-
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).
Continue reading -
Seminar and Training on Shorebird Banding for Bird Conservationists at Trisik Beach, Kulon Progo, Special Region of Yogyakarta, Indonesia
2022 EAAFP Small Grant Fund Project by Ahmad Zulfikar Abdullah Endemic Indonesia Society Mist net installation practice © Endemic Indonesia Society Birdbanding is a technique used to study wild birds which had been applied internationally in numerous researches and requires a distinct set of skills and expertise, including equipment use, bird safety, and alertness during the entire process. Bird banding has been a regular activity in Indonesia since the 1950s, and is supervised by the Indonesian Bird Banding Scheme (IBBS). Since 2010, bird banding groups have emerged from different cities including Bogor, Yogyakarta, and Surabaya. However, the majority of these groups have failed to maintain a consistent program for the past few years, which resulted in the absence of new bird banding activists. This is shown by the stagnant number of licensed bird bander in Indonesia. With support from the EAAFP Small Grant Fund for Working Groups and Task Forces, Endemic Indonesia Society organized a bird banding-focused event through seminars and training. This event, which was held on November 19-23, 2022, has been conducted in Yogyakarta due to its ease of access and could involve the active bird banding community, Jogja Birdbanding Club. We believe that reintroducing bird banding through seminars and hands-on workshops to bird conservation activists, especially the younger age group, is urgently needed to ensure the continuity of bird banding scheme in Indonesia as well as keeping information on bird migration updated. Seminar The first plan for the seminar, which was held offline, was changed to online in order to reach more participants. This seminar has presented speakers from ornithology experts, especially those related to bird banding and wetlands. Participants who attended the event came from various backgrounds such as bird researchers, bird watchers, university students, local NGOs, government staff especially in the environment sector, and the local community. Presented seminar topics including : National and Global Perspective of Bird Banding Speaker: Prof. Dr. Dewi Malia Prawiradilaga, MSc., PhD. (National Research and Innovation Agency; Indonesian Bird Banding Scheme) Bird Banding Techniques & Application in Research Speaker: Ign. Pramana Yuda, Ph.D. (Lecture of Atma Jaya Yogyakarta University; President of Indonesian Ornithologists Union) Wetlands and Migratory Bird Conservation Speaker : Ragil Satriyo Gumilang, S.Hut., M.Si. (Wetlands International Indonesia) Goverment’s Role in Migratory Bird Conservation in Trisik Beach Speaker: Tri Dibyo Sumbogo (Natural Resources Conservation Agency of Yogyakarta) First Speaker Second Speaker Third Speaker Fourth Speaker The seminar that was held one day before the training went successfully. Discussions during the seminar showed that the topics presented by the speakers were well understood by the participants. From this seminar, it can be concluded that wetland conservation is generally known by the public, but it's the exact opposite in bird banding. It needs to be collaborative activities that involve many stakeholders if we want to apply this method to support bird and habitat conservation programs. Training The training was attended by 20 participants who had registered and been selected. This activity was assisted by trainers and assistants who have bird banding licenses issued by the Indonesian Bird Banding Scheme. The main trainer was Iwan Febrianto from the Yayasan Ekologi Satwa Liar Indonesia. Participants came from various backgrounds such as students, lecturers, NGO activists, bird watchers, and veterinarians. These activities were divided into two stages. The first stage was conducted twice, in July and September, with passerine birds as the target. This stage aimed to introduce and familiarise the participants with bird banding techniques. Some of the birds that were successfully tagged including: Actitis hypoleucos, Alophoixus bres, Arachnothera longirostra, Cinnyris ornatus, Halcyon cyanoventris, Lonchura leucogastroides, Orthotomus sutorius, Passer montanus, Pellorneum capistratum. Bird banding in July Introduce mist net installation Bird tagging Halcyon cyanoventris Bird banding in September Bird measurements Actitis hypoleucos Orthotomus sutorius The second stage, training with shorebird targets, was conducted in November in Trisik beach area and Progo River estuary. Both locations become an ideal location for our training program due to its easy access and long history of shorebird records. Briefing for participants Mist net installation practice Mist net installation practice Mist net installation practice During the four days of training, it was raining almost every evening and night with strong winds. This condition causes the installation of nets to become not optimal considering that shorebird banding is ideally carried out at night. The training was maximized in the morning and afternoon by targeting birds in the location, which were mostly passerine birds. Some of the birds that were successfully tagged including: Alcedo coerulescens, Anthreptes malacensis, Cisticola juncidis, Geopelia striata, Lonchura leucogastroides, Lonchura punctulata, Orthotomus sutorius, Passer montanus, Prinia inornata, Turnix suscitator. Calidris alba Calidris melanotos Phalaropus fulicaria Philomachus pugnax The conclusion from these events is that there are needs to be encouragement in the form of continuous activities to optimize the use of this method, in order to support bird and habitat conservation efforts. The project was funded through the 2022 EAAFP WG/TF Small Grant Fund. View the report, Click here.
