Application submission deadline is October 19, 2006.

MANAMA, Bahrain, October 9, 2006 - An online encyclopedia aimed at improving awareness of Bahrain's flora and fauna among young people is set to go live next month, thanks in part to a US$10,000 grant from Ford Motor Company.

The Bahrain Natural History Society (BNHS) and fellow local NGO Malkiya Rovers have painstakingly assembled the exhaustive inventory of plants and animals to engage youngsters in the job of protecting the Kingdom's natural heritage for future generations.

Addressing the importance of environmental education, the Ford Motor Company Conservation & Environmental Grants awarded US$10,000 in 2005 to support the initiative.

Dr. Saeed A. Mohammed of BNHS said: "Although we have a strong membership base in Bahrain, we lack support from the youth. We need to raise awareness among children about the surrounding environment and our country's rich history and natural heritage."

He added: "Internet is a very popular medium with youngsters and one of the most popular sources of information. That's why we had the idea to create an online environmental encyclopedia with information that can be easily accessed."

The Ford Grants money is being used to set up the website, which will feature data from books, reports and articles presented in a simple yet attractive format that can be easily understood by youngsters. Bahrain NGO Malkiya Rovers is providing IT support to the project, which will be linked to www.bahrain-nature.org, the existing website of the Bahrain Natural History Society.

A team of 15 volunteers are compiling the new bi-lingual site, and the encyclopedia will also be published on CDs for local schools.

Young visitors will be able to explore a wide variety of plants and animals that call Bahrain home, such as the camel thorn, a branching perennial shrub that grows up to 40cm high and which is a traditional ingredient in local medicine, and the marsh frog, the only amphibian species to be recorded in the Kingdom.

Young nature enthusiasts might also read up on the colourful balbool Bahraini, a small white-cheeked bird commonly found in cultivated areas like palm groves and in the homes of local people.

Dr. Saeed said: "The first phase is almost complete, and we are now testing the new link. We aim to have the link up and running within a month. We will focus on developing the project further and hope to apply for another Ford Grant this year too.

"Without Ford's support, I don't think we could have reached this stage. The Grants money has helped us get much-needed professional expertise to implement the project thoroughly and in a way that, hopefully, will appeal to kids."

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Established in 1976, the Bahrain Natural History Society is one of the oldest non-governmental organisations in the Gulf. BNHS's objectives include spreading awareness of environmental issues, discussing the impact of human development on the ecosystem, and educating residents and visitors about Bahrain's heritage. The group reaches its audience through regular newsletters, seminars and its website.

The Ford Motor Company Conservation & Environmental Grants programme has supported more than 60 projects in the Gulf and Levant countries since 2000 with donations totalling more than half a million dollars.

Last year, 13 projects from Lebanon, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Syria, Qatar and Bahrain received Ford funds. For 2006, a total pool of US$90,000 is once again available to ongoing volunteer projects addressing one or more of three categories: the natural environment, environmental education, and conservation engineering.

An independent jury panel of environmentalists, academics and government officials selects entries, and grants range between US$1,000 and US$15,000.

Hussein Murad, Ford Middle East's Sales & Marketing Director, said: "Now in its seventh year in the Middle East, the Ford Grants programme is a pioneering concept and the largest private sector initiative in the region serving the environment. Cash donations, like the Ford Grants, allow volunteer groups to allocate resources as they choose and where they are most needed."

Application forms to receive funding from the Ford Motor Company Conservation & Environmental Grants can be collected from any Ford, Lincoln and Mercury dealership in the GCC, Lebanon, Syria and Jordan. Forms can also be downloaded from the bilingual website www.ford-environmentalgrants.com. The closing date for entries is October 19, 2006.

Notes to the editor:
Ford Motor Company, a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Mich., manufactures and distributes automobiles in 200 markets across six continents. With about 300,000 employees and 108 plants worldwide, the company's core and affiliated automotive brands include Aston Martin, Ford, Jaguar, Land Rover, Lincoln, Mazda, Mercury and Volvo. Its automotive-related services include Ford Motor Credit Company.  For more information regarding Ford's products, please visit www.fordvehicles.com.

Ford Motor Company's history in the Middle East goes back to nearly 60 years. The company's local importer-dealers operate more than 55 facilities in the region and directly employ more than 4,000 people, the majority of whom are Arab Nationals.

© Press Release 2006