Hello everyone

I thought that I should get the ball rolling on a discussion over the future of the Herpetofauna Groups of Britain and Ireland - HGBI -

We have a new chair person - Jan Clemons and we have a vice or deputy chair David Orchard. I feel that the coordinating board should simply be made up from the two chairs, HGBI regional reps and observors/advisors - Currently Trevor Beebee, i believe is an advisor.

Other bodies were at the last Herp Workers Meeting HGBI business meeting - English Nature (Jim Foster), Environment Agency, Froglife, EARG members, HCT. I think that they are there as observers - Froglife is the current secretariat (cant spell) now would it be a good idea to make these bodies advisors to the HGBI board or committee?

The system of the HGBI I like very much with the local ARG groups which I am a member of two - Hampshire and Essex - The regional conferences are excellent and are great fun and are good to catch up with people. The Herp Workers meeting is again an excellent event which is enjoyed by many people.

The BHS scientific meetings have also been excellent - I have been to the last two - great stuff - I feel that the ARGS, HGBI, BHS, HCT and other organisations should facilitate the establishment of a project officer for the HGBI - now how or should we try and do this?

Any ideas?

JC

JC, It might be an idea to email some of the key people to let them know about this thread, include the following link

http://www.herpetofauna.co.uk/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=919&PN=1 - http://www.herpetofauna.co.uk/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=919&PN=1

Hello Jon,

Good to read you've been giving these things some consideration, I've also been thinking about the way HGBI could develop in the future.

I'm sure you're right that some kind of project officer would be useful to have, but perhaps we need to decide what we'd like one to do. Do you have any thoughts on this? Do you think the role should be primarily to support ARGs, to comment on legislation and government policy, or something else? What would you see as the priorities for a project officer?

David.

Hi David

I feelt that the project officer would definitely be focussed on establishing ARG groups in new areas and visiting existing ARG's etc.

While I would say that the coordinating panel or committee can comment on legislation, policy etc aswell as produce guidance to local ARG's.

I feel that a project officer in HGBI could help the NARRS initiative we do need a national monitoring survey and maybe the recording form on RAUK would fulfil part of this - I am now receiving new records from Essex nearly every day - great! No need to go and verify the info as many of them send in photos over the internet....excellent work 

Now how would we fund such a post?

JC

Hello again

There was a meeting on the 4th June which discussed the issues relating to the HGBI and its future - there is now an option being proposed by Froglife - David would it be possible to outline the option on this thread?

My favoured option would be to fund an HGBI Project Officer Post using money raised from several sources - possibly English Nature, Animex Ltd and others. The post should be part of the 'independant' network of ARG's across the country - where should th epost be based well the suggestion is Froglife - I feel that this would be an ideal first step - the important issue to me would be keeping the independance of the post while at the same time acknowledging the support of Froglife - the title should be HGBI Project Officer - rather than the proposed 'Froglife Development Officer' as this does not really reflect what the post to me is about.

Any other suggestions from anyone is welcome

JC