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EAAFP welcomes Ms. Jennifer George as New Chief Executive
The East Asian-Australasian Flyway Partnership (EAAFP) is delighted to announce the appointment of Ms. Jennifer George from New Zealand, as its new Chief Executive of the Secretariat, effective on 20th June 2023. With a distinguished career in various sectors, and being a lawyer in practice, Ms. George brings a wealth of experience and a passion for driving positive change to her role in leading the EAAFP’s mission of conserving migratory waterbirds and their habitats along the East Asian-Australasian Flyway. Her recent remarkable contributions extend to her role as an EAAFP consultant for developing the recently adopted MOP11 Decision Papers namely “Guidelines for EAAFP National and Site Partnerships” and “’ Guidelines for the EAAFP Sister Site Program”. Many of you might have discussed with her during the consultation period of the Guidelines and met her at MOP11 this March, in Brisbane, Australia. Her expertise and collaboration with the EAAFP Secretariat and Partners have resulted in driving momentum to the development of the partnership. She is also an active member of the EAAFP Partner, Pukorokoro Miranda Naturalists Trust, where her interest and passion for conserving migratory waterbirds has built up. Ms. George has an extensive background as a performance-driven professional that spans government, law, education, business development, and the non-profit sector. She worked in the Secretariat of the Climate Change Chief Executives Board of the Ministry for the Environment, New Zealand, to provide advice on best practice governance, and lessons learned from similar arrangements, mentor analysts, and improve governance systems and processes. She has years of experience in governance and served in the governmental sector for the New Zealand Qualifications Authority, Ministry of Justice, Wellington City Council, New Zealand. Her roles ranged from analyst and project manager to convenor of an expert panel. As a governance consultant, Jennifer has been instrumental in developing best-practice governance frameworks for Crown Entity and local governments, ensuring compliance with legislative requirements, and fostering efficient processes. Her research and advocacy have resulted in policy changes at the governmental level. She also has 10 years of teaching experience in a secondary school and had been served as Head of Department, as well as a board member to Central Regional Health School, where she proved her skills in education and management. In addition, her role as Development Director of Henwood Trust with Māori (New Zealand’s indigenous people) communities demonstrated her leadership in developing and cultivating strategic relationships with indigenous people and diverse stakeholders to bring positive changes. Her track record of success in facilitating transformational outcomes for organizations and communities showcases her exceptional leadership skills and her ability to collaborate effectively with diverse stakeholders, including government officials, academics, professionals, Indigenous communities, philanthropy, and NGOs. These diverse cross-sector skill sets would equip her well to lead EAAFP to implement the Strategic Plan and CEPA Action Plan for the next years. We are thrilled as Ms. Jennifer George takes the helm as the Chief Executive of the EAAFP Secretariat. Please join us to welcome her to the Secretariat.
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Welcome Ramsar Regional Center – East Asia (RRC-EA) as EAAFP’s 40th Partner!