Continue reading -
Not a Threat: How Vegetation Expansion affecting the pattern of Habitat Used by Migratory Waterbirds at Pantai Cemara, Jambi
EAAFP Small Grant Fund Project by Cipto Dwi Handono EKSAI Foundation Spotted Greenshank (Tringa guttifer) recorded at Pantai Cemara, Jambi during this research (November 2021) © Cipto Dwi Handono In 2021 EKSAI Foundation received a small grant fund from the EAAFP to evaluate the potential threat of vegetation expansion on the mudflat of Pantai Cemara, Jambi. From the monitoring in 2020, EKSAI Foundation recorded a massive growth of Ipomoea sp., that later identified as Ipomoea pes-carpae together with a decrease of migratory waterbirds number at Pantai Cemara, Jambi. From 4 days of monitoring and vegetation analysis at Pantai Cemara, Jambi, EKSAI Foundation recorded 35 species of migratory waterbirds and a maximum count of 3.445 birds at Pantai Cemara, Jambi. This result shows a stable number from 2020 which recorded 2.836 birds from 30 species. EKSAI Foundation also recorded two new species that had never been recorded at Pantai Cemara before: Lesser Crested Tern and Broad-billed Sandpiper. Vegetation analysis done by EKSAI Foundation shows that all of the vegetation on site are native species: Ipomoea pes-carpae (the most dominant species on mudflat), Sea-pine, and Avicennia sp. Ipomoea pes-carpae was recorded as invasive in three countries: Spain, Anguilla, and South Africa (Dana, et al., 2020; Connor et al., 2021; and Foxcroft et al., 2020), hence, the result from this monitoring can not prove that ipomoea pes-carpae are invasive and threat the migratory waterbirds community at Pantai Cemara, Jambi. Despite that result, EKSAI Foundation notices that vegetation growth still affects the birds, especially in migratory waterbirds' habitat use and selection. In fig. 01 : (1), (2), and (3) we can compare the mudflat area used by migratory waterbirds at Pantai Cemara, Jambi in 2019, 2020, and 2021. Fig 01. (1) Vegetation and migratory waterbird in 2019 Fig 01. (2) Vegetation and migratory waterbird in 2020 Fig 01. (3) Vegetation and migratory waterbird in 2021 From fig 01, we can see that the migratory waterbird flocks are shifting following the vegetation growth to find the remaining open mudflat at Pantai Cemara, Jambi. Together with the vegetation growth, the team of EKSAI Foundation found a new-form mudflat that was used by migratory waterbirds flock in 2021. This new-form mudflat is formed on the southeast side of Pantai Cemara. We need to continuously survey to monitor the vegetation and mudflat at Pantai Cemara, so we can understand the pattern of migratory waterbirds' habitat at Pantai Cemara. This information is very valuable for migratory waterbirds’ habitat management. Conclusion The expansion of vegetation especially Ipomoea pes-carpae growth at Pantai Cemara Jambi does not identify as a threat to migratory waterbirds, yet still affects the area used by migratory waterbird flocks at Pantai Cemara, Jambi. Based on the interview with local people, a large land clearing near Desa Cemara might cause the increase of organic waste in the river and estuary that possibly be a cause of the increase of vegetation growth at Pantai Cemara, Jambi. During this research, we identify 35 species of migratory waterbirds with a maximum count of total migratory waterbirds is 3.445. This result shows that the migratory waterbirds number from 2020 to 2021 is stable and tends to increase through the vegetation is still growing intensively. The result from this research does not show that the vegetation growth threatened the migratory waterbirds community, but still affects the area used by migratory waterbirds due to the mudflats covered by Ipomoea pes-caprae and other vegetation at Pantai Cemara. The local government and local agencies responsible for the management of Pantai Cemara are committed to proposing this area to be a new Flyway Network Site in Indonesia in 2022, our team will help and follow up this commitment and help to compile the SIS together with all the responsible authorities. The project was funded through the 2021 EAAFP WG/TF Small Grant Fund. View the report, Click here. For inquiries, contact Cipto Dwi Handono at ciptodwihandono@gmail.com
Continue reading -
Skilled Stakeholder Meets Technology: The Next Step of Migratory Waterbirds Conservation in Indonesia
EAAFP Small Grant Fund Project by Ragil Rihadini Yayasan Ekologi Satwa Alam Liar Indonesia (EKSAI Foundation) Indonesia, is one of the important wintering habitats for migratory waterbirds. With a total of 19.181 km shoreline (KKP, 2019), the information about migratory waterbirds in Indonesia is still little. Most records and information cantered in Java and Sumatra Island, this caused threats on the unknown potential sites (fig.01). Fig.01. Shorebirds Data (in red) from 2016-2022; source: burungnesia app. Many migratory waterbirds' important sites in Indonesia are not protected yet, some other are predicted as important sites but it needs more data and information to confirm that. Unfortunately, some of those areas do not have any birdwatchers who skilled in shorebirds identification. Meanwhile, threats such as hunting, habitat change, and other human disturbance frequently recorded in Indonesia; as the local people rarely understand the importance of conserving the waterbirds. As from our survey before proposing this project to the EAAFP, more than 60% of local birdwatchers are not familiar with waterbirds, and more than 70% are not familiar with migration and shorebirds. This makes us hard to access information about migratory shorebirds in Indonesia, and several times during our survey on new sites, we will find people hunting