Primary School Student answered the question about migratory birds. ⓒ DoFWC, MOE/Birdlife/WWT/NatureLife

Event Title:
World Migratory Bird Day  2018 Cambodia

Organizer:
Department of Freshwater Wetlands Conservation, Ministry of Environment in collaboration with Department of Environment of Kampot Province and Pannasastra University of Cambodia(PUC)

Number of Participants: around 300 people

Summary: WMBD was celebrated on 9th and 10th May 2018 by Department of Freshwater Wetland Conservation of General Directorate of Administration for Nature Conservation and Protection, Ministry of Environment together with Environmental Department of Kampot province, and our partners who are working on natural resources and wetlands conservation and management organized awareness and education event "World Migratory Bird Day 2018" at Anlung Pring Protected Landscape where a flock of Sarus Crane and other shorebird such as Black-tailed Godwit using that area as feeding ground during their non-breeding period.

University and primary students excited with awareness-raising activities. ⓒ DoFWC, MOE/Birdlife/WWT/NatureLife

This awareness event, the World Migratory Bird Day 2018, organized for the purpose of increasing the awareness of natural resource management and conservation of migratory birds, to encourage the public, especially students, to love and protect migratory birds, and to encourage the public to participate in protecting the breeding and non-breeding  grounds of migratory birds.

Many awareness-raising materials were designed and produced including books and banners. In addition, T-shirts were also designed and printed for students and related NGOs showing the massage of WMBD 2018 in the theme of "Unifying our Voices for Bird Conservation". Leaflets about the impact of agriculture chemical fertilizer and pesticide on people, wildlife, and wetland were produced to be distributed to villagers for awareness of their fertilizer and pesticide usage. The education audio was recorded as awareness raising tools to play during the awareness parade. 

University students learned about wetland ecology and how to identify the birds. ⓒDoFWC, MOE/Birdlife/WWT/NatureLife

On 9th May 2018, participants and university students traveled to Anlung Pring Protected Landscape to learn about site conservation, ecotourism and bird identification. Site manager, partner NGOs and head of community based ecotourism briefly introduced site management, ecotourism operation and Sarus Crane conservation at the site. With guiding from conservationist, university students walked to the wetland station and learned about wetland ecology and using of telescope/binocular for birding. In addition, students also participated in finding birds challenge which was conducted in the wetland station where students able to spot birds through telescope and record the name of each species they found in the bird log. The winner who was able to spot most of the species was provided a reward after finished the challenge.

H.E Chea Sam Ang, Director General of General Directorate of Administration for Nature Conservation and Protection, Ministry of Environment gave remark at WMBD2018. ⓒ DoFWC, MOE/Birdlife/WWT/NatureLife

On 10th May 2018, WMBD event took place at Thmor Berk Secondary School located nearby Anlung Pring Protected Landscaped with 450 participants, including students, university students, local authorities, villagers, conservation NGOs. It presided over by H.E Chea Sam Ang, Director General of General Directorate of Administration for Nature Conservation and Protection, Ministry of Environment and there were 4 speakers coming from different institutions but work together to conserve wetlands and migratory birds. The key message delivered by the speakers focused on "Together to conserve Migratory Birds". The activities followed by the event included Question and Answer section to students, bird drawing competition, poem recitation, bird watching, and distribution of awareness materials. The event also involved awareness parade in and around the villages to distribute leaflets about the impact of using agriculture chemical fertilizer and pesticide to human, wildlife and wetlands. Participants get on tractors and some of them ride bicycles with the bird sign such as Sarus Crane and other waterbird species with the education audio being played. The parade started from Thmor Berk Secondary School along the village roads. It was not only for raising awareness to villagers about the impact of pesticide through audio and leaflets but also draw public's attention toward Sarus Crane and wetland conservation at Anlung Pring Protected Landscape.

Students and participants joint the awareness parade on the impact of agriculture, chemical fertilizer, and pesticide to humans, wildlife and wetlands. ⓒ DoFWC, MOE/Birdlife/WWT/NatureLife

The public event also captured and spread through Ministry of Environment and partner NGOs social media. The messages and the objective of this annual awareness event, WMBD, will reach more public attention toward conservation of migratory birds and their habitats.