QLF MIDDLE EAST CONSERVATION EXCHANGE PROGRAM ~ GLOBAL MIGRATORY FLYWAYS ~

The QLF Middle East Conservation Exchange Program on Global Migratory Flyways, to be held in Jordan, is an opportunity for Conservation Professionals to share knowledge and expertise on best practices in the development and implementation of flyway-scale conservation policies and practices. The goals of the exchange are to build international relationships for the purposes of network cultivation, cross-pollination, and the transfer of effective practices, models, technologies and key ideas on migratory bird flyways.

Every spring and autumn millions of migratory birds pass through the Middle East, a critical stop over site on the West Asian-East Africa Flyway and the Black Sea/Mediterranean Flyway. As migratory birds journey between breeding and non-breeding grounds, they cross major obstacles, natural and man-made; and borders, political and geographic, with changing conservation capacities. A biogeographical perspective supports natural patterns of migration, which overlie the global geopolitical system, and encourages the conservation and management of migratory species, or the habitats and sites on which they depend, across national boundaries and jurisdictions.

Flyway-scale initiatives for migratory bird conservation have been undertaken by conservation organizations in the Middle East. Although in Israel, for example, cross-border conservation is challenging due, in part, to the Israeli-Arab conflict. As well, opportunities for conversations on the successes and challenges of flyway initiatives have been scant between different flyways, as well as between species groups of birds within flyways, e.g. waterbirds, landbirds, soaring birds and seabirds.

This eight day (exclusive of travel) Middle East Exchange Program in the Spring of 2018 is an opportunity to address this gap and contribute to a global view of flyway conservation. Participants will be representative of each of the global migratory flyways:

West Pacific – Alaska to New Zealand Black Sea/Mediterranean – Russian Arctic Pacific Americas – Alaska to Patagonia to South Africa Mississippi Americas – Canadian Arctic to West Asian-East Africa – Eastern Siberia to South America west coast South Africa Atlantic Americas – Canadian Arctic to Central Asian – Arctic Ocean to the Indian South America east coast Ocean East Atlantic – Eastern Canada/Central East Asian-Australasian – Northern Asia Siberia to West Africa and Alaska to Southeast Asia and Australasia

Also, participants will be representative of different species groups of migratory birds. QLF will tap its Alumni in Israel, Jordan, and Palestine for site visits to include the Jerusalem Bird Observatory, Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel, The International Birding and Research Center, Birdlife International Middle East Regional Office, and the Migratory Soaring Birds Project Regional Flyway Facility.