LimpopoProf. Derek Engelbrecht (University of Limpopo) Vettingsabap2limpopo[at]gmail.com Tel. 082 200 5277
MpumalangaMr Duncan Mckenzie (Birdlife Lowveld) Vetting and coordination
Mr Peter Lawson (Birdlife Lowveld) Vetting and coordination
duncan[at]digitalearth.co.za  Tel. 079 530 7873
peter[at]lawsons-africa.co.za 
Northern CapeDr Doug Harebottle  Vetting 
Mr Vincent Parker Vetting 
orfs.nc[at]gmail.com 
EswatiniProf. Ara Monadjem (University of Eswatini) Vetting and coordinationaramonadjem[at]gmail.com Tel. (+268) 518 4011
Western CapeMr David Winter Vetting
Dr Garret Skead Vetting
wc.sa.birdmap[at]gmail.com Tel. 079 480 0021

Country level committees

CountryChairperson(s)Email and Tel. No.
South AfricaDr Garret Skead (MD) Chairperson National Atlas Committee (previously called National Rarities Committee)sabap2nr[at]gmail.com
BotswanaMr Chris Brewster (BirdLife Botswana) Vettingcbandog[at]gmail.com Tel. 00267-73047678
NamibiaMr Holger Kolberg (Namibia Bird Club) Vetting and coordinationholgerk[at]afol.com.naTel. +264 811295163 (cell)
MozambiqueMr Etienne Marais Vetting
Mr Dylan Vasapolli Vetting
moz.sabap2[at]gmail.com Tel. 082 8986998
ZimbabweMr Ian Riddell (BirdLife Zimbabwe) Vetting
Ms Julia Pierini (BirdLife Zimbabwe) Coordination and training
raczimsabap2[at]gmail.com Tel. +263 772 117054 (cell)
pierinijulia[at]gmail.com  Tel. +263 772 894562 (cell)
MalawiMr. Bob Medland  Vettinghirundo.bm[at]gmail.com

 

 

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