Regional Atlas Committees


Eleven Regional Atlas Committees (RACs) have been set up for SABAP2, nine in South Africa, which operate on a provincial level, and one each in Lesotho and Swaziland.

They have two defined roles:
  1. To ensure quality of data for SABAP2


    2. 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 (province'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.

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


    3. 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.

RAC contact details


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

Province/Country
 Chairperson
 Email and Tel. No.
Eastern Cape
 Mr Albert Schultz (BirdLife Eastern Cape)
 albert@agnet.co.za
Tel. 041 585 1245
Free State
 Mr Dawie De Swardt (BirdLife Free State)
 dawie@nasmus.co.za
Tel. 051 447 9609
Gauteng
 Mr Ernst Retief (BirdLife Northern Gauteng)
 ernst.retief@gmail.com
Tel. 012 332 3323 (a/h)
North West
 Mr Stuart Groom
 stuartgroom@xsinet.co.za
Tel. 083 258 5751
KwaZulu-Natal
 Mr David Allan (BirdLife Port Natal)
 alland@durban.gov.za
Tel. 031 305 4165
Lesotho
 Mr Ian de la Rosa
 ianrosa@yahoo.com
Tel. (+266) 62 666555
Limpopo
 Mr John Sewards (Phalaborwa Bird Club)
 jsewards@telkomsa.net
Tel. 015 781 5229
Mpumalanga
 Dr Duncan Christie (Birdlife Lowveld)
 duncan.christie@nelvet.co.za
Tel. 083 630 3729
Northern Cape
 Mr Mark Anderson (BirdLife SA)
 torgos.t@gmail.com
Tel. 082 788 0961
Swaziland
 Prof. Ara Monadjem (University of Swaziland)
 ara@uniswacc.uniswa.sz
Tel. (+268) 518 4011
Western Cape
 Mr Michael Buckham (Cape Bird Club)
 mike@prescient.co.za
Tel. 083 462 9220