for waterbirds, simply because they did not know what is that, and how important it is to conserve the birds. The need for skilled birdwatchers as conservation agents: citizen scientists, bird researchers, college students, and government agencies to do regular and systematic surveys on the nearest potential habitat of migratory waterbirds. Fig.02. Field Training of Local Stakeholders in Indonesia Need of coordinated monitoring; cantered data (waterbirds database) that will help the scientists and management coordinator to determine the suitable action for shorebird conservation base on that data and information. With no coordinated monitoring and hunting assessment for migratory waterbird conservation, it will be hard to control threats and protect the birds (Eduardo et al, 2020). Fig.03 (a) the illustration of burungnesia.app (b) the data of Nordmann Greenshank in Indonesia from burungnesia app With support from the East Asia Australasia Flyway Partnership (EAAFP), we were able to combine conservation action and technology through a conservation training activity in Indonesia last November – December, 2022. The small grant from the EAAFP makes us able to reach and develop the shorebirds conservation skills and knowledge of at least 30 of local stakeholders from all around Indonesia (from Papua to Sumatra); covers the government agencies, national parks’ agents, college students, birdwatchers, and local NGOs representative. They got several materials about migratory waterbird conservation during the training: creating a community and research-based conservation program; shorebirds habitat management; shorebirds identification, etc. They also got access to discussing their on-field problems with experts during and after the training. In the process to creating a coordinated monitoring and shorebirds database in Indonesia, we collaborate with our partners in Burungnesia.app; an android application for submitting birds checklists. All the trained participants are mandatory to install and register in Burungnesia.app; they also train on how to submit and using this app. By combining the skilled stakeholders and this technology we hope the data, information, and study about migratory shorebirds in Indonesia will increase, also the conservation action and protection of shorebirds in Indonesia will become a serious attention. The project was funded through the 2022 EAAFP WG/TF Small Grant Fund. View the report, Click here.
Continue reading -
Activities of the EAAFP Secretariat for Hwaseong Wetlands Conservation Projects 2020-2022
The scenery of the Hwaseong Wetlands Flyway Network Site © EAAFP Secretariat In November 2018, Hwaseong Wetlands was nominated as the East Asian-Australasian Flyway Network Site (FNS) as its importance as a habitat for migratory waterbirds has been acknowledged. With its designation, Hwaseong City and the EAAFP Secretariat signed an MOU [article] and proceeded with the project called “Collaboration for Conservation of the Hwaseong Wetlands” for three consecutive years, from 2020 to 2022. This article demonstrates the project activities that were carried out in chronological order. <2020> The Project was carried out in six major activities. EAAFP, Birds Korea, Federation for Environmental Movements of Hwaseong (KFEM Hwaseong), Korea Federation for Environmental Movements (KFEM), and Hwaseong City together prepared for the event from June, proceeding with the international symposium online in December 2020. About 300 concurrent users with 2400 views participated and discussed the management of Hwaseong Wetlands together with citizens, farmers, fishermen, the Rural Community Corporation, the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, the Ministry of Environment, researchers, international organizations, and overseas experts. Article: Link Follow-up Actions to the Symposium: Production of Guidelines for Hwaseong Wetland Management Plan and Workshops. Based on discussions on the management of Hwaseong Wetlands at the symposium in December 2020, the EAAFP Secretariat presented guidelines for Hwaseong Wetland Management Plan after two workshops and one advisory meeting in February and March 2021. Hwaseong City, Hwaseong Eco Foundation, and the Symposium Task Force team (the EAAFP Secretariat, KFEM, KFEM Hwaseong, and Birds Korea) participated in the workshop to reach an agreement on the direction of Hwaseong Wetland management in 2021 and beyond. The title of the guideline is ‘The Proposal for the Management Directions for the Sustainable use of the Hwaseong Wetlands’ and was referred to domestic and international wetland management plans and management guidelines. This suggestion presents the scope of management, direction of wetland management, partnership establishment, and setting of goals and implementations. It also proposes to form a consultative body when establishing a partnership, to have an implementation organization accordingly, and to entrust it to civic groups, which has not been attempted in Korea. The authors of the guidelines are Ms. Yeonah Ku (EAAFP Secretariat), (KFEM Hwaseong), and Ms. Hyeseon Do (EAAFP Secretariat), members of the Symposium TF. The external manuscript of Han Donguk, the Director of the PGA Wetland Ecology Research Institute, was also included. Article: Link Hwaseong Wetlands Conservation Resident Project The resident project organized by HEFM initially considered the formation of a symposium preparatory committee, but because of the rising number of COVID-19 cases, it was more carried out as an awareness-raising-oriented activity. From July 2020 to March 2021, six meetings, seven campaigns, eight club activities, two discussions, three lectures, five civic ecological