Today, the East Asian-Australasian Flyway Partnership (EAAFP) is delighted to announce the Ramsar Regional Center – East Asia (RRC-EA) as its 40th Partner. This new partnership would enhance collaborative effort, especially on CEPA (Communication/Capacity Building, Education, Participation and Awareness) on wetlands and migratory waterbird conservation in the Asian region of the East Asian – Australasian Flyway. RRC-EA is one of the Ramsar Regional Initiatives adopted by the Ramsar Convention. Based in Suncheon City of the Republic of Korea, it was established through the initiative of the Ministry of Environment (MOE) of the Republic of Korea to serve as a regional platform for capacity building, information exchange, and cooperation among governments, Ramsar Sites and wetland managers and stakeholders, international and national non-government organizations, technical experts and business organizations. One of the primary areas of focus for the RRC-EA is to build capacity and provide technical assistance to countries in the region to build capacity in wetland management, and to develop CEPA programmes. It leads the development of a regional CEPA strategy to raise awareness and promote the value of wetlands and their conservation in the region, including the development of Wetlands Link International (WLI) - Asia-Oceania, a network of wetland centres that promotes the sharing of knowledge, experience, and best practices in wetland conservation and management. With their focus aligning with the EAAFP's mission, RRC-EA has been actively collaborating with the EAAFP for many years, and their partnership was officially strengthened in December 2020 when they signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) (link). The MoU aims to strengthen cooperation in common activities in the field of wetland conservation, especially on the expansion of cooperation and co-organization of capacity building, training and awareness-raising to relevant stakeholders at regional and national levels. Celebrating the new partnership, Mr. Suh Seung Oh, Executive Director of the Ramsar Regional Center - East Asia stated, "We are honored to become the 40th partner of the East Asian-Australasian Flyway Partnership. Wetlands are crucial habitats for migratory waterbirds, and our collaboration will enable us to work together more effectively to conserve these ecosystems and the waterbirds that depend on them. We look forward to sharing our expertise in wetland conservation, to promote and raise awareness of the importance of wetland conservation." The RRC-EA's expertise in wetland conservation and CEPA programs will be a valuable asset to the partnership's efforts to conserve migratory waterbirds and their habitats along the East Asian-Australasian Flyway. Visit RRC-EA's homepage: http://rrcea.org/
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Report of monitoring of migratory waterbirds 2021 – 2022 at the Songdo Tidal Flat Flyway Network Site in Ro Korea
"The Regular Monitoring of Migratory Waterbirds in Songdo Tidal Flat (Ramsar Site)"was coordinated by EAAFP Secretariat and sponsored by Incheon City Government. Twenty two surveys were conducted from June 2021 to May 2022 at the Songdo Tidal Flat Flyway Network Site (FNS), which is also a Ramsar Site, and its adjacent areas. A total of 223 (accumulated number) participated in it. A local NGO, "Black-faced Spoonbill and Friends" (BfS & Friends) and the BFS NGO Network participated in the process. Action for waterbirds during the monitoring © BfS & Friends Action for waterbirds during the monitoring © BfS & Friends During the survey period from June 2021 to May 2022, 87 species and 29,300 individuals (the sum of the maximum number of each species) were recorded at the target sites. Survey Sites: (1) Namdong Reservoir, (2) Gojan Tidal Flat (Songdo Tidal Flat FNS), (3) Aam Island Tidal Flat, (4) Yonghyeon Tidal Channel, (5) Northern waterway of Area 11, (6) Area 10, and (7) Hwasae Rock and Oi Island Tidal Flat; The red line represents the Songdo Tidal Flat Ramsar Site (FNS). © BfS & Friends This indicates that Songdo Tidal Flat Ramsar Site has been utilized as a habitat for various migratory waterbirds. However, we found population fluctuation of some species, e.g. Dunlin, during the monitoring of the Songdo Tidal Flat in 2022. We assumed that the reasons for the decrease in shorebirds were (1) that Songdo Reclaimed Area 10 had been filled and dried