“Flyway: connecting people and migratory waterbirds” story series #7: Interview with Ms. Green Choi, a bird researcher and illustrator at MEET GREEN

 “A bird researcher and Illustrator of MEET GREEN”, this is how we describe Ms. Green Choi.

We have met this wonderful bird lover to get to know more about what she has done for raising awareness of birds and how she contributes to the conservation of migratory waterbirds as a bird researcher and an illustrator at MEET GREEN, the Center for Bird Watching Culture and Contents production.

Photo of Ms. Green Choi © Ms. Green Choi

Ms. Green Choi is collaborating with EAAFP secretariat through illustration for the promotion of the EAAFP’s Key Species on educational materials, and souvenirs. The educational materials of Scaly-sided Merganser, Baer’s Pochard, Dalmatian Pelican, Black-faced Spoonbill, Spoon-billed Sandpiper, Far Eastern Curlew, Bar-tailed Godwit, and Saunders’s Gull are coming out soon. She wishes her works would be helpful in raising awareness of these threatened birds that desperately need protection.

Photo of Ms. Green Choi © Ms. Green Choi

EAAFP: Hi Ms. Choi, could you share more about your background?

Ms. Green Choi:

Hi, my name is Green Choi, a bird and nature lover. I have been trying to introduce birds and nature to people in a friendly way through three areas: bird research, illustration, and ecology education. Currently, I’m in the MS/Ph.D. program on bird research at Animal Ecology Lab at Kyung Hee University in RO Korea. Also, I’ve been working on introducing the general information on birds and nature by illustration at MEET GREEN, the Center for Bird Watching Culture and Contents production, and trying to figure out better ways to communicate with more people by promoting educational programmes.

Ecology education program at MEET GREEN, the Center for Bird Monitoring Culture and Contents production 1 © Green Choi

Ecology education program at MEET GREEN, the Center for Bird Monitoring Culture and Contents production 2 © Ms. Green Choi

Education materials at MEET GREEN, the Center for Bird Monitoring Culture and Contents production 3 © Ms. Green Choi

EAAFP: What you are currently doing?

Ms. Green Choi:

In 2019, I published an illustration storybook about Spoon-billed Sandpiper. Since then, souvenirs are being produced for readers to remember the Spoon-billed Sandpiper in their daily life besides reading the book. I have been actively doing what I can do.  Also, I have been introducing not only the endangered species but the diverse birds in Korea as well by characterization of these birds.

“A travel of Fufu, the Spoon-billed Sandpiper” Story book about the Spoon-billed Sandpiper © Ms. Green Choi

“A travel of Fufu, the Spoon-billed Sandpiper” Story book about the Spoon-billed Sandpiper © Ms. Green Choi

“A travel of Fufu, the Spoon-billed Sandpiper” Story book about the Spoon-billed Sandpiper © Ms. Green Choi

Souvenirs produced by MEET GREEN © Ms. Green Choi

Souvenirs produced by MEET GREEN © Ms. Green Choi

EAAFP: What motivated you change from your previous job to become an illustrator?

Ms. Green Choi:

I like spending my free time drawing and since I’ve started bird watching, I started drawing birds spontaneously. While drawing the bird observation log, I learned more about the features of birds that I couldn’t catch during the bird watching activities. Also, I enjoyed drawing birds as I could recall the memories of the seasonal weather, the atmosphere, and the feelings at the time. One day, one idea came up to my mind that if these bird drawings are simplified as cute illustrations, it can be used for introducing birds to the public in  a friendly and approachable way. Since having put this idea into practice and continued working at it, I have been working as an illustrator.

The bird observation logs drawn by Ms. Green Choi © Ms. Green Choi

The bird observation logs drawn by Ms. Green Choi © Ms. Green Choi

EAAFP: Where can we see your work? What do you want to achieve through your artwork and story?

Ms. Green Choi:

My artworks are available on MEET GREEN Website, Instagram, and Facebook. I want to work on the activities that make people recognize birds as ‘their friends living together’ not ‘the ones that have nothing to do with our life’.

EAAFP: Do you think it is easy/difficult to reach out to the general public to tell the stories of migratory waterbirds? Any interesting or personal experiences you would like to share?

Ms. Green Choi:

I think that’s not easy. Especially, it is way harder to tell stories about the migratory waterbirds to those who are not interested in birds and nature because there’s almost no linkage with them. Moreover, on the internet, is the sea of information, and people rarely reach out to subjects they are not  interested in or attractive to. Participants in the migratory waterbirds and biodiversity-related offline events are usually the people who are already interested in nature and environmental issues. For reaching out to the wider public, we should keep making more efforts in many different  ways.

Everyone likes cute animal characters regardless of their interest, nationality, age, or gender. Some people like MEET GREEN and buy souvenirs at MEET GREEN just because these bird illustrations are cute although they are not keen on birds at all. One of the interesting experiences I had while running MEET GREEN was that someone who does not know anything about the migratory waterbirds was gradually learning and remembered the name, features, and its importance of conserving the ‘Spoon-billed Sandpiper’.

Bird characters designed by Ms. Green Choi © Ms. Green Choi

EAAFP: Can you share some tips of engaging people using art?

Ms. Green Choi:

I am trying to utilize the benefits of social media as a tool for communicating with many people as much as I can by uploading the MEET GREEN news and illustrations on various platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Naver blog. On social media, participants/followers have fun with playing simple games like birds’ name matching or do a popularity poll for their favorite birds on social media. Also, I communicate with people from other countries by adding English explanations on the postings.

EAAFP: What is your future plan or ambition to raise awareness of conservation of migratory waterbirds?

Ms. Green Choi:

I would like to systematize the works that I have currently been doing. As mentioned, I want to maximize the synergy effects in the three areas: bird research, illustration, and ecology education. I am sure if the interaction of these three areas goes well and continues, it will be much helpful in raising awareness of the conservation of the migratory waterbirds more effectively.

Photo of Ms. Green Choi © Ms. Green Choi

Links to Meet Green webpage and social media.

Korean Article: https://blog.naver.com/eaafp/222221819051

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