research group activities, and one ecological exploration activity were held. Article: Link International Cooperation Project for the Conservation of Far Eastern Curlew The EAAFP Secretariat discussed with EAAFP Far Eastern Curlew Task Force and decided to support the “Far Eastern Curlew Conservation Project in Sumatra Island” and funded the EKSAI Foundation in Indonesia. Through this research, a full investigation of Far Eastern Curlew and waterbirds in northern Sumatra including Sembilang National Park (South Sumatra Province), Pantai Cemara (Jambi Province) and Bagan Serdang (North Sumatra Province) was made, and training was conducted to local guards. Moreover, a report that compares and analyzes with waterbirds data has been written, which is uploaded on the EAAFP website. Article: Link Waterbird-oriented Ecological Survey and Far Eastern Curlew Network Construction Project Organized by Birds Korea and KFEM, ecological surveys at the Hwaseong Wetlands were carried out from June 2020 to March 2021. Through the survey, migration behavior and habitat of migratory waterbirds and their juvenile were identified. Based on the findings, guideline directions were proposed, and the Far Eastern Curlew Network was formed in December 2020. Among the findings, a report written in 2020 is uploaded on the EAAFP website. Related article 1: “Flyway: connecting people and migratory waterbirds” story series #6– Interview with Dr. Nial Moores Related article 2: The Hwaseong Wetlands Project Related article 3: The Launch of Far Eastern Curlew Network of the Korean Peninsula Promotional and Educational Materials Production Project The EAAFP Secretariat produced key species factsheets for public-raise awareness purposes in the East-Asian Australasian Flyway. The nine species were produced in both Korean and English. Article: Link Moreover, EAAFP Secretariat operated Hwaseong Wetlands FNS Facebook from July 2020 and is promoting Hwaseong Wetlands conservation activities. Article: Link Furthermore, prizes for the Hwaseong Wetland Promotion Contest winner were delivered. [Prize-winner] <2021> The Project was carried out in four major activities. International Cooperation Project for the Conservation of Far Eastern Curlew Following the previous activity of the Far Eastern Curlew surveys in Sumatra in Indonesia, the EKSAI Foundation took another series of surveys as well as training local communities in Sumatra. See the results and the reports in the separate article: Link Local Cooperation Project: Far Eastern Curlew Network in the Korean Peninsula Following the suggestion from the EAAFP Secretariat and Birds Korea in 2020 based on the ecological survey in the Hwaseong Wetlands Flyway Network Site (FNS) in 2020 and existing data from the National Institute of Biological Resources (NIBR), three local governments in ROK, Hwaseong City, Seocheon County, Yeonsu District of Incheon City, initiated the Far Eastern Curlew Network in the Korean Peninsula since 1st December 2020. As a secretariat of the network, Hwaseong City supported the Far Eastern Curlew survey held in July 2021, following the advice of Birds Korea and the EAAFP Secretariat. From July 21st to 25th 2021, 26 survey participants counted Far Eastern Curlews and other species at 34 sites in three areas: parts of coastal Incheon (Ganghwa Island, Yeongjong Island and Songdo, the Han Estuary); the adjacent Gyeonggi Coast (the Hwaseong Wetlands and Asan Bay); and the Geum Estuary (Figure 1). Participants are experienced counters with specialist knowledge of their areas. A total of 9,642 Far Eastern Curlews were recorded with 3,746 in Incheon; 3,255 in parts of Gyeonggi mainland coast; and 2,641 in Geum Estuary. This is around a third of the world’s population of the species, which was estimated to be 32,000 individuals (range: 20,000 – 49,000 individuals, source: https://www.iucnredlist.org/) Article: Link Local Residents Support Project: Citizen Ecological Survey, Marine Waste Cleaning, Civic Forum, and Walking Event To promote the importance of the Hwaseong Wetlands and to conserve wetlands in the hands of the local people, the EAAFP Secretariat and the Korean Federation of Environmental Movement–Hwaseong (KFEM Hwaseong) implemented the Local Residents Project for Conservation of the Hwaseong Wetlands from April to December 2021. Through the Project a citizen-based ecological survey group was formed, and ecological surveys and on-site monitoring activities were conducted with the guide led by experts in waterbirds, large benthos, wild animals, and amphibians. The Youth at Durae Natural High School near the Hwaseong Wetlands and instructors working in the region formed a small group (Dingo Club) together and conducted 5 times of indoor and field education activities regarding the Hwseong Wetlands. The students participated in the “Hwaseong Youth Policy Proposal Contest” and proposed policies for establishing the “Hwaseong Wetland Education Center” and won the Excellence Award. A local birdwatching and marine waste cleaning events were also held for the local citizens, providing sufficient education regarding marine waste problems and the importance of waterbirds. Furthermore, A civic forum was held with wetland NGOs, experts, and residents, titled ‘Benefits of the Hwaseong Wetlands, Shared with Together.’ Through the Forum, it was an opportunity to resolve conflicts over wetland development & conservation, seek new directions for reclaimed land in the Hwaseong Wetlands, and emphasize the importance of the Hwaseong Wetlands in and outside Hwaseong City. Lastly, Hwaseong Wetland Citizens’ Walking Event: Life and Peace Road was organized in solidarity with 17 civil society organizations in Suwon and Hwaseong Cities. Walking along the 5km section of the Hwaseong seawall, citizens toured the Hwaseong Wetlands, where numerous lives are alive and breathing, and shared the meaning of peace by listening to the story of the village suffering from 54 years of combat airfield at Maehyang-ri History Hall. Article: Link 2021 International Symposium for the Hwaseong Wetlands – “All Connected through the Hwaseong Wetlands: One World, One Future” On 26th November, the 2021 International Symposium for the Hwaseong Wetlands hosted by Hwaseong City took place at Purmir Hotel, Hwaseong City. Hwaseong Eco Foundation, EAAFP Secretariat, Birds Korea, and Korea Federation for Environmental Movements (KFEM) of Hwaseong co-organized the event, with support from the Ministry of Environment Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, Cultural Heritage Administration of the Republic of Korea, and Hanns Seidel Foundation Korea. Based on the ideas drawn from the forum, the speakers raised the management and restoration plan on Tidal Flats in ROK with a policy proposal and discussed how to join force for the UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site Phase II. In addition, international experts presented the importance of designating the inland wetlands along the Hwaseong Lake as a Wetland Protected Area and the future management guidelines of the Hwaseong Wetlands with moderation by, Ms. Choony Kim, Secretary General of KFEM. During the panel discussion, the panelists emphasized the importance of designating the inland wetlands along the Hwaseong Lake as a Wetland Protected Area and the future management guideline of the Hwaseong Wetlands. Article: Link Symposium Video Links: Korean, English <2022> The Project was carried out in four major activities. International Cooperation Project for the Conservation of Far Eastern Curlew & domestic cooperation The afterwork has been conducted for the Far Eastern Curlew Conservation Project in Sumatra, Indonesia from January and February. The report document was revised according to the updated information provided by the EKSAI Foundation, the leading organization of the Fare Eastern Curlew Conservation Project in Sumatra. FEC Survey has been conducted in the Philippines from October to December 2022. The surveys were conducted in Bulacan, Malolos City, Pamarawan; National Capital region, Navotas City, Tansa; Cebu, Mandaue City; Negros Island, Negros Occidental; Iloilo City, Iloilo Province; Masbate State, Bicol Region; Oriental Mindoro; and La Union. With this survey there was an opportunity to introduce potentially important habitats for FEC in the Philippines and share survey data. It was reported that further support is required for the continuous implementation of the survey. In the other hand, the Secretariat supported the Hwaeong Eco Foundation and Hwaseong City by holding several meetings/ participating in several education trainings as a domestic cooperation activity. Hwaseong Wetlands Visioning Project In consultation with Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust (WWT) Based in UK, Hwaseong City and the EAAFP Secretariat have discussed the need for developing a visioning plan for the wise use of the Hwaseong Wetlands, which could positively support both wildlife and local residents that rely on the wetland areas. From January 2022, virtual meetings between WWT and the EAAFP Secretariat were held to discuss WWT’s site visit and the organization of stakeholder meeting to receive comprehensive data on the Hwaseong Wetlands for the development of the visioning report. The WWT’s visit (4 days) to the Hwaseong wetlands were proceeded in May, accessed relevant information of the site and two local stakeholder meetings were organized to gather perceptions and advice to reflect on the visioning report. Furthermore, the EAAFP Secretariat provided supplementary data to support the drafting of the visioning report. The final drafts were made in early 2023. Article: Link Local Residents Support Project: Citizen Ecological Survey Training Following theory-based training provided by experts in March 2022, a citizen-based ecological survey group was formed, and ecological surveys and on-site monthly monitoring activities were conducted with the guide led by experts in waterbirds, large benthos, halophytes, wild animals, and amphibians, from March to November 2022. The Citizen Ecological Survey Workshop was held on 27~28 November 2022 to share the survey activities and discuss strengths, weaknesses, and future improvements for the project. Article: Link Prepared by Ms. Yeonah Ku (Local Project Coordinator) & Mr. Yong June Kim (Programme Assistant) from EAAFP Secretariat
Continue reading -
The Update: The Result of Long-term Monitoring for Far Eastern Curlew Species by Local People in Sumatra Island, Indonesia
Through the funds provided by the Hwaseong City Government, South Korea via East Asia-Australasian Flyway Partnership (EAAFP) in 2021, we were able to conduct the monthly monitoring run by local people (which later we call the local monitoring team) at two sites in Sumatra Island, Indonesia: Pantai Cemara, Jambi and Bagan Serdang, North Sumatra. The monitoring at Pantai Cemara, Jambi was conducted from December 2021 (right after the Far Eastern Curlew monitoring and identification training activity at Pantai Cemara, Jambi in November 2021) until February 2022. The local team monitoring on Bagan Serdang, North Sumatra was conducted between January and February 2022 (right after the Far Eastern Curlew monitoring and identification training activity in Nov - Dec 2021). The local monitoring teams surveyed the project sites at the end of each month. Although the ideal time for migratory