up, which led to a loss of roosting site for shorebirds; and (2) that there was more frequent recreational fishing around the site, imposing disturbance to the roosting birds. The loss of roosting site at high tide caused by the Waterfront Space project also caused the decrease in population. It is recommended that the remaining adjacent alternative habitats at the Songdo Tidal Flat should prohibit human access to protect the habitat and migratory waterbirds. The site will regain its past condition favorable for waterbirds at the Songdo Tidal Flat FNS only if its alternative habitats would be designated and managed to sustain bird population as well as public awareness is raised. Download and read the report [here]. Written by Mr. Heungbeom Oh from Black-faced Spoonbill and Friends (spgw100@naver.com); Translated by Ms. Yunjeong Choi from EAAFP Secretariat 2021.06 ~ 2022.05 송도갯벌 철새이동경로 네트워크 서식지에서의 이동성 물새 정기조사 「송도갯벌(람사르습지) 저어새 등 이동성물새 정기조사」는 EAAFP가 주관하고 인천시의 후원으로 진행되었다. 송도갯벌 철새이동경로 네트워크 서식지(람사르 습지이기도 함)과 그 일원에서 2021년 6월부터 2022년 5월 기간에 총 조사 22회 했고, 참가자는 누적 합계로 223명이며, ‘저어새와 친구들’ 및 ‘저어새 NGO 네트워크’에서 주도하였다. 해당 기간 동안 관찰된 종수는 총 87종이고, 관찰된 개체수는 29,300 개체(각 종의 최대 수 합산)였다. 송도갯벌(람사르습지)은 다양한 이동성 물새들의 서식지로 활용이 되고 있음을 확인할 수 있었다. 하지만 매년 송도갯벌(람사르 습지)를 모니터링을 하고 있음에도 불구하고 올해처럼 급격한 변화를 체감한 것은 처음이었다. 기존 조사에서 도요물떼새 등 철새들이 이동을 하는 3월과 10월에 생태지표 지수가 상승하는 것을 확인을 할 수 있었는데, 올해에는 민물도요를 비롯한 도요물떼새들의 개체수 급감이 확인되었고, 그 중 가장 큰 차이를 보인 종은 민물도요이며, 이러한 현상은 도요과 전체에서 관찰되었다. 개체수 감소는 예상범위 내의 사건이었으나, 그 진행 속도는 예상치를 웃돌았다. 도요물떼새들의 감소 원인으로 보이는 것은 주된 서식지인 송도 10공구가 매립 및 내륙화한 것과 람사르 습지 내 낚시가 횡행하는 것 두 가지이다. 또한 만조 시 휴식지로 활용되는 공간이 친수공간사업으로 개방됨에 따라 휴식지가 없어진 점도 개체수 감소의 원인으로 추정된다. 지금 송도갯벌(람사르 습지)은 사람으로부터 간섭이 제한된 대체서식지가 절대적으로 필요한 상황이다. 대체서식지 조성을 통한 개체들의 안정과 시민인식증진을 통한 보호노력이 병행되어야 예전의 람사르 습지로 돌아갈 것으로 보인다. [링크]를 통해 보고서를 다운로드 받고 읽어보세요. 저어새와 친구들 오흥범 팀장(spgw100@naver.com) 작성 EAAFP 사무국 최윤정 프로그램 연구원 한영 번역
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World Migratory Bird Day 2023 highlights impact of the growing water crisis on migratory birds
BOULDER/BONN/INCHEON, 13 May 2023 – Water and its importance to migratory birds – and the increasing threats to both water quality and quantity - is the focus of this year’s World Migratory Bird Day, a global campaign that aims to raise awareness of migratory birds and the need for international cooperation to conserve them. Activities to mark the campaign will be held globally on two peak days in May and October under the theme “Water: Sustaining Bird Life” Water is fundamental to sustaining life on our planet. Migratory birds rely on water and its associated habitats—lakes, rivers, streams, ponds, swamps, marshes, and coastal wetlands—for breeding, resting, refueling during migration, and wintering. Yet increasing human demand for water, along with climate change, pollution, and other factors, are threatening these precious aquatic ecosystems. Headlines around the world are sounding alarm: 35 percent of the world’s wetlands, critical to migratory birds, have been lost in the last 50 years. Utah’s Great Salt Lake, the largest saltwater lake in the Western Hemisphere and used by more than a million shorebirds, is in danger of disappearing within five years. Across the Amur-Heilong Basin in Asia, climate change is amplifying the impact of habitat destruction by depleting natural water systems and depriving migratory birds of vital breeding and stopover site. These sobering examples go hand-in-hand with recent reports that reveal that 48 percent of bird species worldwide are undergoing population declines. Another poignant example is that of the Aral Sea shared by Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. Once the fourth-largest lake in the world, it is widely regarded as one of the planet’s worst water-related environmental disasters. Soviet-era irrigation projects almost completely dried up the lake, which led to the loss of livelihoods for fishermen and farmers and the deterioration of public health due to toxic dust and reduced access to clean water. The impact has been severe for the communities around the lake, but also for migratory birds, which lost important food sources and a critically important stopover point on their journey. Another example is the Sahel, a vast semi-arid region in Africa: Prolonged periods of drought, deforestation, and overgrazing in the Sahel have led to the degradation of the soil and loss of vegetation, threatening the survival of both the local human population