Figure1 Group Photo ©Mijin/EAAFP

The 22 enthusiastic high-school students from US visited EAAFP Secretariat office on 12 July 2018. “Do you have any favorite bird in your mind?” Hyeseon Do, Programme Officer in EAAFP, started with this question and continued to explain about EAAFP. She detailed works in EAAFP such as Partners Working Groups, Task Forces, World Migratory Bird Day event, EAAF Sites in Alaska and so on. Not only about the what we do, she talked about what has been changed after our works as well. She rounded out her presentation showing video about conserving Spoon-billed Sandpipers’ journey directed by Vivian Fu.

Figure 2 Lecture from Danhak ©Mijin/EAAFP

In the touched atmosphere, provoking them to do conservation activity, Danhak Gu who is a Programme Assistant began her presentation while telling the beautiful life story of Bar-tailed Godwits. She pointed out the importance of habitat as a stopover site for migratory birds including Bar-tailed Godwit who flies long distance in the life time of over 10 years equal to the trip to the moon. “Let’s say if you are planning to make a road trip from Portland, Oregon to New Hampshire, you need to drop by gas station to refuel your car. Otherwise your car will be shut down in the middle of nowhere. Likewise, these birds need to refuel themselves to make all the way to their final destination” she added. Given the information, students are told how they can do for conserving activities. Danhak also introduced many activities they can do easily. In addition, she explained EAAFP Social Network Services and how to join the international/national organization. We could see their potential to be a leader of conservationist and what they want to be.

Figure 3 To Our Winged Travellers ©Mijin/EAAFP

As a last session of presentation, there were group activities in bingo game which is coordinated by Minshil and Mijin, Programme assistants, under the theme of ecology and participating our project "To Our Winged Travellers". They wrote the message for migratory birds on EAAF with love and beautiful drawings. The bingo game was so special because they should explain their words to their friends and share thoughts. Also, two players who had one bingo line firstly got the gifts. The first winner took a guide book of Waterbirds of ASEAN and second winner got the T-shirt, with handkerchief and Far Eastern Curlew badge.

Lew Young, Chief Executive of EAAFP, gave a closing remarks for the students. “How are you going to tell what you’ve learned here to your eight-year-old sister?” he started with this question. He also mentioned the importance of conserving flyway reaching to Alaska as well. With the hope they will push an effort on conservation activities in the near future, we took a photo with Spoon-billed Sandpiper at the office.

For more photos, click here.