shorebirds’ survey is during the highest tide phase, it is difficult for the local team to arrange their schedule and follow the ideal time to do the survey. Therefore, we schedule them to do the surveys at the end of each month. During the survey period, the local monitoring team at each site collected data on Far Eastern Curlew presented in table 01. Table 01: Far Eastern Curlew maximum count from monthly monitoring by the local monitoring team on each site Besides the Far Eastern Curlew species, the local monitoring team also recorded some other migratory shorebirds species (table 02) Table 02: the other migratory shorebird species recorded during the local team survey. Fig 01. The local monitoring team while doing the migratory shorebirds monitoring; from the left: Wahidin (with the binocular), Herman (with the spotting scope), Arif (with the binocular), and Joni (with the spotting scope). ©Cipto/EKSAI. Fig 02: Photo of the North Sumatra - Local Monitoring Team with the Monitoring Team from EKSAI Foundation in November 2020 after the field training ©Cipto, EKSAI. Indonesia is known as one of the non-breeding sites for Far Eastern Curlew species; yet, the data and information about the species and their sites are limited; and people’s knowledge about this species is so little. Through this activity, we encourage local people: the local monitoring team; to do a migratory shorebirds’ monthly monitoring, focusing on Far Eastern Curlew species as a key species in their site. From the results presented in table 01, we can see that their sites (Pantai Cemara, Jambi, and Bagan Serdang, North Sumatra) are used by the Far Eastern Curlew species regularly during their non-breeding session. Although in January 2022, the local monitoring team of Pantai Cemara, Jambi did not find any Far Eastern Curlew species, we suspect it might be caused by not doing the survey at the ideal high tide period.But we see that in February they found the species again, which can show that Pantai Cemara, Jambi are used by the species during their non-breeding session. We hope that from this activity we can encourage the local monitoring teams to continuously survey migratory shorebirds, especially the Far Eastern Curlew species on their sites; so the conservation of migratory shorebirds and their habitat in Indonesia can be started from the movement of the local people, and in the future, it will create a sustainable conservation action for the migratory shorebirds in Indonesia. Written by the EKSAI Foundation (contact: ragil.rihadini@gmail.com) Citation: EKSAI Foundation. 2022. Report of Long-Term Monitoring of Far Eastern Curlew by Local Birdwatcher in Sumatra, Indonesia (2021-2022). . EAAFP Secretariat, Hwaseong Eco Foundation, and Hwaseong City. [link]
Continue reading -
Mapping Of Shorebird Species Hunting On The East Coast Of Aceh, Indonesia
EAAFP Small Grant Fund Project by
Continue reading -
Introducing the Youth Think Tank Competition Project Teams
The year-long journey for our 5 Youth Think Tank Competition finalist teams has finally come to a close. Although there were challenges, like the COVID pandemic, each team has successfully implemented their project between January and October 2022. Let’s learn more about what each project team has accomplished and would like to share! 1. Grand Final Winner: Team “Dining wetland for birds and people” Dining wetland for birds and people Team ©️ Dining wetland for birds and people “Through interviews with local people we learned about the challenges farmers are facing in balancing the demands of food production and birds in paddy fields. To raise awareness of the issues, gather opinions and ideas and promote the importance of biodiversity, we reached out to the local community and citizens more broadly, especially young people across the country, through online seminars, a photographic competition, and popular science articles. Our motto was: "know more, care more and act more.” - Dining Wetlands for Humans and Birds Team Share the video: link Project location: Nanqiao County, Fengxian district, Shanghai, China Team members: Shuyu Hou, Luyao Chen, Yuhan Li, Xinchen Bu, Yin Zhang Project Summary: Birds, our flying neighbours, are liked and inspire curiosity among citizens. However, they can also cause problems, especially in farmland communities. This project focused on a modern farm site in Nanqiao county, located in the suburbs of the mega-city, Shanghai, where the study site is typical of urban agricultural communities - affection for their flying neighbours but also worry about the damage they cause to crops. Objectives Collect baseline data about biodiversity and community perspectives Build capacity for the Nanqiao community and the broader public about knowledge of birds and their importance Increase awareness and motivate action for bird conservation What had been delivered: Four baseline ecological surveys, using a mixture of camera traps and transects. These surveys recorded 61 bird species and 3 mammals species, filling the data gap and laying the foundation for conservation actions. Two in-person meetings with the local stakeholders to understand the local situation, build a common understanding and agree to collaborate. Received 102 completed questionnaires from the citizens, with 40% from local community. Hosted a "birds in cropland" theme photo contest, attracting 300 votes and reaching a readership of over 1,000 by two articles. Designed and produced stickers, postcards and shopping bags of local bird species of Shanghai, to increase awareness of bird conservation. Published six popular science articles on social media to promote bird knowledge, reaching 2,200 readers. Hosted one online