and wildlife, including migratory birds. Lake Chad, one of the largest water bodies in Africa in 1960, lost 90 % of its area, depleting water resources for local communities and also for many migratory birds. World Migratory Bird Day serves as an international call to action for the protection of migratory birds, whose ranges often span multiple countries, and are facing many different threats worldwide. The annual campaign is organized by the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS), the African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbird Agreement (AEWA), Environment for the Americas (EFTA), and the East Asian-Australasian Flyway Partnership (EAAFP). World Migratory Bird Day 2023 will be officially held on 13 May and 14 October. The two days of World Migratory Bird Day reflect the cyclical nature of bird migration as well as the fact that there are varying peak migration periods in the northern and southern hemispheres. Events to raise awareness of migratory birds and the importance of water will take place all over the world including in local parks, nature centers, museums, libraries, schools, and other locations on these peak days and throughout the year. To learn more about this year’s World Migratory Bird Day campaign and actions to take, visit www.worldmigratorybirdday.org and EAAFP WMBD 2023 webpage: https://www.eaaflyway.net/world-migratory-bird-day-2023/ Also, please have a look of the Campaign Strategy for promoting World Migratory Bird Day, click [here]. For more resources, visit the Trello Board [here]. Message from the Partners of World Migratory Bird Day Convention on Migratory Species (CMS) “Water is essential for people as well as for migratory birds and other wild species of animals. Yet around the world, the availability and quality of water is under enormous pressure, with deeply concerning implications. The looming global water crisis requires urgent action by governments, businesses, local communities as well as individuals. Because migratory birds cross national borders and even continents, international cooperation is essential to ensure that actions are taken to conserve and restore important habitat for migratory birds, and to address the drivers of water loss, pollution, and climate change,” said Amy Fraenkel, Executive Secretary of the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS). African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbird Agreement (AEWA) “The water crisis recently highlighted by the UN 2023 Water Conference also has a tremendous impact on migratory birds. In the Sahel in particular, many wetlands on which migratory waterbirds rely during the non-breeding period are shrinking. Water is a vital resource for all, local communities as well as birds. By reducing our consumption, combatting climate change, and managing wetlands wiser, we can improve the situation,” said Dr. Jacques Trouvilliez, Executive Secretary of the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA). Environment for the Americas (EFTA) “World Migratory Bird Day 2023 spotlights the vital role that water plays in the survival of our shared birds. The focal species illustrated on the campaign poster depict the intricate bond each bird shares with water. The diminutive Rufous Hummingbird thrives on nectar-producing flowers that rely on water for their blooms, and the Dickcissel scours the grasslands for seeds that hold the moisture they need. White Pelicans and Ospreys seek their prey in freshwater lakes, while the magnificent Wandering Albatross and Atlantic Puffin remain at sea. WMBD is an opportunity to unify our voices for the conservation of migratory birds and to celebrate their spectacular journeys,” said Dr. Susan Bonfield, Executive Director at Environment for the Americas (EFTA). East Asian-Australasian Flyway Partnership (EAAFP) “This year's WMBD theme serves as a vital reminder of the linkage of migratory birds to the importance of protecting aquatic ecosystems and conserving wetlands. As birds such as threatened Spoon-billed Sandpiper, Dalmatian Pelican, and Sarus Crane migrate, they rely heavily on wetlands for survival. We must take urgent actions and collaborate at all levels, from citizens to among governments, to tackle the problems of saving water and aquatic ecosystem, and ensure that migratory birds continue to thrive.” Ms. Yeounhee Ahn, Deputy Executive of East Asian-Australasian Flyway Partnership (EAAFP).
