Young Shorebird Ambassador Course” at Pak Thale-Laem Phak Bia Flyway Network Site, Thailand 2021-2022

EAAFP Small Grant Fund project by

Bird Conservation Society Thailand

Fig. 1. Poster to promote the youth camp © Bird Conservation Society Thailand

Pak Thale-Laem Phak Bia is one of the three Flyway Network Sites (FNS) in Thailand. It is located on the coast of Phetchaburi in the Inner Gulf of Thailand. The site is internationally recognized as an important location of migratory shorebirds, most notably the globally Critically Endangered Spoon-billed Sandpiper, along with other globally threatened birds such as Great Knot, Spotted Greenshank, Far Eastern Curlew and Chinese Egret, which make Pak Thale-Laem Phak Bia their winter home.

The site is mainly covered by salt pans, which are important roosting and feeding habitats during the high tide, when the neighbouring mud flats are covered. Salt production is also one of the main sources of income for the local communities.

BCST has worked exclusively at Pak Thale-Laem Phak Bia FNS for more than 10 years. We realize the importance of preserving the saltpan landscape, both for the migratory shorebirds and for the livelihood of local communities. In 2019, BCST made a strategic land purchase, with the help of the Rainforest Trust and public crowdfunding, of 8 ha of salt pans at Pak Thale and established as “Pak Thale Nature Reserve”. The main activities at the reserve include managing habitat for shorebirds, regular shorebird monitoring, as well as awareness raising and capacity building activities for the local youth and salt farmers.

Through this project, BCST would like to raise awareness among young people throughout Thailand by supporting a group of students who are passionate about producing media to learn about shorebirds and gain first-hand experience in studying the shorebirds and other related elements. This group of students will produce a set of multimedia projects which promotes the importance of shorebirds and shorebird conservation as the result of this project.

To support and empower young people to communicate capacity from both urban and local groups to enhance public awareness on the importance of shorebird conservation outcomes. We developed a programme called “Young Shorebird Ambassador” to promote and to recruit young people from places in Thailand.

BCST opened for applications from youth (between 15-23 years old) from all over Thailand to apply for the course as an individual or as a team (up to 3 persons) in September - October 2021. Applicants were required to write a short essay explaining how he/she thinks becoming a “Young Shorebird Ambassador” could benefit the conservation of shorebirds and propose a concept of a media project that he/she wants to produce to raise awareness of shorebird conservation.

There were 3 themes of products by the ambassadors: short VDO, photography and journals and reviewed by professionals in media. Finally, BCST selected up to 10 applicants by short essays and interview to join the “Young Shorebird Ambassador Course” to be conducted both in Bangkok and Pak Thale Nature Reserve in November and December 2021.

BCST held the first 2 day-workshopthrough online training due to COVID restriction, to introduce all selected applicants to the course . The main topics in the first workshop included: introduction to migratory shorebirds, Connections between shorebirds and human, Nature games to familiarize applicants to bird ecology, and basic shorebird identification. The applicants are required to develop and present their topics, concept and the types of media that they would like to produce by end of November to our mentors.

The second 4 day-workshop was held at Pak Thale Nature Reserve with a stop at Khok Kham Nature Conservation Club, where BCST has a strong connection with a local conservation group that has been involved in the conservation of Spoon-billed Sandpiper for many decades. The applicants have learned through field visits and field activities at the actual site about shorebirds and the connections between shorebirds and local livelihood, particularly salt farming. During this workshop, the applicants were required to collect as many materials as needed to produce their media projects.

The final project and production submission was in January-February 2022, the applicants submitted their media projects for BCST to comment on and evaluate. The final media projects of all applicants were shown at the Thailand Bird Fair 2023, an annual event by BCST to be held in late November, followed by BCST social media (Facebook, Twitter, website).

This is one of VDO and photo production by our participant, Peera