webinar, featuring two keynote speakers from this team and local partners, reaching 800 people. The post-event survey showed that the webinar significantly increased the audience's knowledge of birds PPT Presentation: link Read the report: link Flickr Gallery: Coming Soon! 2. Team “Project Lupad" Project Lupad Team ©️ Project Lupad “The youth is the hope of our nation and the present generation. Let us all remember this quote from Baba Dioum "In the end we will conserve only what we love; we will love only what we understand; and we will understand only what we are taught." Together let us teach and share our love for migratory birds and wetlands so that many people will understand and conserve the things that we love.” - Project LUPAD Team Share the video: Coming soon! Project location: Buayan, General Santos City, the Philippines Team members: Kyle V. Aboy, Melanie P. Genita, Loyd Joredell H. Curit, Roana Mae C. Caguliodo Project Summary: Project Lupad was created because of the need to promote awareness about migratory birds at Barangay Buayan in General Santos City. The overall goal of the project is to narrow the knowledge gap on migratory birds by engaging the youth in communication, education, and public awareness (CEPA) campaigns for migratory birds. The project had three phases: head, hands, and heart. The specific aims of the project are as follows: 1. enhance the youth's knowledge of migratory birds and their ecology through online lectures; 2. develop the youth's skills in making and communicating advocacy or campaign materials for the conservation of migratory birds and their habitats; and 3. raise community awareness about the local issues confronting various wetlands in General Santos City. We started the Head phase by engaging the youth in an online course about migratory birds which ran for one month; this was done via Google Classroom where we posted learning modules and assessed the participant’s learning and via Zoom where we invited speakers to further discuss the topics in the learning modules. The second phase is Hands, where the youth have undergone skills workshops to support migratory bird education and advocacy campaigns. The third phase is Heart, the community engagement caravan where the newly trained youth ambassadors for migratory birds produced their own CEPA materials for the public and the local Buayan community to see. These CEPA materials include infographics, digital arts, PowerPoint presentations, and flash cards which were published physically and digitally and translated into English, Filipino, and Bisaya. 79 participants joined phase 1 of the activities. For phase 3 approximately 200 people visited the exhibit and an additional 150 houses were visited during the house-to-house campaign via a community engagement caravan. PPT Presentation: link Read the report: link Flickr Gallery: Coming soon! 3. Team “Seabirds of Tubbataha” Seabirds of Tubbataha Team ©️ Seabirds of Tubbataha "The Youth Think Tank Competition for Flyway taught us how to create and execute a project from scratch - learned in theory through training courses and practical applications through our project implementation. The Seabirds of Tubbataha project has inspired us to value and better understand seabirds. Along the way, we had the opportunity to collaborate with and learn from individuals who share our interests, including this competition’s organizers, seabird experts, site managers, and our mentor, Micha. It has been a challenging yet enriching experience!" - “Seabirds of Tubbataha” Team Share the video: link Project location: Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park and World Heritage Site, the Philippines Team members: Gerlie T. Gedoria, Anthea Kristha C. Valenzuela, Ira Patricia Alitagtag Project Summary: Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park (TRNP) is the largest no-take marine protected area in the Philippines. It is both an ASEAN Heritage Park and a World Heritage Site. TRNP also became an EAAFP Flyway Network Site in 2015. The two islets of TRNP support over 20,000 seabirds and serve as important nesting and rookery grounds for seven different seabird species, four of which are migratory. Seabirds are highly pelagic, spending most of their time at sea. Their limited interaction with humans due to their isolation may be one reason they are not popular subjects of environmental education activities in the Philippines. Through this project, we designed and implemented a webinar on seabirds and produced a video focusing on the plight of the Black Noddy worcesteri subspecies that was premiered during the webinar. The project aimed to increase awareness amongst Filipinos about seabirds, their importance, and the threats they face, a hundred people at a time. We aimed to highlight the conservation needs of the Black Noddy, which is threatened by loss of nesting habitat, and of Tubbataha generally as a vital seabird breeding ground in Southeast Asia. Through dissemination of the film at the webinar and beyond, we hope to inspire early career and future conservationists to espouse seabird conservation and glean recommendations for improving our management efforts. More than 100 participants joined the various activities. PPT Presentation: link Read the report: link Flickr Gallery: Coming soon! 4. Team “Environmental Education in Dongting Lake” Environmental Education in Dongting Lake Team ©️ Environmental Education in Dongting Lake “On the basis of comprehensive investigation and mastering the natural education resources of Dongting Lake, we used the Project-based Learning (PBL) teaching method to develop a natural education curriculum with the theme of wetlands and birds – I am an ornithologist. The