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Shorebird Working Group: Moving Forward for Successful Conservation
The EAAFP’s Shorebird Working Group (SWG) was established to promote, facilitate, and coordinate shorebird conservation, management, education and research activities within the EAAF and to improve communication between shorebird specialists and managers in the flyway. On 27th April, 2023, the SWG conducted its first Core Team meeting (virtually). This meeting was the first get-together for the acting Core Team since the SWG met at the 11th Meeting of the Partners (MOP) of the EAAF in Brisbane, Australia, on 12 March 2023. David Li, the newly elected Chair of the SWG, first introduced the current acting Core Team members, including 5 representatives of EAAFP partners, 1 representative from the EAAFP Secretariat and 4 invited members. The seven acting Core Team members who participated in the inaugural online meeting are shown in the photo below, including (left to right, top to bottom) Mark Carey, Ginny Chan, David Li, Katherine Leung, Yifei Jia and Chen Qing for Yin Yu Zhu. Not shown in the photo is Chris Hassell. Several members could not attend, including Rick Lanctot, Phil Straw and Micha Jackson. Core Team of EAAFP Shorebird Working Group (left to right, top to bottom: Mark Carey, Ginny Chan, David Li, Katherine Leung, Yifei Jia and Chen Qing) The 2.5-hour meeting included an introduction of the acting Core Team, a discussion of the Work Plan and roles of the Core Team members, proposed revision of the SWG Terms of Reference (TOR), and a decision to hold an all-members meeting on 31 August GMT 6-9 am. Prior to the meeting, the acting Core Team members completed a questionnaire about the proposed Work Plan for the EAAF Partnership’s Shorebird Working Group, 2023-2025. The questionnaire provided their preliminary opinion on priority actions and the role of the SWG, the importance and urgency of each listed item, and what items the Core Team members were interested in and willing to lead. Based on the results of this questionnaire, in the coming 2 years, the Core Team decided to focus primarily on these 4 areas: To support the identification of important areas and promote monitoring of migratory shorebirds, To support conservation of shorebird species and their habitats, To support capacity building and promote science for shorebird conservation and management, and To enhance communication-related to shorebird conservation. The Shorebird Working Group’s TOR was also revised to reflect recent changes in the structure and function of the SWG as agreed at the SWG meeting at the 11th MOP of the EAAF. The acting Core Team agreed to hold an online meeting for all SWG members on 31 August 2023 to request full endorsement of the TOR, the members of the Core Team, and the Work Plan and roles proposed by the acting Core Team members. The Core Team meeting concluded with a fruitful discussion on the next steps before the next Core Team meeting planned for the end of June. It allowed participants to share knowledge and experiences, plan for future conservation efforts, and build an effective mechanism to support the group’s work. Learn more about EAAFP Shorebird Working Group: https://www.eaaflyway.net/shorebird-working-group/
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Establishment and Coordination of the EAAF Shorebird Migration Tracking Group
EAAFP Small Grant Fund project by Ying Chi Chan University of Groningen Banding shorebirds as a means of understanding their movements has been conducted in the EAAF for several decades. Nowadays, an increasing number of people all along the flyway contribute to this effort by reporting sightings of previously tagged birds (e.g., Lagassé et al. 2020). These contributions have resulted in a greater understanding of the distribution and timing of shorebird migrations. Recently, researchers have employed various technologies, such as satellite transmitters, geolocators, and GSM-based trackers, to map out the migratory routes of these birds. This has helped us gain insights into individual migration patterns and has filled in gaps in knowledge in areas where there are fewer bird-banding conducted and sightings of banded birds (e.g. Chan et al. 2019). The scientific information generated by these studies has been crucial in recognizing the importance of the Yellow Sea, leading to the designation of important areas as a new World Heritage Site (e.g. Piersma et al. 2017). Although an increasing number of tracking studies have been conducted by various institutions/groups across the flyway, there is little coordination and lack of prioritization on species and populations to be tracked. Furthermore, the wide variety of techniques, their constant development, difficulties in analyzing data, and raising funds to purchase the tracking devices have created challenges for people hoping to begin using these techniques. Given the urgent need to conserve declining migratory shorebird populations across the EAAF, it is imperative to create a Shorebird Tracking Group that can provide a platform to share information and techniques, allow and promote collaborations across the nonbreeding range of a species and across multiple species using the same site, utilizing the full potential of tracking data in conservation of shorebirds in this flyway. The need for this group was apparent during enthusiastic discussions by participants of the 1st EAAF Shorebird Science Meeting held in November 2020. The group is open to anyone interested in studying or learning about shorebird migration. Here are the goals of the EAAF Shorebird Tracking Group (EAAF STG): establish group membership and tracking project directory to determine existing work occurring within the EAAF, coordinate/lead on-line meetings to facilitate exchange of ideas and techniques, promote collaborations between researchers, and between researchers and conservation organizations, and garner support to projects and initiatives that promote shorebird conservation in the EAAF using science-based tracking information. Project Directory A project directory of past and current shorebird telemetry studies occurring within the EAAF was established. For each project, principal investigators are asked to list the species, tag deployment location, tracking device, years of study, organisation, contact person and email, and a link to their project website (optional). This allows an overview of what has and has not occurred to date, helping to identify knowledge gaps and prioritize future collaborative projects. Please view the current project directory here: trackeaaf.org/projects Webinar series Regular online meetings in the form of seminars on the topic on migration and movement ecology or tracking techniques were organized by the EAAF STG. Screenshots of EAAF Shorebird Tracking Group Webinar Recordings of the most recent webinars are available on a youtube channel https://www.youtube.com/@trackeaaf From April 2021 to November 2022, there were 11 webinars organized, on average every 1-2 months. There were 21 speakers, and 3 of them gave a talk two times. Some webinars were organized with a theme, such as the Bar-tailed godwit (12 July 2021) and Nordmann’s Greenshank (1 September 2022). Researchers studying populations of shorebirds in flyways other than the EAAF were occasionally invited. The purpose was to exchange information and stimulate potential collaborations. For the list of past webinars, please check our website: trackeaaf.org/activities If you are interested to receive news related to tracking shorebirds e.g. webinars related to shorebirds and/or bird-tracking organized by other organisations, conferences, and conservation activities, please request to join the mailing list at the website’s contact form: trackeaaf.org/contact References Battley, P. F., Warnock, N., Tibbitts, T. L., Gill Jr, R. E., Piersma, T., Hassell, C. J., ... & Riegen, A. C. (2012). Contrasting extreme long‐distance migration patterns in bar‐tailed godwits Limosa lapponica. Journal of Avian Biology, 43(1), 21-32. Chan, Y. C., Tibbitts, T. L., Lok, T., Hassell, C. J., Peng, H. B., Ma, Z., ... & Piersma, T. (2019). Filling knowledge gaps in a threatened shorebird flyway through satellite tracking. Journal of Applied Ecology, 56(10), 2305-2315. Lagassé, B. J., Lanctot, R. B., Barter, M., Brown, S., Chiang, C. Y., Choi, C. Y., ... & Wunder, M. B. (2020). Dunlin subspecies exhibit regional segregation and high site fidelity along the East Asian–Australasian Flyway. The Condor, 122(4), duaa054. Piersma, T., Chan, Y. C., Mu, T., Hassell, C. J., Melville, D. S., Peng, H. B., ... & Wilcove, D. S. (2017). Loss of habitat leads to loss of birds: reflections on the Jiangsu, China, coastal development plans. Wader Study, 124(2), 93-98. Join the EAAF Shorebird Tracking Group: https://forms.gle/CHbntPrMCGypGiZK6 East Asian-Australasian Flyway Shorebird Tracking Projects Directory: https://eaafprojects.netlify.app/ To include your project to the directory: https://form.jotform.com/210225083733043 Learn about EAAFP Shorebird Working Group: https://www.eaaflyway.net/shorebird-working-group/ The project was funded through the 2021 EAAFP WG/TF Small Grant Fund. View the report, Click here.