course is divided into two parts: indoor bird class and campus nature game, including five links: wetland discovery, understanding waterfowl, wetland and waterfowl, wading beak competition, migration of migratory birds and nature notes. At the same time, supporting textbooks, teaching aids and course effect evaluation forms are designed. Subsequently, the team organized four environmental education activities in Matang Central Primary School and Mingde Primary School in Yueyang County, with a total of 120 students participating. The children showed great interest in the activity. The interaction between teachers and students in the indoor classroom was continuous, the atmosphere was warm, and the natural games were intense and wonderful. A seed of caring for wetlands and birds has been successfully sown in children's young minds. As children grow up, this seed will take root and sprout, guiding them to approach, love and protect nature and Dongting Lake.” - Edu. in Dongting Lake Team Share the video: link Project location: East Dongting Lake National Reserve, Yueyang City, Hunan Province, China Team members: Xianglong Tang, Wenzhi Xiao, Yu Zhang, Shuangxi Yang Project Summary: Based on a comprehensive survey of Dongting Lake's environmental education resources, we developed and designed the Dongting Lake localization curriculum with wetland cognition, bird cognition and protection as the main contents by using Project-based Learning (PBL) teaching method, a new method of environmental education, and combining the characteristics of wetland and bird-based environmental education resources in Dongting Lake area. We have designed the supporting textbook "Dongting Lake Nature Education Knowledge Manual" and the knowledge folding book "Dongting Home Nature Sharing" to assist the development and implementation of the course. We developed an evaluation system of environmental education curriculum effect, which includes environmental knowledge, environmental attitude and environmental behaviour measurement, and scientifically and reasonably evaluated the effect of activities. We contacted two primary schools in the nature reserve to organize environmental education activities, which included indoor bird classes and outdoor games. During the activity, students are generally interested in the curriculum. No matter whether it is indoor classroom or campus activities, children show great interest, which successfully inspires their love for birds, wetlands and nature, leaving unforgettable memories for children and achieving good teaching results. A total of 120 students joined the activities. PPT Presentation: link Read the report: link Flickr Gallery: Coming soon! 5. Team “Rediscover Kei Island Waterbirds” Rediscover Kei Island Waterbirds Team ©️ Rediscover Kei Island Waterbirds "We are thankful for the opportunity and support from EAAFP throughout the project. We learn to manage our budget wisely because our research site is remote. One of our team members got to learn from the start to do birdwatching and for her it was a very nice experience. Through this project we got to meet people from different backgrounds, and we also learned and gained insight from them to tackle challenges in the field. We hope to do more activities at Kai Islands in the future." - Rediscover Kei Island Team Share the video: link Project location: Kei Islands, Southeast Maluku, Indonesia Team members: Gloria Pratidhwani Manggalagita, Dhia Shofi Salsabilah, Ida Nur Rahmawati Project Summary: The Kei Islands in Indonesia are a vital point for monitoring the East Asia Australia Flyway Network. Unfortunately, bird migration monitoring and observation in the Kei Islands is rarely carried due to its remote location in the waters of the Banda Sea, Indonesia. The last research about bird biodiversity conducted in Kei Island was in 1994. Now Kei Island become new emerging tourist spot in eastern Indonesia. Migratory bird is commonly seen in the Kei Islands and this phenomenon also attracts tourists. This project has conducted waterbirds monitoring in two islands, namely Kei Kecil Island and Mangur Island to update monitoring and lists of Kei Islands birds using line transect methods by walking and by boat or ferry. Upon 22 days of observation (29 March 2022- 19 April 2022), only 20 waterbirds species and 17 land bird species found. Targeted species, Far Eastern Curlew (Numenius madagascariensis) and Great Knot (Calidris tenuirostris). Total of 35 Far Eastern Curlews spotted in Ohoidertawun Beach and Ngurtavur Beach, but no Great Knot was observed. Bird watching has been introduced to residents by doing birdwatching session with children in Mangur and discussion session with total 20 person reached. From fourteen observation sites there are two important habitat that need to be manage sustainably which are Ohoidertawun Beach and Ngurtavur Beach. Both of the sites are favorite tourism spots in Kei Islands, hence the threat of habitat loss and anthropogenic disturbance are higher. Discussion with three tourism actors have been conducted three times and but no code of conduct of eco-friendly & migratory bird-friendly has been drafted yet. PPT Presentation: link Read the report: link Flickr Gallery: Coming soon! For more about the Youth Think Tank Competition for the EAA Flyway click here. The Closing Ceremony was held on 22 October, 2022, click here to learn more.
Continue reading -
World Migratory Bird Day 2022 in Indonesia with HIMPUS
The World Migratory Bird Day 2022 celebration this October was organized by HIMPUS (Poultry Lovers Association) Veterinary Medicine students at Syiah Kuala University, Banda Aceh, Indonesia, implementing various awareness…
Continue reading -