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Come Fly with Sacha Dench, Human Swan -to celebrate World Migratory Bird Day
Brief Introduction Have you thought of flying with the migratory waterbirds, and even helping to save them from extinction? The theme of World Migratory Bird Day 2023 “Water: Sustaining Bird Life” highlights the importance of water for migratory birds and identifies key actions for protecting water resources and aquatic ecosystems. On 12 May, we are honoured to invite Ms. Sacha Dench, aka "Human Swan", Ambassador, UN’s Convention on Migratory Species, CEO and Founder of Conservation without Borders to share with us her exciting flying journeys to raise awareness of the conservation of migratory birds, and invite the audience to discuss new ideas with Sacha to the call for conservation actions! Date/Time: 12 May, 2023 (Friday) (15:00 – 16:00 KST/6:00-7:00 GMT/7:00-8:00 BST) Venue: Zoom Language: English Registration: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZYocuChqjksGtQp0-YfuilaqDOKW06K5_GM Speaker Sacha Dench Ambassador, UN’s Convention on Migratory Species; CEO, Founder of Conservation without Borders Sacha Dench is an Australian-born biologist who graduated from the University College of London and the current UN’s Convention on Migratory Species. She is the founder of Conservation Without Borders, which looks out for migratory species and issues that most need help. She is a conservationist, adventurer, and a motivational speaker having presented TED talks about her work in conserving different wildlife species across the world. She has worked for international conservation organizations in communications for more than 15 years. Q & A Moderator Chris Rostron International Engagement Manager, WWT (Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust) Chris has been working in wetland conservation and environmental CEPA activities for over 30 years. He is now based at the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust (WWT), UK, working as the International Engagement Manager, particularly engagement in CEPA activities. For the past 12 years, he has led on WLI, the global network of wetland centres, supporting delivery of CEPA activities at wetland sites. He has worked closely with the Ramsar convention, supporting their CEPA programme, and actively engaging at their COPs, CEPA oversight panel and Standing Committees, allowing him to influence and support global wetland conservation. Support: Learn more about EAAFP activities and materials on World Migratory Bird Day: https://www.eaaflyway.net/world-migratory-bird-day-2023/ For inquiries, please contact Ms. Vivian Fu, Senior Communication Officer of EAAFP Secretariat, at communication@eaaflyway.net.
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HKBWS Asia Conservation Fund 2023-2024 applications are now open
HKBWS Asia Conservation Fund supports research, monitoring, education and capacity building for bird conservation in the region, with a higher priority given to i) projects that target species that occur in Hong Kong or on the East Asian-Australasian Flyway; and ii) projects that assist the relevant country in meeting Aichi Biodiversity Targets and implementing its action plan. Funds are donations from members and supporters of the Hong Kong Bird Watching Society. The funding amount can be up to USD2,000. Applications will be reviewed by the HKBWS Asia Conservation Fund committee. For further details, please refer to the attached Application Guideline. Applicants can complete and submit the attached application form with all relevant documents to lkenneth@hkbws.org.hk Closing date of 2023-2024 application: 18 June 2023 [Hong Kong time 12:00 noon (GMT +08:00)] *Applications will receive a confirmation e-mail within 5 days of application submission. Please contact lkenneth@hkbws.org.hk or apply again if applicants do not receive the confirmation e-mail. Application Guidelines: https://www.hkbws.org.hk/cms/attachments/article/530/HKBWS%20_ACF_Guideline_2023-2024.pdf Application form: https://www.hkbws.org.hk/cms/attachments/article/530/HKBWS_ACF_Application_Form_2023-2024.docx
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Gochang Big Bird Race 2023 brought birdwatchers to contribute bird data to the UNESCO World Heritage Site
From 21st to 23rd April 2023, the 2nd Gochang Big…
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